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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  SE-Riously Awesome Car - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Court - December 30 - 5:40 am

  I absolutely LOVE my SE-R Spec V! I have owned the card since it was brand new and have had the car for nearly four years now. The only problem Ive had over these past 4 years was with the stereo: the left channel went out about a year ago; it was approx. $250 to have fixed. A few months after I purchased it, one of the fuel injectors went out but it was covered by my warranty. Otherwise there have been no mechanical problems or repairs whatsoever. The build quality is excellent: it is still just as tight as it was the day I bought it.

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  Great first impression - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By Mcwinward - December 30 - 3:13 am

  Just purchased 2009 2.5S w/ SL package and I must say Im impressed with the acceleration of the 4cylinder engine. CVT is neat but keep waiting for the final shift into 5th. Very cool!!! Looked at equally optioned Camry and Accord. We were set to purchase Accord until driving the Altima. Only had for 2 days now. Will update after a month.

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  Why buy a used Civic for more $??? - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By Redlinez - December 29 - 4:26 pm

  I think Nissan is definitely underrated on quite a few vehicles, this being one of them. I just bought a pearl white 99 SE-L 5 speed. Hondas do not possess the level of solidity that this car has. Wow, the transmission is geared high! I cant fairly rate the gas mileage but for a 2950 lb vehicle, how can 30mpg be bad. Very good midrange power. Id also love to find a 91-94 low mileage Sentra SE-R, another favorite.

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  Fantastic - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By rooski - December 28 - 10:26 pm

  Well, I traded my 06 Mustang GT. Anything within our budget, other than Maxima would have been a terrible disappointment. Plenty of room for three average sized adults (not happening in the Mustang). Great performance, super QUIET, great features, great exterior lines. My husband was really wanting Infiniti, but he wouldnt have it any other way now. Gas mileage is good compared to what I was getting on the Stang. This car is the best of both worlds between sports car and sedan. Great vehicle!

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  Im happy with it. - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Noel - December 28 - 9:23 am

  I bought this car used with about 19,000 miles on it. I was really surprised at the power of the 2.5 liter 4 cylinder. Its much peppier than I would have expected. The gas mileage has been good too. I average around 23 in town and 34 on the highway. The brakes are really touchy and grabby though. Im hoping that will change with new brake pads. Also the seats could be more comfortable, but Im getting used to them.

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  Zoom Zoom - 2014 Nissan Versa Note
  By Erik Faulkner - December 28 - 2:58 am

  This car is a great commuter car. I drive about 1,000 miles a week to an from work. I love this car it has great fuel economy, it is comfortable on long distance travels and is zippy. It is easy to park, and the Bluetooth hands free phone connectivity is a plus since a lot of my employees call at all times of the day. The only down side is there is not much storage with the back seats in their upright normal position.

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  What a nice surprise - 2017 Nissan Frontier
  By Sam - December 27 - 11:46 pm

  I am writing this because of how surprised I was with the quality of the truck. I had a 2017 Tacoma which was a mistake. Dont get me wrong I have always had Tacomas and loved them but the new model leaves a lot to be desired. This Nissan surprised me quite a bit. I have read some disappointing reviews so I tried it for myself. This truck is fast and the transmission shifts perfectly, unlike the Toyota. I will admit it doesnt get the gas mileage the Toyota got but that was because Toyota fiddled with the transmission to make it shift weirdly to try to get better gas mileage. This desert runner is smooth and looks great. I got this truck for an amazing price about $9,000 less than the Toyota. As of the date of this writing, the reliability of Nissan Frontiers outweighs the Tacoma, Colorado and Canyon. I am very happy with my purchase.

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  03 sentra spec v - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By ggskivt - December 27 - 2:00 am

  When looking for a new car I was trying to find a small car that I could find fun to drive and at the same time keep the sports car feel. At Nissan world of red bank the staff was great and showed concern for all my needs. I bought the spec-v model of the car and love to drive it.

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  STAY AWAY - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By LouR - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Great car, has all the bells and whistles but if you live where there are criminals THE HEADLIGHTS GET STOLEN LIKE CANDY. I HAVE MY CAR FOR6 MONTHS AND I AM SELLINGIT ASAP

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  Great car- very satisfied. - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By C White - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Good car. have not had any problems with it and have recommended the Altima/ Nissan to friends. My next car may be the new model Altima (with the V- 6 of course)!