Overview & Reviews

Nissan was born in Japan, and like other marques from its homeland, the brand is known for crafting vehicles that place an emphasis on quality and reliability. The company's roster of products is broad, and includes sporty coupes, family sedans, minivans, trucks and SUVs.

The automaker got its start in 1933 as the Jidosha Seico Co., Ltd. The following year, this outfit merged with another Japanese manufacturer, and the new company was christened Nissan Motor Company, Ltd. Nissan initially marketed its vehicles under the Datsun brand, with the first Datsuns being built in 1934. Postwar, the brand made its presence felt worldwide, building a partnership with the U.K.-based Austin Motor Co. and establishing a presence in the United States. The first Datsuns hit American shores in 1958. Vehicles like the Datsun 1000 were based on Austin platforms.

The '60s witnessed Nissan's merger with Prince Motor Company, a union that helped the Asian manufacturer create more luxury-focused vehicles. In the U.S. it began offering its first vehicle styled for the U.S. market, the Datsun 510 sedan. By the end of the decade, Datsun had exported more than 1 million vehicles. Datsun rose to prominence in the 1970s on the popularity of its 240Z sports car. Powered by an inline six-cylinder engine, the car was coveted for its blend of style, performance and affordability. By the time the '70s drew to a close, the automaker's cumulative vehicle exports had surpassed the 10 million mark.

In 1981, Nissan shelved the Datsun name and began selling vehicles worldwide under the Nissan moniker. The '80s also saw Nissan's launch of a tuning division called Nismo for the development of performance-oriented vehicles and accessories. Nissan also brought its production to American shores, with the construction of a Georgia-based plant.

The early '90s saw Nissan's fortunes rise in the U.S. thanks to fun-to-drive cars like the 300ZX, Maxima and Sentra. But this trend didn't last long and by the late '90s Nissan's offerings consisted of anonymous vehicles. The company's future was uncertain.

After the turn of the new century Nissan bounced back, helped by a 1999 alliance with Renault that boosted the company's finances. Its redesigned Sentra and Altima boosted sales and consumer interest, as did new models like the 350Z sports car, Armada SUV and Titan pickup. Today the manufacturer is known for offering a wide range of well-regarded vehicles, including the popular Murano SUV, the incredible GT-R supercar and the all-electric Leaf.

User Reviews:

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  I hate this car! - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Bummed Sentra Driver - June 13 - 10:16 am

  Weve had a terrible time with this car. The first issue we had was the CD player ate the disk and wont throw it up. The car overheats constantly. We cant take it out of town for fear of being stranded. It is reluctant starting, it usually takes 3 times to get it to start!

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  Been a great one for me - 2000 Nissan Quest
  By kad - June 13 - 10:00 am

  This mini van has been excellant for us. Bought brand spanking new in 2000 and have about 55K on it now. It is fully loaded and everything still works. Have only done regular maintenance. Gas mileage might could be better. I have had a blast driving it. Ultimate "MOM" mobile. Removable middle seat captain chairs with a rear seat that can be moved right up in front to haul lots of stuff.

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  Love my Pathfinder - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Arons Mommy - June 13 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car new and have never had any problems with it. I did put bigger tires on it and it really helped make the ride better (it wobbled a little with the factory tires). It has never been in the shop and all I have done is change the oil in it. It still has the original brakes, although they are about to be changed, and I just had to replace the stereo system because the CD player finally gave up and I blew the speakers !!

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  Too soon, but I have a good feeling - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By Super.Dave - June 13 - 10:00 am

  I just bought the Maxima. I had been looking for a low milage 99 or 00 and found this 99 three weeks ago with 36,000 mi. One test drive and I bought the car 10 min. later. How could someone give up this beautiful little car it is in perfect shape?

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  Newbie - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By reighne - June 13 - 10:00 am

  I really love my Nissan; its not hard to handle and comfortable. The air conditioner seems to only have a few settings though: Too Cold or VERY Cold. I constantly seem to be trying to adjust the temperature so that its comfortable. Great stereo system though. Fun to drive, AND THANK GOODNESS for AMAZING GAS MILEAGE. I pay typically about $10-15 of gas every week or so and so its not bad whatsoever. Its a very steady car, reliable, and compact enough that itll fit practically anywhere. The doors are a little small for moving things, but you can pack a lot of stuff into the car once you get past the door.

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  Best Car in Class - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By GoldfishPimp - June 13 - 10:00 am

  I have had the car for almost three months now and I find myself liking it more and more everyday. Have yet to see another Spec-V in Tulsa. I see a hundred Civc EXs everyday. Everyone wants to know what kind of car it is. When I tell them its a Sentra, the response is always "A Sentra ?!?!" It is a blast to drive.

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  My New Nissan 2009 370Z - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By Larry - June 13 - 1:36 am

  Im the previous owner of the following Z Cars: 1970 240Z, 1976 280Z, which I owned for 27 years, and did a complete restoration (frame off), 1990 300ZX, 2003 350Z, and now Ive Just purchased a new 2009 370Z, which in my opinion, is the best Nissan Z Car that Nissan has made, by far! Having said that, there are several features missing on the 370Z that would really make the car truly outstanding. They are as follows: This car desperately needs an oil cooler for it to perform at the speeds its capable of; needs the same low tire pressure monitoring system that was on the 350Z; needs to have a digital speed indicator, like the 350Z has; and the information panel need a complete update.

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  Original Owner - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By LM - June 12 - 6:10 pm

  I bought this truck new and I still really love it. I do NOT like the gas mileage, but it is not a daily driver anymore. I have some problems now and Im getting ready to fix them: Fuel pump recall, cracked exhaust manifold, either tie rod or some other part has gone bad to cause the front end to shake. I do enjoy driving it - it is fun! I know you can get a newer truck with better mileage and more modern features but - I like the body style and I do not see too many SCs around. Its irritating to have to use 93 octane - at $4 a gallon!! I will do some mods to get a little more power out this summer.

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  Happy driver - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By annielyn - June 12 - 2:30 pm

  Im very happy with this car. Ive been a "truck" person forever but I wanted to find something more comfortable and decent on fuel. I purchased a basic model with leather seats. Sporty ride with lots of comfort. The 4 cyl is amazing.

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  Sentra Fan - 2016 Nissan Sentra
  By steve snow - June 11 - 9:21 pm

  We have had five Sentras and have always appreciated the value for the money. This is the first one we bought new so the repair record is unknown, but our experience in the past has been good.