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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  THE BEST SUV - 2010 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ANTHONY - October 27 - 5:23 am

  Its my 2nd Pathfinder and i really love it.A lot of power,stable and great driving in all weather.

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  Very pleased with the 05 Fronty - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Wyldcat89 - October 26 - 6:26 pm

  I settled on the 05 Frontier NISMO Crew Cab after 5 months of carefully considering other 2005 offerings. What I got was a strong, powerful engine (265hp) but with a suprisingly smooth & quiet ride. The stiffer suspension isnt harsh or jarring, but rather, it offers excellent road feel. The interior does feature a lot of hard plastic but I find it easy on the eyes and easy to clean. I really like the NISMO seat fabric too! The spray in bed liner and utili-trac system is a definite improvement over my 2001 Ranger and as a first time Nissan owner, I couldnt be happier.

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  my 3rd pathfinder - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Nross - October 26 - 12:46 pm

  This is my third Pathfinder and the best one yet. Im very happy with the changes in design and the size was a needed change for me as my family keeps getting bigger! My wife even enjoys driving it, as it handles comfortably like a car. Look for me to get the next one when it comes out.

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  NISSAN ARMADA - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By JWALKER - October 26 - 10:00 am

  SPEND 6 MONTHS REVIEWING AND TEST DRIVING THIS SUV. WE WANTED SOMETHING FOR OUR FAMILY AS WE GROW AND THIS IS IT. BUCKET MIDDLE SEATS GIVES OUR 3 CHILDREN THEIR OWN SPACE AND THEY LOVE THE DVD. LOTS OF ROOM IN THIS CAR AND WE REALLY ENJOYED ON OUR FIRST VACATION TRIP. WE FELT IT HAD A BIT MORE LUXURY FEEL THEN THE TOYOTA SEQUOIA.

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  Dont let the design throw you! - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Cate48 - October 26 - 10:00 am

  The Nissan Quest with its Renault influence is wide and airy, comfortable and roomy. We love the performance and engineering of this easy to use, easy to drive mini-van with enough power to fool you into thinking you are driving a sedan.

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  Give Nissan Quest a break - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By CharlesC - October 26 - 10:00 am

  From the first day I saw this car, Ive already fallen in love. So it wasnt that difficult for me not to choose Quest over Sienna. It is fun to drive and reliable. The seatings are comfortable and roomy. Quest design breaks from the norm. And probably because of this, Quest is losing market share to Sienna. Many buyers are wary of extreme design change. What they should do is to overlook that and look at the overall quality of the car. Two additonal selling point of Quest is the value and the safety over Sienna. Quest is 5 thousand cheaper than Sienna and it is less likel to rollover. Quest also has all the safety features as standard.

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  Great Crossover - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By briightone - October 26 - 10:00 am

  I needed more room than I had in my 325xi BMW Sportwagon. The back seat room is terrific and my big dog loves the hatch area. It is not a BMW, but still handles well. Its about as cool a mommy car that I am going to have. My favorite thing is when people ask me what it is or when someone tells me that it is a beautiful Lexus. Then I tell them I paid $10,000 less.

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  Go Go Go Nissan - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By rjfelix - October 26 - 10:00 am

  Murano, Love everything but the name..this vehicle stands out in the crowded crossover market. The only complaint I have, and trust me Im very pickey, is there is a lot of vibration comming from the gas petal.. must have something to do with the movability of the petals.. I never hesitate to recomend this vehicle to anyone. their is so many on the road (or at least they stand out) that Im going to have to start customising to recognize my car.

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  I really like this truck - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By JSU Chad - October 26 - 10:00 am

  I got this truck here in Metro Atlanta with the value truck package for under $12,000. It is reaaly fun to drive and a great looking truck. It was much cheaper than the competitors.

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  awsome - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Pearce - October 26 - 10:00 am

  i have been around car dealerships and this car is one of the funnest i have ever driven/owned.