Nissan is a Japanese carmaker founded in 1933. The cars themselves are another matter: across 34 VIN prefixes on record they came off lines in 4 countries — the United States 60.6%, Japan 23.8%, Mexico 14.1%. 36 models are tracked here (1981–2026). Reliable? yes, on balance — 4.1 out of 5 across 36 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).
Who makes Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa. Founded as Nihon Sangyo Co. in 1933 by Yoshisuke Aikawa, the company adopted the Nissan name in 1934 and exported its first Datsun-branded vehicles to the United States in 1958. Nissan rebadged its US lineup from Datsun to Nissan in 1981. Nissan launched the LEAF in December 2010 — the first mass-market battery-electric car — and remained the world's best-selling EV nameplate until being overtaken by the Tesla Model 3 in 2020. The Altima, Sentra and Rogue anchor mainstream US passenger sales, while the GT-R supercar and Z sports coupe carry the brand's performance heritage. The Frontier and Titan represent Nissan's pickup-truck offerings. Nissan trades on the OTC market under NSANY (ADR) and on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7201. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, restructured in 2023, remains the world's third-largest automotive partnership by combined volume. Recall data for every Nissan VIN is reported to NHTSA, and EPA fuel-economy ratings, IIHS crash-test scores and J.D. Power studies provide independent benchmarks. ForCar.org decodes any Nissan VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original window-sticker MSRP.
Yoshisuke Aikawa founded Nihon Sangyo (Japan Industries) in 1928 as a holding company; the abbreviation Ni-San yielded the brand name when the firm acquired DAT Motors in 1933. The Datsun 510 (1968) and 240Z (1969) established Nissan as a credible Japanese alternative in the US market. The 1989 GT-R Skyline R32 introduced the ATTESA E-TS torque-vectoring AWD system that defined Nissan's performance image for the next 30 years.
| Nissan | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1933 |
| Founded by | Yoshisuke Aikawa |
| Headquarters | Yokohama, Japan |
| Listed as | NSANY |
| Slogan | «Innovation That Excites» |
| Models tracked here | 36 (1981–2026) |
| Assembled in | 4 countries |
Technology it is known for: e-POWER series-hybrid, ProPILOT Assist, Variable Compression Turbo (VC-T) engine, CMF modular platforms, Intelligent All-Wheel Drive.
This page covers Nissan Motor Co., the Japanese automaker — not Datsun (Nissan's entry-level sub-brand discontinued in most markets) or any unrelated Nissan-branded products.
Where Nissan cars are actually built
A badge says where a company is registered, not where its cars were bolted together. The first three characters of any VIN — the world manufacturer identifier — say the second thing, and that is what we counted: 57,941 vehicles on record, 34 distinct manufacturer codes.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1N4, 5N1, 1N6, 4N2 | 1985–2026 | |
| Japan | JN8, JN1, JNB, JNH | 1982–2026 | |
| Mexico | 3N1, 3N6, 3N8 | 1991–2026 | |
| South Korea | KNM, KMH | 1997–2020 |
Read your own: the first character is the region, the first three together identify the plant's manufacturer. A Nissan beginning 1N4 was assembled in the United States.
All Nissan models 36
Every Nissan model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.
Nissan SUVs & crossovers 8
Nissan Cars & sedans 15
Nissan Trucks 2
Nissan Minivans & vans 1
Nissan Wagons 2
Nissan More models 8
Nissan by the numbers
What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.
| Topic | Nissan | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 1,517 campaigns | Most recalled: Exterior Lighting |
| Owner complaints | 61,173+ filed | Most reported: Altima |
| Fuel economy | 121 mpg best | Leader: Leaf |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ top rated | 8 models tested by NHTSA |
| Insurance | $1,746/yr typical | Cheapest: Xterra |
Compare model years like a dealer does.
- Full research report on any model year
- Market chart: how this model holds value
- Exact values with mileage adjustment
- Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Nissan hybrids & electric models
Nissan's electrified lineup — 5 hybrids and 3 electric / plug-in. Click any model for its full powertrain, MPG and range by year.
Nissan hybrids 5
Nissan electric & plug-in 3
Electrified variants from EPA fueleconomy.gov powertrain data. A model may offer gas, hybrid and electric versions across years.
Get a Nissan window sticker by VIN
Recreate any Nissan's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.
Nissan window stickers →How to read a Nissan VIN
Every Nissan built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Nissan and the country it was built in (real Nissan codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled it.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- USA1N4 · 1N6 · 5BZ · 5N1
- Mexico3N1 · 3N6 · 3N8 · 3PC
- JapanJN1 · JN6 · JN8
- UKSJK
The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. You can decode any VIN for free and get the year-code table, the country codes and the exact spots where the number is stamped.
Who owns Nissan, and what you get
Nissan is independent, Japanese-owned and publicly listed as NSANY. Nissan competes in mass-market passenger and light-commercial segments against Toyota, Honda, Hyundai-Kia and Ford, with stronger US share in mid-size and compact SUVs than in pickups. Infiniti, Nissan's luxury division, has operated as a separate brand in North America since 1989. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance shares platforms across the three brands but maintains separate dealership networks in most markets.
| Nissan | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Ownership | Independent |
| Stock ticker | NSANY |
| Basic warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Assembly countries | United States, Japan, Mexico, South Korea |
⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 3 years / 36,000 miles. See when Nissan models actually start to break →
Nissan — frequently asked
Is Nissan japanese?
Nissan is a Japanese company, headquartered in Yokohama and founded in 1933. The cars are a separate question: 60.6% of the Nissan vehicles in our records were assembled in the United States.
Where are Nissan cars made?
Across 34 manufacturer codes on record, assembly splits as: the United States (60.6%), Japan (23.8%), Mexico (14.1%), South Korea (1.5%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the manufacturer and plant country — that is where these shares come from.
Who owns Nissan?
Nissan is independent, publicly traded as NSANY.
How many Nissan models are there?
We track 36 Nissan models spanning 1981–2026. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.
What is the Nissan warranty?
New vehicles come with 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.
Is Nissan reliable?
It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Nissan model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.