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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  04 Hot Z - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Murphi - December 3 - 2:00 am

  This car is absolutely great to drive. Mtn. hwys. turn into Disneyworld!!! It is one great auto! Will become a classic.

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  2004 350Z--MGB - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By mike mgb - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Good experience during the purchase. Compared to Vet for price and return for money spent. Looked at Crossfire. Not close and overpriced.

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  BACKK BEAUTY - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By BOBBYG - December 3 - 2:00 am

  FUN TO DRIVE,GOOD FUEL ECONOMY,LEAVE IT HOME IN THE SNOW/ICE WEATHER. DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THE WISCONSIN WINTER WEATHER BLIND SPOTS OUT THE REAR AND SIDE COULD CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS.

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  AWESOME CAR!!! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By NICOLE836 - December 3 - 2:00 am

  I LOVE THIS CAR!!! MY SECOND NISSAN. GREAT HANDLING ESPECIALLY IN THE SNOW! THIS CAR IS SWEET AND FAST! PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY STARING AT ME!

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  Maxima, Superior to BMW, Cadillac, volks - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By fkovats - December 3 - 2:00 am

  A No Brainer buy

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  Saved my life - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By KP-C - December 2 - 11:13 pm

  I was recently involved in a major auto accident (thankfully not my fault). I was hit head on, then rolled 3-4 times travelling across all 3 lanes & the hard shoulder, only when my car nose dived into a grass verge did it come to a rest on my (drivers) side. All safety features that this car has as standard did their job. I was pulled from the wreckage with a couple of broken ribs & a lot of bruising on my torso. As each & every emergency service member said, the car saved my life. They couldnt believe what the car went through & yet I got out relatively unharmed. My next car? Another Murano! We were sold on the car from the safety features alone when we bought it, plus the CVT - awesome :

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  Sentra deserves a GREAT review! - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By OMalley - December 2 - 4:30 am

  The 2008 Nissan Sentra packs more bang for the buck than any of its competitors! Look at the comfort, "toys", reliability, longevity of the CVT, build quality, safety, and room (space) and cost, and its hands-down a Sentra winner!

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  great value - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By Stan - December 1 - 4:40 pm

  We paid $21750 in June 2005 for our S model with auto door and hatch. It has all the safety features we wanted standard and came at a great price. Pros: --huge interior space! --High ceiling, great head room --BIG and comfy seats! --fold flat 2nd row seats!! Beats all competitions except Dodge. --fold flat 3rd row seat. --safety features standard! Cons: --no split folding 3rd row!!! Bummer! Favortite features: back up sensor, auto door&hatch, comfy seats, airy interior, fold flat 2nd and 3rd seats. So far, weve had no problems with the van, except for a few very minor interior squeaks since day one. It gets 20 mpg with mixed driving. Best van for the money!

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  I Love my Pathfinder!! - 1999 Nissan Pathfinder
  By BrianBrianBrian - December 1 - 10:00 am

  I do alot of out of town and in town driving, still the most comfortable SUV Ive been in! I have the 4 wheel drive Safari Edition, and its probably the best ride Ive ever had in an a 4 wheel drive vehicle, feels like a car! Great for long trips, just enough room for us, handles great in wet weather, and just an over all GREAT vehicle! I wish it got better gas milage, but I think it has to do with the oversized off road tires Ive got on it, but it just looks so good, whod take them off? Id rather sacrafice the gas milage, than the look!

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  Great car - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By KD - December 1 - 10:00 am

  This car is one of the best cars you can get for the price you pay. There is no other car on the market that can do what this car can do for under 20K. Its got great acceleration and its just fun to drive with six speeds. The car handles smoothly and the seats are very comfortable. They hold you pretty well in place when you make those sharp turns. And for 17" wheels, the ride is extremely quite and smooth. The interior is spacious and there is a lot of trunk space. The car is big enough to fit 4 while sporty enough to have fun with. The gas mileage is good too for a car with this capability.