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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  Blast to drive but...... - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By Txstinkbug - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Just went on trip to Smokies. AC went out and spent 8 hours total on road back and forth to closest dealer twice to finally get it fixed somewhat. It still cools but the compressor sounds like its about to grenade. Other than that ohhhhhhhh what a car.

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  I lovemy 2005 XTerra - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Sylvia - June 11 - 9:30 am

  The Xterra is a wonderful car. It drives like a truck. It sits high. It handles well off the road. The six cd in the dash system is awesome. The seats lay completely flat. Plus the car is beautiful and can go from zero to 80 in about 8 seconds.(that was just a test)I dont drive like that always (lol).

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  Nightmare! - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By jada07 - June 11 - 1:40 am

  Unfortunately, luck was not on my side with this car. I bought the car 2 years old with 40,000 miles. A year into it, the computer died (52,000 miles), the brakes are awful and continuously replaced, the paint is poor quality and started to chip within the first 2 or 3 years I had it. I do not feel comfortable taking it on long trips alone, as it is very unreliable. Gas mileage is good, but Id trade it in for my old 93 accord any day!

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  Great Car for the Money - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Johnny - June 10 - 11:39 pm

  I purchased this car in October 2014 and have been very pleased with it.. Great gas mileage and the ride is very smooth with no vibrations or excess noise. I dont understand the negative reviews since I have had 2 Altimas now and no major concerns. I did have to replace a speaker cover that was defective and the engine was noisy at 40 to 60 mile per hour but I took it to the dealer and the engine heat shield was loose and once it was repaired the noise was gone... I have had the 3.5 liter engine and the 2.5 liter and both are very good. The 2.5 4 cylinder engine is very powerful and the gas mileage is 30 in town and 39 on the hwy.. I would recommend this car any day when you consider the price and all the extras it has. Like I said I dont know anyone that is unhappy with the Altima and still dont understand the negative feedback on this site..

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  Love it! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By LINDA - June 10 - 11:13 pm

  I fell in love with this vechile as soon as I test drove it. Its just fun to drive. Its roomy and handles well. Very responsive steering, good braking. Bluetooth seems to work well. Too soon to know for sure what the gas mileage will be.

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  good truck - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By anthony colorite - June 10 - 3:36 pm

  this truck is very powerful for a midsize truck, ok gas milage and it looks great. very happy with my purchase

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  Dont buy a MURANO!!! - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By pruettfan - June 10 - 4:58 am

  We purchased our 04 SL AWD fully loaded Murano new in the summer of 04. We just traded in the car at 164,545 miles this summer (2014) so I can provide a comprehensive history on this car. Within a couple of years the "leather" drivers seat was cracking badly on the sides. We had to replace the steering rack, two power steering lines and a sensor, an oil cooler seal, countless tires because the car never aligned properly and would make tires very loud. By the time the car was 6 years old the rattles and switch failures, car locks etc started to add up. We traded it in with lots of small problems and an oil leak. This is our first and last Nissan. Stay away!!

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  nisssan quest - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By Shannon Smith - June 9 - 10:50 am

  This nissan quest is an exllente car for room snow and a famliy.This car has a DVD player and headless headphones. So if you want all this sfuff in a car this the car for you. THE END

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  Phenomenal Rocket Ship with Amentities - 2009 Nissan GT-R
  By Simone - June 9 - 10:36 am

  If anyone out there is considering a purchase of a Nissan GTR, do yourself a favor and buy it now. No other car has the performance, suspension, technology and safety out there for the money. Im not into being followed by others wanting to take pics of the car but this car really has rock star status. I cant ever go to the gas station without someone coming up and wanting to gaze or gawk at the car. Ive had it now for about six months &I have no gripes. This thing is just an absolute awesome experience to drive &it performs on the track (both 1/4 mile and autocross) beautifully. Simply put, the best car Ive ever owned and I did test drive the M3, M5 AMG SL63 and Z06 before buying.

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  Two Thumbs Up - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By DougIn FL - June 8 - 1:46 pm

  Press cons include power-robbing CVT-- ---which is inconsistent with 0-60/8.0 sec, and 25mpg figures. The seamless CVT provides precise speed control. The SE is harsher riding than desirable---wish I had opted for the SL model, but an exceptionally satisfying drivers car. (My other vehicle is an 04 E500 Benz.)