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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  Fun car... gas mileage stinks!! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By ELIZABETH - May 16 - 11:00 pm

  The car is just outright a fun car. I love the bluetooth capabilities considering the phone is my life. I especially love the CVT. It makes the car less noisy and its a smooth ride for the most part. I have not had the car for long but I am beginning to think the car doesnt really get 36 MPG. I am averaging about 28-31 MPG on the highway. The car tends to be a smooth ride with an occasional drifting. Not sure what that is about. I feel my 1999 Grand Am with over 200,000 still gets better gas mileage.

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  ejmreview - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Edward Moskaly - May 16 - 10:50 pm

  I am satisfied with performance and styling of my 2005 Nissan Maxima. I would like to have running lights, self-locking doors, and leather on the door panels as standard equipment though.

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  Terrible car; terrible company - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Evan - May 16 - 8:56 pm

  I purchased this car brand new, and had problems from day 1. 6 recalls in the first 3 years; should have been a clue. Once I hit about 60K the maintenance got very expensive, than at 90K a very common problem, the catalytic converter went and caused engine damage, after $1000 in repairs, I cut my losses and sold it before the engine got worse. This seems to be all to common on this car, so be wear! I would not recommend any nissan product to anyone.

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  1995 Nissan Maxima - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By Missilelaunch - May 16 - 3:36 pm

  This has been a excellent car. I ahve added a 10,000 Stereo and a supercharger to a car that I bought with 100,000 miles. It has never given me any problems aside from needing a new oxygen sensor.

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  2012 Nissan Frontier SV Sport Appearance - 2012 Nissan Frontier
  By frontier21 - May 16 - 12:23 pm

  I bought the 2012 Nissan Frontier Sport Appearance crew cab a month ago, and I love it! I couldnt stand the gas mileage in my 07 f-150 5.4L anymore, so I traded for the Frontier. I tow a fairly heavy 20 ft. flats boat, and I was nervous at first about towing with the V6 versus my big 5.4L. The Frontier does perfect! Pulling power is impressive, and the suspension actually feels better than the ford when loaded down. Gas mileage is impressive compared to the 12-15 I was getting, I drive a mixture of city/ highway and right now Im getting 19.4. I would definitely recommend this truck to anyone looking to get away from the MPG of a full-size truck without sacrificing ANY power.

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  Smooth ride, quiet interior - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By Andrew - May 16 - 11:03 am

  I bought this car mainly for my wife, but I do enjoy driving it because the ride is very quiet and smooth. Acceleration is nice and road noise on the highway is minimal. I dont like that the steering is very resistive to turn, and the auto headlight sensor basically needs pitch black light to turn on. Overall a great car with a nice interior, soft ride, and great visibility. The nav unit with birds eye view is nice, but lack of touchscreen and the small function knob make it a bit difficult to manage. Bose sound not as great as advertised either. Fuel economy is typically average ~19mpg 50/50 city/hwy. Car is not for sport enthusiasts though. Very comparable to RX 350.

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  Learn from others mistakes - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Grapes - May 16 - 3:43 am

  Purchased this vehicle new in DEC of 2003. I knew it was the first model year but it was a Nissan. So how many problems could it have? Ill tell you how many, more than I could have imagined in my wildest dreams. This vehicle is a piece of junk and I felt the exact same way as another reviewer. Nissan should be ashamed of themselves! Problems?, exhaust, window, levelers, brakes, overhead console, electronic powertrain module, oem tires, and squeaks, rattles and shakes that are by far the worst of any car Ive ever driven. And Im 53. Dont know if things changed this year but the armada was rated one of the 5 least reliable vehicles for 5 years running.

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  Love this truck - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By qthornton - May 14 - 11:10 pm

  This truck handles close to a sports car, its unreal. The power of 5.6 V8 is awesome. It can pull about anything you put behind it love it.

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  Xterra 4x4 - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By rthinchey - May 14 - 8:37 pm

  Great truck to drive on and off road. Very easy to maintain. Works very well off road, Ive never been stuck or left stranded. Great vehicle in the snow, mud, rain, sand, and anything else you can throw at it

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  Quality? - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Igor B - May 14 - 7:13 am

  I have this car for less then a year and its been in service couple of times already. First: front struts went down at 6000 mi; Second: harsh shift from 1 to 2 gear. Feels like about to loose a transmission. Could not reproduce at service. Now nissan published bulletin that it is true. Will be taking care of; Third: Radio reception is awful. Nissan Bulletin also states that the radio unit has to be changed; Last (for now) problem: Glass in the drivers door is shaking when rolled down. I like the car even with these problems, but my patience is running out. My second car(truck) is Nissan Xterra (3 years old) and not a single problem. NISSAN. WHAT HEPPENED WITH YOUR QUALITY???