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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  Had to buy another GLE! - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Jetguy - November 27 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car from a dealer about 1 hour away. Traded our 2000 GLE with 34k miles. This 03 did not disappoint. The ride was just as smooth as the 00. The added features, memory seats and 6 cd changer, were welcomed as standards. The extra 33HP make the car seem to relax more when accelerating.

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  SPEED, LUXURY, and all the goodies! - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By ATOice - November 27 - 10:00 am

  Youve got to be kidding me, LEXUS IS? Not even worth it. This bad boy would smoke all in its class. I looked at the Lexus IS 300, Maxima SE, and Acura 3.2 CL Type-S. Bang for the buck, Maxima is the way to go. I torched the tires in second gear going up an Hill at a 50 Degree angle and it ran as well as my Supercharged Integra. If it werent for love and kids, I would keep it, but instead, I am getting a sports car for me, and a family car for the family. Save yourself over 8 thousand dollars and get the Maxima, you will be doing yourself a favor. You will enjoy the interior (comfort), exterior (looks), and performance (Speed and handling).

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  A mix of beauty and a beast - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By prabhat - November 27 - 10:00 am

  I bought this LE 4x4 sept 2002. It is a great suv. Everything is perfect, except the interior could have lil more spacious (just a little, not as bulky as Acura MDX. The leather seats are great (even the smell of it), sound system is superb, handling and driving is fun. The engine was quite quiet, but after 4weeks I noticed the it has become noisy and screams like a u-haul truck. Not sure if this is standard or I should take it to service...

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  2003 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By NESOP276 - November 27 - 10:00 am

  175 ponies in a 4cyl engine has some nice get-up-and- go. Traded a 2000 VW Golf GTI GLX VR6 on this car. My VW was a V6 and had 2hp less. My new Altima is a great automatic car for fun to drive value and I thought my VW was fun... it was a manual tranny too which I thought Id miss but dont so far. The gated shifter in the Altima is a nice styling touch but takes a little to get used to. The 2003 model adds wood trim to the SL model and they didnt over do it. Just enough to add more style. The Bose 6 disc in dash stereo has great sound, lots of bass too. Impressive!

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  I love it - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Cristina Cruz - November 26 - 11:50 pm

  I have three children that range from ages 12 to 1 and I love this van. I use to drive an Altima an have always loved the feel of the Nissan. I was aprehensive to get a minivan as I am sure many Moms are but I loved the way it looked. I have had it for a couple of years now and I still love it. I am considering getting a new one at the end of the year. The interior design takes a couple of hours to get use to. But once you drive it for a day it seems normal and user friendly!

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  My Murano Review - 2010 Nissan Murano
  By tater - November 26 - 10:46 pm

  What I like about this car is its styling,quiet ride the smooth operation of the CVT & the ability to move quickly in traffic. Seats are very comfortable. For my needs I find the cargo space just right.I like the automatic lowering and raising of the rear seats.Bluetooth is wonderful. Great Bose radio system, however not sold on the XM radio option.Preferred the 18" tires over the 20". I drove pickups so the complaint about rear window view was not a problem. Personally I didnt have a issue with that. Gas I use mid grade and so far Ive had no issue with it. Its a great Crossover to drive.

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  Very nice ride. - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Don Cutlip - November 26 - 7:17 am

  The one thing that is lacking is the stereo. It has no bass at all. Big disappointment.

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  2008 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SL 4dr Sedan (3.5 - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By robin0107 - November 25 - 7:10 pm

  I have own 2 Maximas before and have returned to one after 4 years. I found a like new limited eddition for a good price. It drives well and is very quiet. I have found no problems or complaints so far. It gives me 26.1 miles per galons, good confort and nice ride.

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  Another Nissan, Another Winner. - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Zack B - November 25 - 4:13 pm

  I traded in my 04 Spec V on this car. One of the most difficult, yet one of the best things Ive ever done. The Spec V was a wonderful bang for the buck, and I have graduated to the next level of bang for the buck with my new Altima Coupe SE with Premium Package. Hands down, this is the best daily driver sport coupe on the market. Plenty of performance without sacrificing comfort. The Bose stereo is fantastic. Homelink and Bluetooth systems are absolutely wonderful. Plenty of punch with the VQ35DE motor paired with the Xtronic CVT. Takes a bit of getting used to coming from a 6 speed manual. The speed can sneak up on you very easily as the car accelerates effortlessly at any RPM.

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  Overall great car with one problem. - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Dave - November 25 - 8:26 am

  Overall, love the car. Fun to drive and has all the bells and whistles. The only problem with the car has been in the steering wheel. It has had a tremor since Day One. The first diagnosis was "elliptical" tires caused by being tied down too tightly during transport. After many phone calls, the tires were replaced. That, however, didnt really solve the problem. The wheel continues to vibrate and shimmy. It has been in the shop several times but nothing has stopped the shaking. This has been frustrating.