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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  Love the 6 speed stick - 2011 Nissan Sentra
  By peachydad - January 28 - 6:28 am

  Just bought base 6 speed Sentra. Got great deal, paid about $16,000. comfortable, quiet, solid, good ride quality. Drove both CVT and stick, didnt like the disconnected feel of CVT, have always preferred manuals. Just wish the manual came with more of the upscale goodies on the higher end Sentras. Have to separately buy a key fob online. Surprising amount of interior room for size of the car. Trust Nissan to build quality cars, owned Titan bought in first year of production and never let me down until it was totaled by distracted driver texting, truck saved my familys life.

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  Good car - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By MAXIMAGUY - January 28 - 12:16 am

  I purchased the maxima @ 60k miles. It now has 130k. This has been a very good car for me. At around 110k i replaced one individual cylinder coil, 120k i had to replace the alternator and 125k the starter. The cv joints are going, but thats not unexpected. I get around 23 mpg mixed between city and hwy. I drive too fast to get good mileage.

• 

  Best - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Grimmax - January 27 - 10:33 pm

  I bought my 05 Maxima when it first came out with the EGR valve. I love this car very much. There are also tons of performance mods available for this car. Everything from headers, body kits and even Chip tuning. I am over 320BHP. I have had zero issues with this car since I bought it. I would recommend everyone look into upgrading the suspension for better handle if you are not into modifying the engine.

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  I love my Pioneer but improve/armrest - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By Jack S. - January 27 - 7:16 pm

  I love the ride and the overall build. Really a great truck for the money. Fun to drive.

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  Exct vehicle, 150k no probs, idiots cant drive - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Ben - January 27 - 6:41 pm

  Bought the 09 LE in late 2008. Had concerns about the CVT since relatively new and unproven. Only maintenance has been routine oil changes and a recall sensor replacement. No issues have arose as of yet which is comparatively amazing next to the 2 dozen other vehicles I have owned. [non-permissible content removed] The technology that Nissan loads in these vehicles easily rivals the $100K German Sedans and in case youve never owned one, you could put 5 transmissions in a Murano for the maintenance costs in the first 150k. And if you are complaining about the audio system, you should see about a hearing aid. Bose makes the best car audio systems available, from the factory or in the aftermarket. You could spend 5 grand on speakers and amps and not come close to the R&D Bose did on the system they through out. Its not the fastest sports car, its not going to win at BAHA nor will it survive an attempt to triple that group of rail road tracks on the other side of town, [non-permissible content removed], it is an excellent car for a small family or even a mature 19 year old. It is easy to drive and can be equipped nearly as well as a BMW or Mercedes, with more room than a sedan and better fuel economy than a Tahoe. It has just about as much power as can be directed through a transmission with no finite gear ratios in what is primarily a front wheel drive vehicle, and that is plenty for anyone that might find themselves transporting anything that might be difficult to replace. I was just trying to see how much more life my Murano has at 150k only to find out most of them explode at less than half that.

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  Its a cool car - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By otis - January 27 - 12:54 pm

  Great looking car. Cheap parts . I brought 1 of the 1st release cars back in June 2015. Door jams was a rush paint job faded! Driver seat springs broke in the 1st month console arm rest rip. Dealership didnt want to warrant the parts. Had to Harass them to paint the door jams! Car was in the shop for almost 1.5 months! Right bumper clap replace twice. And it still pops out never resolve that problem yet. Love the lights . But I have the car to my wife. I rather drive her Avalon.

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  After 36,000 miles, watch out! - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By David F. - January 27 - 1:33 am

  The first year with this vehicle was great. It ran well, acceleration was effortless, and it was somewhat comfortable. At about 10,000 miles the engine began to accelerate sluggishly. Now at 37,000 miles the car now has an annoying loud metallic rattle under the hood everytime the car is accelerated or shifts gear. The dealer has attempted to repair this 5 times. Also, the right front strut failed, costing over $700 in repairs at 37,000 miles. The engine is beginning to sound like it has valve (ticking sound under hood) problems, and it also now has a service engine soon indicator on with emission system codes. I am not impressed with this vehicle. I will not purchase a Nissan again.

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  Terrible Car - Buyer beware!! - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By ward - January 26 - 3:26 pm

  I have had more problems with this car than my Hyundai. after 1 year (4/06) I had to have a brand new engine .. since then the car goes to the dealer every few months because it just wont start. im given numerous reasons about why it just dies they say they fix it and then it dies again .. my 2 year old car is at the shop TODAY! I tell everyone I meet dont buy this car. not to mention the other problems (my cd got stuck in the cd player and now it wont work .. if you use the cup holder it will always change the cd in play .. sound from the brakes) the list goes on and on. get ready for a fight with Nissan Corp if you complain!!

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  Good Sedan - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By Texan - January 26 - 9:00 am

  I have the Sentra SE for more than a year. The engine is quite for its class. It is fun to drive with the regular SE suspension, not the Stage II. The highway cruise is great. The speakers and the subwoofer are good. It does have rattle and squeak, but it is not a big deal. The Bridgestone tires are awful. The Pirelli tires replacement make the ride much better. The steering is tight and precise. The ABS and 4-wheel disc brake are wonderful.

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  Manual midsizes, a lonely club - 2013 Nissan Frontier
  By chriscmore - January 26 - 5:37 am

  I chose the Frontier over the Tacoma, because the Frontier is 5% smaller but with a larger bed, and a larger engine with better economy. Its also noticeably a few years fresher in design. I got the now-discontinued PRO-4X with 6sp manual, which had to be shipped from Oregon to Nebraska. The 6sp is a lot of fun, but the reverse gear is hard to find and should have been to the left like German autos. The tailgate extender is nice because its easy to remove. The bed divider is functional but a bit obnoxious in that its not an easy one-side affair to move or get out of the way. Love the step rails and tie anchors. The cruise control didnt work and I have an oil leak to have serviced.