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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  Murano Vapor Trail - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By S H Smith - October 12 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle does exactly what I need. Excellent seating, great visibility with its large windshield, rapid performance, pleasent Bose sound system and stop on a dime brakes. Great gas milage and smooth, turbine like power delivery. The controls are intutive to use and I love the cell phone compartment. Easy entry into the rear seats which fold flat when down and recline when up. Spacious cargo area with many nooks and crannies for storage. Real aluminum trim pieces. Solid, quality feel to the whole vehicle. This car is my station wagon, Explorer and Lexus in one.

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  Altima 2.5S - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Love-A-Nissan - October 12 - 10:00 am

  The car is a little over 6 months old and has 11,000 miles I still love it. I must agree with what many are saying about the poor interior fit and finish and "orange peel" look to the paint, but I feel that Nissan put the money where I would rather have it...in the chasis and engine. The ride is a little rough, but the car really sticks to the road and the steering is crisp. Although the build quality is a little sub-par, I have faith that this car will be just as reliable as the 5 other Nissans that have passed through my family. Besides, this car is far better looking and much more fun to drive than a Camry or Accord.

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  Awesome Car! - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By Jason - October 12 - 8:35 am

  This has been an awesome car for me! I am the 2nd owner and bought it with 11k miles. There is now 117k miles on the vehicle and the only issue I have had was a wheel bearing needing replaced. Everything else has been perfect! I have only replaced the brakes once, the battery and a couple of sets of tires. The car accelerates quick and handles great. I wish they still made the coupe!

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  Bark is as loud as the bite! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By danzspkrman - October 12 - 5:43 am

  Great truck. Far cry from going from a decent car(Nissan Sentra 02). Traded it in on an 04 Titan. 2nd one off of the delivery truck (Dec03). Had it a year and a half. Very smooth,comes in handy for looking around at new developments(I am now a real estate agent) and to say the least, getting lost on the undeveloped dirt roads is fun(as long as you have plenty of gas and a tolarant client).Fosgate Stereo is a nice feature, for a stock offering that would otherwise suck. My wife can get bored, fill the bed full of yard material(dirt,mulch etc), and it doesnt even notice. The sad thing is that I am considering refinancing the thing for 6 years(lost other job) just so I can try to keep it.

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  Great Car - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By victor - October 12 - 5:13 am

  Great Car..hugs the road, hugs the driver...Great performance...Wow Speed. Excellent overall experience. Worth the money I paid

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  Biggest Disappointment of my Life - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By mslissa - October 11 - 5:13 pm

  I wanted a Rogue because all the reviews I had read were great!!! I have hated this vehicle since the day I drove it off the lot, I wanted to return it, but the dealership said no sorry, once the ownership is done its yours. I traded in my Mazda Tribute because I was looking for something newer and maybe better on gas. I miss my Mazda so much, this was such a huge mistake and I am looking to trade it in, but I owe more than the trade in value so regardless I will be taking a loss. The transmission is ready to go any day, wheel bearings, it seems the most costly things to repair are what goes on these vehicles. I hate it and cant wait to get rid of it!

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  Recovering Ram Owner - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Don - October 11 - 11:10 am

  I traded an 03 Dodge 1500 Hemi Ram for the 05 Titan. Although the Dodge has a higher listed horsepower, the Titans power is much more usable, comes on sooner, and seems effortless by comparison. Fit and finish is also better on the Nissan, as is torque, towing capacity, and gas mileage. In addition, the "tow mode" switch, which raises the shift points, is a teriffic feature and makes towing almost effortless. All in all, I believe it is the best bang for the buck in the full size truck market available today.

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  09 Maxima: One awesome car! - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By cyberpunk - October 11 - 2:03 am

  I have not been a fan of Nissan cars before, but the 09 Maxima totally brought me into the Nissan fold. The exterior of this car is distinctive and beautiful. The interior of this car is well designed, very comfortable, and makes liberal use of high-quality materials. Its roomy and full of all kinds of toys! The engine is awesome, and the CVT is luxury smoothness! This car handles like a champ. If you are on the fence, test drive this car!

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  2011 Nissan Frontier 4.0L AUTO 4X4 S MODEL 1000 miles - 2011 Nissan Frontier
  By sumncguy - October 10 - 11:30 pm

  V6 is capable but slow on starts, ok once revs are up. 4x4 is also capable in 4-6" snow. Seats + interior feel a little flimsy. Normally standards, Cruise + overhead drivers light not available on this model. Seats wife + I, our 13 + 9 year old comfortably. MPG is decent averaging 15 mph under varying conditions. 991 miles and 3 weeks of ownership. Overall, Im happy but some low grades, especially related to how the interior will hold up, indicate areas of concern at this point in time. I will return for a 6 month evaluation.

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  Fun to drive - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By scott661 - October 10 - 10:43 pm

  I never thought about owning a Xterra, but after test driving this baby, I just had to have it. The ride and power are great. Wife doesnt want me to drive so she can enjoy. Great SUV for the dough!!