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What is Nissan?

Yoshisuke Aikawa founded Nissan in 1933, headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. Despite the Japanese badge, 60.6% of the Nissan cars in our records were assembled in the United States — the country on the boot lid and the country under the car are rarely the same thing. 36 models tracked (1981–2026).

Data · NHTSA & EPA · 36 models · 1981–2026 · Updated Nov 7, 2026 · 4.1 ★★★★★★★★★★ Brand Score
Quick answer

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 23.7%, 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 →).

36
Models
1981
Since
1
Vehicle types
Japan
Origin
1933
Founded

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.

FIG.01·About Nissan
ItemNissan
Founded1933
Founded byYoshisuke Aikawa
HeadquartersYokohama, Japan
Listed asNSANY
Slogan«Innovation That Excites»
Models tracked here33 (1981–2026)
Assembled in4 countries
ROWS 7·SOURCE ForCar Editorial + NHTSA VIN records

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: 58,623 vehicles on record, 34 distinct manufacturer codes.

FIG.02·Where Nissan cars are built
Assembled inShareVIN starts withYears seen
the United States60.6%1N4, 5N1, 1N6, 4N21985–2026
Japan23.7%JN8, JN1, JNB, JNH1982–2026
Mexico14.1%3N1, 3N6, 3N81991–2026
South Korea1.5%KNM, KMH1997–2020
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA records, grouped by VIN manufacturer code

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.

SUVs & crossovers 8Cars & sedans 13Trucks 2Minivans & vans 1Wagons 3More models 9

Nissan SUVs & crossovers 8

Nissan SUVs & crossovers by the numbers
ModelYearsRecallsComplaintsBest MPGForCar score
Nissan Rogue2008–2026947,25334 mpg4.5/5
Nissan Armada2002–2026641,82418 mpg4.0/5
Nissan Juke2011–20181747830 mpg4.0/5
Nissan Xterra2000–2015643,14219 mpg4.0/5
Nissan ARIYA2023–2026860103 mpg5.0/5
Nissan Cube2009–20141121729 mpg4.0/5
Nissan Rogue Sport2017–20221037628 mpg4.5/5
Nissan Rogue Select2014–2014242225 mpg4.0/5
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA + ForCar

Nissan Cars & sedans 13

Nissan Cars & sedans by the numbers
ModelYearsRecallsComplaintsBest MPGForCar score
Nissan GT-R2009–202693319 mpg4.0/5
Nissan Altima1993–202614815,67934 mpg4.5/5
Nissan Sentra1982–20261556,21141 mpg4.0/5
Nissan Versa2007–2026753,45835 mpg4.0/5
Nissan Kicks2018–20261653033 mpg4.0/5
Nissan Leaf2011–202655967121 mpg4.5/5
Nissan Maxima1981–20231197,16425 mpg4.5/5
Nissan 240SX1989–20011023522 mpg3.5/5
Nissan 200SX1981–19981718729 mpg3.5/5
Nissan PULSAR1981–199082230 mpg4.0/5
Nissan Kicks Play2025–20261933 mpg4.5/5
Nissan Stanza1981–19921218427 mpg3.5/5
Nissan NX1991–199321528 mpg3.5/5
ROWS 13·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA + ForCar

Nissan Trucks 2

Nissan Trucks by the numbers
ModelYearsRecallsComplaintsBest MPGForCar score
Nissan Frontier1998–20261421,37722 mpg3.5/5
Nissan Titan2002–2026773,09918 mpg4.0/5
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA + ForCar

Nissan Minivans & vans 1

Nissan Minivans & vans by the numbers
ModelYearsRecallsComplaintsBest MPGForCar score
Nissan Quest1993–2017382,26022 mpg4.0/5
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA + ForCar

Nissan Wagons 3

Nissan Wagons by the numbers
ModelYearsRecallsComplaintsBest MPGForCar score
Nissan Murano2002–2026705,86629 mpg4.5/5
Nissan Altra1998–20042—85 mpg4.5/5
Nissan Stanza Wagon1986–1989——23 mpg4.5/5
ROWS 3·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA + ForCar

