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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  96 maxima - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By DERRICK - August 5 - 11:16 pm

  Never had any problems rides like a charm. The 96 could use a few more horses. Well comparing to the news cars, however in 1996 it was excellent. The only thing is lack of cup holders nothing major.Nothing I can really complain about

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  Test drive it and you will be sold! - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By atlpsychdoc - August 5 - 2:40 am

  Had my 2013 for about 3 months now. I cannot imagine EVER driving an ICE car again. Now, gas powered cars feel crude, rough and loud. The Leaf is smooth and quiet. I feel like Im driving on air. I love the fact that I am helping to decrease our dependence on foreign oil and that I am not contributing emissions to the environment. (This car was second choice to my unaffordable fantasy car, a TESLA , but I truly couldnt be happier.) Acceleration is not exactly going to wow you when getting up to highway speeds, but its certainly enough to feel safe merging into highway traffic. I expected an electric car would be VERY sluggish and was pleasantly surprised from the test drive on!

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  Nissan Murano 2005 SL - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By madaaam - August 4 - 4:40 pm

  Very Comfortable, Fun and Easy to drive, Handles well and if you build it to the max, like I did, comparable to a higher class of SUV such as the LEXUS or ACURA

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  Nice Car - 2010 Refesh in October - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By James - August 4 - 5:36 am

  I test drove this car, the Toyota Corolla S, and the Honda Accord Coupe. I liked the Altima the best because it was a bit smaller than the Accord, and felt a bit more sporty. Simplicity also comes to mind. The doors felt sturdy and the rear of the car is very attractive. I think the headlights need a bit more work though (needs to be more like the 370z). I wish there were LED tail lights as well. It would also be nice if there was a remote trunk release. My 1999 Nissan Maxima has folding side mirrors, so why is this feature NOT included on a 2009 4-cylinder model (it is standard on the V6 model)? Overall very nice car, but has the potential to squash the competition with some adjustments.

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  No quality in catalytic converters - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Kevin - August 4 - 4:36 am

  Heat shields rattle. Brakes squeak until replaced w/better brake system. 3rd catalytic converter failure w/in 40k. We have maintained the car faithfully since new (synth oil, rotate & bal tire, good fuel, cleaned fuel injectors, flushed radiator regularly). Love the car other than the continuing problems with catalytic converters. We have had 5 Nissans and have been loyal Nissan customers for 15 years. Dealership told us contact Nissan Corporate Customer Service because of several complaints w/ catalytic converters. Nissan Customer Service said too bad too sad...said "we dont qualify for help" implied we dont spend enough at Nissan. Dont worry Nissan. We wont spend anymore! Buy American!

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  Nissan Maxima SE - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By 2003Nissan Maxima - August 4 - 2:06 am

  Problem free car---rides smooth-shifts real easy into drive--driver seating adjustable and comfortable--you must adjust to the turning radius of the car which can easily be done--speed pickup is remarkable when needed-trunk room is morethan generous-have one minor key scratch on trunk to be repaired--cost about $150

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  A big mistake. - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Warren lind - August 3 - 2:33 pm

  Bought the Rouge in July. After 600 miles of driving, the gas pedal and steeringwheel started viabrating between 30 and 60 miles per hour. Brought it back to the dealership. They checked it out and found a small vibration. After four times bringing it back to the dealership and my complaints , they brought in the big guns (Factory rep). After a twenty minute drive that I drove to go over the same things the (rep) said exactly what I expected. The vibration is a characteristic of the car. Nothing they can do. Stuck with it. Keep the payments coming please. To me It seems Nissan has no real interest in the problem. Hope that you are not one of the unlucky owners with this problem.

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  Well balanced car for the $$ - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Brenda - August 3 - 1:35 pm

  We were not in the market for a new car, but after driving a 2015 Altima S for a week as a rental, we fell in love with it and decided to get one. We opted for the 2016 due to the sportier design changes. Also the the back up camera came standard now with this model (previously was an option). For the price, the S had a perfect balance of things we were looking for: Great gas mileage, smooth quiet ride, large trunk, exceptional acceleration for a 4 cyl., great visibility, and we loved the way the dash was designed with all the key features (electronics, warnings and entertainment screens) were laid out. We have not had the car for more than a couple of weeks so cannot comment on maintenance and repairs, but so far we are pretty happy with our purchase. Seats are very comfortable, although I almost liked the fabric on the 2015 better (they have upgraded to a different type of fabric and design). We average 29-30 MPG commuting to work mixed city/freeway driving and long freeway trip netted 39, but Im sure we could do better if we maintained the minimum speed limit the entire time.

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  Had high hopes - 2014 Nissan Altima
  By hoffenhausen - August 3 - 12:27 pm

  I wanted to like this car. The electrical system has been very shoddy. The key fob malfunctions frequently and the remote doesnt work if it is below freezing. The car squeaks when going over bumps and the dash vibrates at 45 mph. The seats in the car have worn very poorly and look like they have been in the car for over 100k miles. Great looking car, very poor quality. I would buy another Nissan but would steer clear of the Altima

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  Nissan Rookie - 1998 Nissan Pathfinder
  By schleprock - August 3 - 2:00 am

  This is the first SUV I have owned and for the most part has been a great vehicle. I love the look/style of the Pathfinder. The rear doors could be a little more accessible. I have however had problems in the past few weeks that lowered my opinion somewhat. I had three fuel injectors and a fuel pressure regular plus the front wheel bearings all need replacing in a six week period and I only have 55,000 miles on the vehicle. Other than that the vehicle had worked great.