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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  Return to a sedan - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Three - July 3 - 1:20 am

  Having come from a gas-guzzling SUV, it is nice to have a car that gets excellent gas mileage.

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  Best value crossover SUV - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By stactum - July 2 - 12:20 pm

  Great car! I purchased mine 03/08/08 and so far put about 1200 miles on it and what can I say, every time Im in it, I enjoy it every second. For me one of the important things is the handling and agility and Id say its been great, pretty much BMW-like. Steering and braking feel is excellent. I am getting roughly 21.5 MPG in mixed driving. Its been mentioned that you cant listen the music when car is off, but you just should try to press Start button without pressing brake pedal and it will work without engine being on.

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  Best in its class - 2007 Nissan Quest
  By moore - July 2 - 8:20 am

  I bought the SL trim from a local dealer. I did extensive research on this trim before making the decision. There is no other mini van model that provided the features that the nissan quest comes with. The only feature that I missed on the quest is that it doesnt come with the turn indicators on the side view mirrors and the rear windows are fixed. Gives u the best features that u could get for the named price. The best comfort that ur $s could get you. Overall layout of the gadgets is one of a kind.

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  nissan maxima - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By terry smith - July 1 - 9:26 pm

  love my nissan. steering jerky and nissan will not let you add options

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  bye bye chevy - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Bobby - July 1 - 5:13 pm

  Well I was a chevy man for all of my 30 years until I sat behind the wheel of my new titan. By far the fastest truck I have ever owned. I see alot of mpg complaints but what would you expect from 5.6 V8. I added Cold Air induction and a few other bolt ons exhaust etc.. and am getting 13 city and 16 hwy. The Rockford sound is incredible, and my kids love the DVD. I am still finding stuff on this truck that I didnt know was there

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  Mileage and acceleration are fine - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By c315 - June 30 - 10:00 am

  Contrary to many reviewers, we have gotten good mileage(18-20 city, 24-26 highway). We have not found acceleration with the CVT to be a problem.

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  Nice Truck - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By jmhaney - June 30 - 10:00 am

  I really like this truck and the way it preforms. Cab could be a little bigger.

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  NISSAN FRONTIER ROCKS!! - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By GREG A - June 30 - 10:00 am

  Three car seats fit in the back seat and the akita fits in the bed. The optional bed extender is a must for large cargo loads. This is the perfect vehicle for a family guy who needs a truck.

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  SUV Xcitement - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Xmeister - June 30 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Xterra back in September 2003 and since then the excitement of driving this truck hasnt fade. Like others I did my research and read the reviews, folks the ride is not bad as others have claimed. Its a truck based SUV and I liked the ride now especially with the change to bilstein shocks. Gas mileage and power improve also after replacing the stock muffler with a magnaflow - awesome sound. Im sure Ill enjoy this truck for several years to come. Highly recommend!! (Check out the Xterra Owners Club for more info on this SUV!!)

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  Awesome! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Awsome! - June 30 - 1:53 am

  I got my 3.5SE manual about a year ago. I love this car. I was a Honda fan before owning my first 05 Nissan Altima 3.5SE back in 04. Since I have owned this car, I have been in love with the styling. Great performance that comes instantly when you push on the gas. Smooth shifting, and pretty good fuel economy for 270 horsepower. The keyless start is another great option, as well as the lock and unlock feature that just requires the push of botton on the door handle. I put alot of miles on my cars and get sick of them quick, but I dont think I will get tired of this one anytime soon.