Nissan More models 9

Nissan More models by the numbers
ModelYearsRecallsComplaintsBest MPGForCar score
Nissan Pathfinder1986–20261497,52326 mpg4.5/5
Nissan 350Z2003–20091565220 mpg4.0/5
Nissan 370Z2009–20222136122 mpg4.0/5
Nissan 300ZX1983–19962136220 mpg3.5/5
Nissan NV2002013–20261813425 mpg4.0/5
Nissan X-Trail2005–2006———4.5/5
Nissan NV2011–202615—25 mpg4.5/5
Nissan Versa Note2014–202013775—4.0/5
Nissan Micra1985–1991———4.5/5
ROWS 9·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA + ForCar

Nissan by the numbers

What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.

FIG.03·Nissan by the numbers
TopicNissanDetail
Recalls1,478 campaignsMost recalled: Exterior Lighting
Owner complaints61,655+ filedMost reported: Altima
Fuel economy121 mpg bestLeader: Leaf
Crash safety★★★★★ top rated8 models tested by NHTSA
Insurance$1,746/yr typicalCheapest: Xterra
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA, EPA and HLDI records
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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 hybrids
ModelYearsBest figureRecallsForCar score
Nissan Rogue2008–202634944.5/5
Nissan Altima1993–2026341484.5/5
Nissan Pathfinder1986–2026261494.5/5
Nissan Sentra1982–2026411554.0/5
Nissan Murano2002–202629704.5/5
ROWS 5·SOURCE EPA + NHTSA

Nissan electric & plug-in 3

Nissan evs
ModelYearsBest figureRecallsForCar score
Nissan Leaf2011–2026121554.5/5
Nissan ARIYA2023–202610385.0/5
Nissan Altra1998–20048524.5/5
ROWS 3·SOURCE EPA + NHTSA

Electrified variants from EPA fueleconomy.gov powertrain data. A model may offer gas, hybrid and electric versions across years.

NISSAN

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:

FIG.05·How to Read a Nissan VIN
1–3 · WMI1N4
4–8 · VDSCM826
9 · Check5
10 · YearR
11 · PlantA
12–17 · Serial004352
  • 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.
Real Nissan WMIs — the first 3 VIN digits by build country
  • USA1N4 · 1N6 · 5BZ · 5N1
  • Mexico3N1 · 3N6 · 3N8 · 3PC
  • JapanJN1 · JN6 · JN8
  • UKSJK
17 CHARS·SOURCE SAE / ISO 3779 · NHTSA vPIC

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.

FIG.04·Nissan ownership and warranty
ItemNissan
Country of originJapan
OwnershipIndependent
Stock tickerNSANY
Basic warranty3 years / 36,000 miles
Powertrain warranty5 years / 60,000 miles
Assembly countriesUnited States, Japan, Mexico, South Korea
ROWS 6·SOURCE Manufacturer terms + NHTSA VIN records

⚠ 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 →

Everything on Nissan
Recalls1,478 campaignsFuel economy121 mpg bestReliabilityEvery model rankedCommon problems70,875 complaintsCheck a VINBy production runCargo space22 models measuredDimensionsSize and weightWhat yours is worthValuation by modelInsurance costPer model, per stateWindow stickersOriginal Monroney labelsDecode a VINWhat each character means

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 (23.7%), 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.

Explore other brands

Brands like Nissan
BrandModels trackedSearch demand
Chevrolet63 models11,309,600/mo searched
Dodge43 models10,417,330/mo searched
BMW106 models10,057,350/mo searched
Lexus17 models9,453,470/mo searched
Jeep22 models9,110,460/mo searched
Kia25 models8,584,430/mo searched
ROWS 6·SOURCE ForCar catalogue
Model data and search demand from ForCar's catalog of 36 Nissan models. Recalls, complaints and safety ratings sourced from NHTSA; MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Brand facts compiled by ForCar Editorial. Last updated Nov 2026. Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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