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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  SPEC V A BARGAIN - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By SWEETPEE - January 14 - 2:00 am

  BRAND NEW W/ 65 MILES 3 WEEKS NOW AND 850 MILES IN IT SO FAR SO GOOD, JUST WAITING FOR BRAKEIN RIDE IS ROUGH THOUGH BEC. OF SPORT SUSPENSION AND 17 TIRE 1.9% FOR 60 MONTHS $ 18500 OUT THE DOOR INCL. SUNROOF WHAT A BARGAINNOW FIND ME AN ACURA, HONDA OR TOYOTA W/ THE SAME PERFORMANCE ON THIS PRICE RANGE

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  alot of bang 4 the buck - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By tissda1 - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I must tell you i love nissans and even though this car is the bottom line of nissans vehicles you get a lot for under 19k. Rides good sporty lookin and fun to drive. Reliability should not be a problem at all and there are so many extras you can purchase for this car.ie: cold air intakes,exhaust systems,pullys. You can make this car a little more fun to drive with a couple of xtra $$s.

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  Terrific Value - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By mbednorz - January 14 - 2:00 am

  Best value in this class and this price range. Looked hard at 4-door auto subcompacts. Got it down to Civic, Protege, and Altima. All had build quality, resale, value, interior room, handling, and reliability. On test drives, the Altima stood out for performance, ride, and interior. Got a used GLE (for $12k, 29k miles, like new). Very torquey 4 cylinder works very well with the automatic. Youd swear it was a V6. Terrific GLE interior. Very smooth on the highway, roomy interior, great trunk. Completely trouble-free. Only downside is the drab styling. Two thumbs up.

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  Colorado 2004 Armada LE - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By bgilgall - January 13 - 11:20 pm

  I bought this vehicle used from a BMW dealership in August 2005. It was only 10 months old and had 27K miles on it, came loaded with DVD, NAV, Bose. I also bought with full knowledge of the problems that the 04s have, rattles, brakes etc. This prompted me to buy an extended warranty. So far so good, Ive put 9000 miles on the truck in 4 months without a single problem. The brakes are great no dust or pulsing i.e. none of the problems that have been reported, possibly because it had the brake rework done on it before I got it. A Nissan dealer confirmed that for me yesterday.So it appears that, for me at least, the brake rework makes a difference. Its big, lots of airbags and comfortable.

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  Upset With My Altima - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By tom1945 - January 13 - 8:33 am

  My Altima has a voice recognition system that is not compatable with my phone. In addition, my spouse weighs a little over 100 lbs so we have a warning light always on to indicate the air bag is off. I have complained to the dealer and Nissan and have been told that both systems are operating correctly. I feel anyone looking to purchase an Altima should check first to make sure their phone is compatable and also be aware if you plan on driving with anyone who is not 110+ lbs.

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  only 24.6 mpg on highway so far - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By jim_janet - January 13 - 7:04 am

  We just bought our first new car in 40 years. We had not planed to but the 2010 Altima we bought on June 4th we trades back in 10 days later because you could hear the lifters, there was fuel in the oil and it was only getting 21 mpg. We were told this was a lemon not typical for an Altima and they gave us a good deal on a 2012. We wanted a car that would provide us with the best gas mileage possible so we choose an Altama. So far that is not what our new 2012 is doing. Maybe it takes time to break in. We have only had our 2012 since June 23.So far it is getting 24.6mpg on the highway and overall only22 mpg About 440 miles per 20 gal tank. We are not happy. We do like how it looks & handles.

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  MuranoMisery - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By muranomisery - January 13 - 4:57 am

  I purchased a used AS-IS 2005 Nissan Murano with 67,476 exact miles on the odometer from Landers McLarty Nissan in Huntsville Alabama August 17, 2011 with a verbal promise and guarantee that they do not re-sale any used vehicles that are not up to standard, dependable and trustworthy. Supposedly, all vehicles go through a thorough inspection process. My sales person, Eukrina’s exact words were “we do not put our name on anything that we won’t stand behind.”Two weeks after purchase I notice vibration and knocking noise from under the hood. Mechanical inspection from Madison Automotive on September 7, 2011 revealed that I had two motor mounts broken. (Front Engine Mount-part #11270CN101 and lower rear engine mount-part #11320CA110) Total repair estimate $847.12 I called the dealership to see if they were going to help with some of the repair cost and I was told that it must have been something that I did and that I should know that they had to replace the transmission in my trade in vehicle. Landers McLarty Nissan drove my 2000 Nissan Maxima before making me an offer and knew what the vehicle was worth and that should not have any bearing on the fact that this dealership sold me a lemon. Unable to afford replacement of both motor mounts at the same time, I had the front engine mount replaced on September 12, 2011 at a cost of $400.00, mileage aprox. 69,000. Firestone Complete Auto Care in Huntsville Alabama replaced the rear lower engine mount on October 15, 2011 at a cost of $402.15 exact mileage 70,486. At 72,469 exact miles the service engine light came on and after an engine diagnostic test with Firestone Complete Auto Care in Huntsville Alabama December 14, 2011 at a cost of $106.47 the result is a bad catalytic converter. I was advised that this could be a manufacture covered replacement issue. Landers McLarty Nissan of Huntsville performed their diagnostic test December 20, 2011 with the same results and I was told that yes it is a bad catalytic converter but that the vehicle passed the emission control test and that I must have used some bad gasoline. I informed the service person that I have only used Chevron regular grade gasoline since the purchase of the vehicle on August 17th 2011. I was told that there is nothing that they can do and suggested that I run premium gasoline in the vehicle to see if this clears the problem. I have relayed this information to a reputable mechanic and repair shop and I am told that is only a ploy to get me over the mileage whereas the manufactures warranty would not have to cover the repair/replacement of the $500.00 part. Now, an additional $1,005.73 later I’ve had both struts replaced with the need of replacing the shocks on the rear, bushings (both lower-front) upper radiator hose, front exhaust gusset, drive belts and two tires.

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  Nice SUV, but watch out for BIG problems - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ckayakdude - January 12 - 1:20 am

  Bought new, have 67K miles now. No probs til now: the oft-mentioned radiator/transmission issue. $6K to fix. I want to sell the car, but wife effing-ADORES it (I do too, actually ... really nice vehicle ... accelerates like a banshee) so well probably get it fixed if we cant find anything she likes better. Worried about the oft-mentioned tensioner and fuel-sending unit problems since we havent had those yet. This is a really fun SUV to drive, its very comfortable, gets lousy gas mileage in the city (weve gotten 21 on the hwy before, though), but a 5-yr-old car shouldnt be having a $6,000 problem. If it has another, out it goes and Ill never buy another Nissan.

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  Great value for the money - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By 4wheeler - January 10 - 1:13 pm

  My wife and I absolutely love this SUV. We went from a minivan to a SUV and have been very happy so far. Already took it on a couple of 4 wheel trails and it handles great. This is a highly utilitarian vehicle that serves its purpose quite well. The affordability of the vehicle more than makes up for the so-so fuel economy.

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  Vehicle - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By Cody - January 5 - 9:23 pm

  When I bought a Nissan Altima I was thrilled. When I looked inside the interior look brand new. Very roomy and comfortable for road trip. Plus it get great gas mileage. Also inside the car there are plenty of storage places. All the electronics worked great. Its a push to start no key is needed which I thought was pretty cool. The outside looked good no dents and had good tires on it. When I test drove it it drove very smoothly. No problems with the vehicle at all. I would recremind getting the vehicle if yu are needing something reliable and great on gas.