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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  SOME WHAT HAPPY - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By carl smith - January 20 - 10:00 am

  OVER ALL PERFORMANCE EXCELLENT, SOME ITEMS MISSING FROM THE CAR,

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  One Hot Car... - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By FSU1986 - January 20 - 10:00 am

  I came in looking for a Nissan Max and left with a 2005 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE- R. This car is GREAT for a person with a family. It is safe, you dont have to worry about it falling apart and it is FUN to Drive... Nissan got it Right this time...

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  Im in love with my mystic emerald SL - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Valerie - January 20 - 10:00 am

  I just recently purchased my 2005 Nissan Altima SL. This was an upgrade from a 99 Altima GXE. Boy what a difference... you cant even tell its the same model. I love absolutely everything about my Altima, from the exterior styling, color, leather interior, steering wheel controls, power drivers seat, sunroof and definitely the Bose stereo system with 6 disc dashboard changer! But I have to say what sold me on this vehicle is the V6 3.5L engine with 250 horses. What a bang for the buck! I purchased my Altima for right at $25000, about $200 over invoice. My hubby and I thought this was the best value for a midsize sports sedan, and I feel comfortable with our decision.

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  Still running great after 140k miles - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Kevin - January 19 - 11:34 pm

  Easily the best car I have ever owned, and this is my 12th car. The only issue so far was a replacement window motor on the passenger side, that the warranty covered. The car is not burning any oil, unlike my previous 05 altima. I bought the car new, and have used synthetic blend oil changes at 3750 mi intervals. Love the bose audio.

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  Great 2 Row SUV - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Dan - January 19 - 2:28 pm

  Pros: S version finally is not lacking on options and standard features. I have NAV option and its great for the money. S w/ NAV is about $1200 or so cheaper than SV. Great ride; super comfy seats; great electronics and easy to use; lots of space for passengers; good gas mileage: 18 city, 26 HWY real world - 1500 miles so far Cons: Blind spot is an issue but not as bad as it seems; gas mileage in city is not close to sticker; towing figures are laughable... you could easily tow 3500 lbs as its the same engine and trans as the Pathfinder. I towed a 18ft ski boat easily with my old 2003 Murano. the only issue with towing is the hitch sits really low which is probably one of the reasons why its not recommended. I recently towed a jet ski 550 miles each way and on mostly flat surfaces with little wind got 23 mpg at 74mph average. On a recent 100 mile trip gas mileage climbed to 26mpg at 80 mph. Overall this SUV is fantastic for the price. Nissan discounts these so dramatically that its by far the best SUV for the money.

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  Gets Me By - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By Stevo - January 19 - 1:13 pm

  This car has been overall pretty decent. As far as most FWD cars from that era, it performs pretty well. Steering is a bit light though, making handling not too enjoyable. Stock suspension is complete trash - a lot of body roll and ridiculous ride height, even with SE setup. Exterior design is quite bland, especially the 95-96 models. The 97-99 look much better. Same with the interior, very bland but at least its simply laid out. The cabin seems cramped for some reason, partly because the ceiling isnt as high as most other cars I drive. For a 140k mile car, its been pretty reliable. Hasnt ever left me on the side of the road, but stranded in my own driveway interestingly enough.

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  Great Value / Great Car - SL Version - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By okedoke - January 19 - 8:40 am

  A very comfortable ride. A very good value for the quality / caliber car ( if looking at BMWs, Acura, Lexus, or Infinite, but dont want to drop an extra $10+k, consider this car). This car is an SL. Got the non-nav, non sunroof, non-sat package. Only disappointment was my color combo was manufactured in early Nov 04, and did not come with traction control as standard. Had a couple of snow storms in New England in March, seemed ok with out, but the real test will be next winter. Kind of like the mpg also - if I hot dog, I average about 22 mpg, if I grand dad it, I get about 24.5 mpg (mixed hwgy / local driving).

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  Best reliability of any make - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jamison - January 18 - 9:46 am

  This was my second Pathfinder, I had a 93 prior to this truck. I purchased my second because of the firsts excellent dependability. I put 50,000 miles on the 93 model, and 110,000 on the 95, and the only repairs that I had to make were normal ones, like brakes, tires, belts, etc. i did have the exhaust manifold leak on both, it was repaired once under warranty. This truck is great off road with its limited slip differential, great seats, and is very cheap to own. Aside from the lack of power, and poor fuel economy, it was a great vehicle. I almost bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee instead because I wanted more HP, but didnt dare because of the poor reliability, and I made the right choice.

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  AWESOME AWD SUV - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By JO-ANNE ANDERSON - January 18 - 2:53 am

  I had a Chrysler PT Cruiser which I loved but it sat low so I wanted something that was higher and safer living in the Denver Metro Area where SUVs and Trucks outnumber regular cars about 4 to 1. I kept my Crusier because I thought I wouldnt want to drive a SUV all the time. Well, the Nissan Murano is so sweet, so easy to drive, unique in style compared to others and a dream on ice and snow, I never drove my Cruiser. Even my "duck hunting" husband, who has a 4-door 4X4 Jimmy loves the Murano. Im impressed with Nissan. I didnt have to take it back for one thing from the day I got it, no detail problem, no mechanical. I get plenty of power so I dont understand your comments. This AWD SUV Rocks!

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  rattles aready ? - 2010 Nissan Xterra
  By Josh - January 18 - 12:06 am

  I traded my 08 pathfinder in for a brand new xterra off road. I was hoping to get away from the rattles and thought it would be good to go for a off road vehicle that I thought would hold up. I have only had my xterra for a month and it is rattling bad in door panels and the dash. I hope my warranty will cover this? Not too impressed for a new vehicle to rattle like this. I had a 2000 pathfinder that rattles less. Hope they can fix it but if not it will be my last Nissan purchase for sure.