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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  my maxima - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By knowdogg - April 19 - 2:00 am

  luv it smooth . bought it from hertz nice plesant experience . no hassel

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  Bullet proof and fun to drive - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By Marc - April 19 - 2:00 am

  After doing much research in the mini to mid size SUV market I ended up with the Xterra for multiple reasons: For starters, it is a blast to drive, extremely versatile (Have carried a snowblower, several of my friends couches, pulled large boats and tent trailers and never got stuck in mud or snow), and extremely reliable. Apart form regular maintenance, I have yet to have any problems with it. The only down side would be its thirst for fuel (Especially with the rising prices), but did not expect to get much better with much else out there that has its versatility and capabilities.

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  DRIVE IT & SEE - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By STEVE,E - April 19 - 2:00 am

  I HAVE READ REVIEWS FROM CAR OWNERS & SUV OWNERS & THEY WANT TO CHANGE THIS OR THAT. THEN BUY A CAR OR SUV! THIS IS A CROSSOVER VEHICLE. NISSAN HAS HIT THE MARK. PRICE A PROBLEM ? BUY SOMETHING ELSE. REGUARDLESS OF WHAT REVIEWERS SAY, THIS IS A KNOCKOFF OF THE INFINITY X35 FOR EIGHT GRAND LESS.

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  Love Murano after 1 week - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Ben In Al - April 19 - 2:00 am

  I recently purchased the Murano for my wife and we love it. The drive is great and the interior is spacious. The ride is smooth. I looked seriously at the Lexus RX300, but they were changing the body style and trying to get rid of them. The Lexus did not have the controls on the sterring wheel. I liked the fact that Lexus has a longer warranty.

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  Nissan Murano is best on the road - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Farkel - April 19 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Murano in January. Since then Ive found the vehicle absolutely fun to drive. Everyone who sees the car does a double take because of its exceptionally unique design. I took in on two 3 hour trips (about 500 miles each)and checked the gas mileage after each trip and also checked the city mieage. So far Im beating the estimated EPA mileage on the sticker. On trips Im getting 26 MPG highway (verus 24 from EPA) and in city driving Im doing 22 MPG (verus 20 EPA). Nissan has a winner with this vehicle.

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  Great car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Alejoa - April 19 - 2:00 am

  Up to now the car is excellent. Good price for what you get. Great pasenger space.

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  2.5S: underrated joy - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By yankee - April 19 - 2:00 am

  I went shopping for the most car for under $20k. American cars were out, I have a very low opinion on thier quality. European cars offere very little under $20k. Toyota, Honda and mitsubishi offerings offer sedate performance at this price. The 2.5s gets mileage like many entry level econo-boxes, but has excellent punch, handling and acceleration for a normally aspirated 4 cylander. There is an urgency to its movement, and a fun to drive factor at a bargian price. i feel the fit/finish/quality is topnotch in its class.

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  Shop Around..... - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Ryan Young - April 19 - 2:00 am

  Exterior design is very nice with very nice features and lines. Other than that, if I could get rid of it without losing money, I would do so in a heartbeat.

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  Solid - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By BigPapi - April 18 - 9:06 pm

  Wonderful engine/performance, really jumps. Pilot interior better, but floor shifter preferable. Plastic scratches more than expected. No dash/fob button for rear hatch unforgivable, but split window nice. Back seats not as roomy as youd think. Bose system is great. Mileage has yet to reach 15 mpg, but am using mid-grade gas so far, more like 13mpg @ 1500k. Anti-lock very sudden, almost violent. No rattling or squeaks! Could use lumbar support.

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  Buds car - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Murano - April 18 - 3:33 pm

  Have never had a problem with this vehicle. Runs smooth and reliable.