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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  I expect more from Nissan - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By Hatchback - December 8 - 2:36 am

  I expected more from a nissan. It has been in the shop over 5 times in the first year to fix missing interior part, mysterious cluck in the front steering, air conditioning problem and hard to start at first until a part was replaced. All covered by warranty but that runs out soon and I cant wait to find out what breaks next. I would have rated it lower but my wife is too nice.

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  The perfect car - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By hotberyshocker - December 7 - 7:10 pm

  This car is extremely nice and fun to drive. It has everything and I love it!!!

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  Best Car for the Price .... mileage is Great - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Paul Henderson - December 7 - 4:43 pm

  Best Car for the Price .... mileage is Great

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  Overall A Great Car! - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By Kobayashi - December 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car March 2002 with 38k miles and have had almost no issues with this vehicle. Now just turning 71k miles, aside from the routine scheduled maintenance, the only mechanical repair was to fix a serpentine belt idler pulley. As many 2000 Nissan Altima owners will tell you, this is a common problem for these vehicles but a relatively inexpensive repair. This has been a very good commuter car and I have taken it on several road trips of more than 1,000 miles with confidence. Overall this has been a terrific vehicle and it is just as reliable as the Honda and Toyota competitors.

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  Excellent car at an affordable price - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By ukalapat - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Altima has roomy interior with confortable front and back seats. Also has very large trunk space. It runs very quite with smooth drive.

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  Very Happy - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Besanco - December 7 - 10:00 am

  I have been switching off between a Murano and a Lincoln Navigator. Everytime I am in the Navigator I cant wait to get back to the Murano, it is so much more fun to drive. The Navigator is more luxurious but lumbers. The Murano is fun, fast, and I average 20 mpg. I find all of the gauges, dials, and levers well placed but they did take awhile to get used to

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  Great Car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By brandonwalsh - December 7 - 10:00 am

  I love this car! The engine is superb...much less sluggish than the comparable Honda or Toyota V6. It handles very well and is great entering a highway from a long, looping, entrance ramp. My only complaint is that there is a fair amount of wind noise in the cabin, but not so much that it detracts from the driving experience

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  great car for the price - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By willhopeland - December 7 - 10:00 am

  This sentra 1.8S AT is great for the price. The front view is good but the rear needs some improvement. Anyway, I am happy with it so far. This is the best car you can buy with this amount of money. (even cheaper than Hyundai Elantra) Dont understand why so many people are so overcritical to it. What you expect with this price? A BWM?

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  DAMN...WHAT A TRUCK! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By rvelaz - December 7 - 10:00 am

  WOW! This truck is awesome. I never thought a full size truck can handle so good and have such a boom at the launch... I love it!

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  04 titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Edwards - December 7 - 10:00 am

  excellent driving and towing vehicle