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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  frontier - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By loser - May 8 - 10:00 am

  very reliable truck with good power.base model has all the features you would expect and then some. not quite enough leg room in the back seat for adults but plenty for children. much better ride than older model

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  Great Care for the $$$ - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By novynich - May 8 - 10:00 am

  I think this is one of the best cars for the money, mine is fully loaded and has more features than many high end cars in the similar price range.

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  Wonderful Max. - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By MDao - May 8 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Maxima, I bought it two months ago.I just brought the car in for repair due to rattling noises from the dashboard and rear speaker, right front brake squeaking, and the rear left door rubber seal came off! The dealer was happy to fixed them all. So far I am very satisfied with the dealers services. Over all I love the car, its fast and fun to drive.

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  Wonderful Altima - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By MBK - May 8 - 5:32 am

  If you are tall with long legs, you may have a bit of a problem getting in and out. Otherwise, comfort is fantastic. The interior is very nicely put together. Exterior is wonderful. I would highly recommend this vehicle if you want a decently priced vehicle, reliable, and good looking interior and exterior.

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  Best Second Car Ever - 2013 Nissan Leaf
  By carlsbad2 - May 8 - 1:46 am

  We were tired of paying $ 80 per tank to run around town getting 16 MPG running errands etc. This Leaf is fun to drive and has lots of room I am 6.4 and do not fit with comfort in many cars but the headroom in this is great. After 2.5 months of ownership very happy get 90 mile range on a full charge. Able to charge for free at many Nissan dealers . Fast charger at dealers will get you a full charge in 40 minutes. Electric bill has gone up about $ 50 per month charging up almost every night. I did not purchase the level 2 charger as I can charge overnight in about 12 hours with the 6.6 KW on board charger. Our utility company gives better rates for EV owners if you use off peak power

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  Hemi Killer - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Don - May 7 - 9:50 pm

  I traded in an 03 Dodge Ram Hemi for this truck. Many dont believe that it will run circles around the Hemi, but it truly does. Power is much more usable, with more torque to boot. The exhaust note, in stock form is "sweet." I bought the XE model and have customized it to be the truck that I personally desire. All in all, its a fantastic truck that sells for thousands less than those offered by GM, Ford and Dodge.

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  Great for sending your kids off to college. - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By jttom1994 - May 7 - 4:31 pm

  My parents got this car for me to drive to school and I love it. Sure its not the fastest of the best looking but its more comfortable than the mustang we traded in, gets way better mpgs and me and all my friebds can fit in it.

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  Not Reliable - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By Ashley E. - May 7 - 9:16 am

  My 2012 Nissan Versa Sedan has 101k miles and the transmission is bad. I have researched and have seen where older Versa models were covered under an extended CVT warranty due to premature transmission failure. Why is this not the case for the 2012? It is completely unacceptable that a 5 year old car bought brand new, maintenanced regularly has a bad transmission. It made me stall and have no power or ability to accelerate in the middle of a busy intersection! It has done this 3 times! My children were in the car! Completely unacceptable. This is dangerous. The CVT is very poorly designed and very unreliable, not to mention dangerous. The Versa has been one problem after another. We had to replace the fuel pump at 60k mileage! That is absolutely ridiculous! This car is extremely poor designed and Nissan is no help, and does not back up its cars. Nissan is not reliable as they were once were in regards to quality and reliability. Extremely disappointed.

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  good economy car - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By gman - May 7 - 8:10 am

  This car is a good economy car that is reliable.Its doesnt have alot of room inside but it gets the job done.

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  Black Betty - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By Damon - May 7 - 3:00 am

  This is my 5th Nissan and my 2nd Pick up. This build quality is very tight, no squeaks. The gearing is nice for cruising and commuting. A very versatile truck for a dad with a 7 year old boy, an active wife, and 2 big dogs that all love to camp and explore the great state of Texas.