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 love my pathfinder - 1998 Nissan Pathfinder
  By halbbd01 - December 12 - 10:00 am

  Ive only had it about a month now, but im extremely pleased with my purchase. The ride is great. No rattles, no squeaks. Seats are comfortable. It handles well. The interior is sharp. Ill probably come back and rate it again in a year or so. I wanted a nice looking and reliable SUV. I narrowed it down to the 4runner and the pathfinder. The pathfinder was about 3k less with very similar features so thats why i went with nissan. From looking around and doing the research, I do think the 4runners are better quality... but the pathfinder still smokes any ford, chevy, gmc, etc in reliability.

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  02 Xterra SE 2wd - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By mkm325 - December 12 - 10:00 am

  Looks great and is fun to drive, but a little uncomfortable for long rides. The legroom in the back is cramped and the width of the front seats could stand to be a little wider.

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  CHEVEATR - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By 4SFEDZ - December 12 - 10:00 am

  A build qaulity like no other,a bold face with legs to match,at an affordable price.The 350zs only downfall is its lacking of a turbo charger,(yet i have gotten around this problem with an aftermarket adaption of a t28 ballbearing turbine and cooler to match, good for 1.3 bar).Not a common vehicle witch attracts plenty of head turns,a classy streetracer with the elloquence no clumsy V8 could ever match.

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  09 SV- Premium Pkg with Tech Pkg - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By Mike - December 12 - 9:16 am

  Just bought the 09 Max for wife this past week. We have own one other Max it was a 1997 we loved it. The new body design is great. We first looked at the SV Sport Pkg with Tech pPkg because of the price difference of the premium Pkg but we found a SV Premium w/tech Pre price change for $1000 more and that was with them adding the Rear Spoiler.We wanted the sport look.The voice recognition/bluetooth for the mobile phone is very clear. The nav system is very nice. You will spend a lot of time playing with all the tech in the car. Love the music Box,There is so much that I love about the car.

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  Great car for the money! - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By Tallync - December 11 - 6:46 pm

  There are so many features that I love that anything bad is totally outweighed. The backseat moving forward and back has been a life saver in hauling things! It drives very smooth most of the time, although CVT is hard to get used to after always having an automatic. It has a tendency to rev up if you push the pedal down too fast, which can be irritating until youre used to it. The gas mileage has always been in the 28-30 range that they advertise, but never higher. Took a roadtrip 800 miles each way and seats were comfy. Overall, I still really love this car after 6500 miles. I have had no quality or reliability problems and Nissan has always addressed my concerns promptly.

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  So Smooth! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Grace - December 11 - 11:50 am

  I traded in an 02 Honda for this car and am so glad I did. I cant believe all the features that this car offers for just over $20k. I dislike the way Nissan lumps their options but the S model has everything I wanted without going overboard. Im sure I will get a speeding ticket and this car has some power to only have 4cly. I have to keep the cruise set otherwise I find myself going 80 and dont even realize it. I researched the new Camry, Accord, and Malibu and this won hands down in my book. From safety to features, to the ride. It a family sedan with a sleek look that is so sexy! And you have to admit the push button start is so much fun.

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  A brand new Rogue SL AWD - 2014 Nissan Rogue
  By earthwateruser - December 11 - 10:07 am

  I just purchased a new Rogue and the car performed very well on a long road trip. Highway comfort is excellent, with only a bit of road noise on rough highways. The 2.5L powerplant has enough power and the trade off for fuel economy is one Im happy to make. The CVT is fine, but Im used to one. Highway mileage hovered around 30 mpg w/ my overall economy only slightly lower at 27.5. The car seems to be a great value. We looked at all the competitors in the segment (and some outside it) and the Rogue SL interior was, by far, the nicest. Suspension is very good. Bose stereo also very good. A very nice car all around. Definitely worth a look if you shop this segment.

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  This car is awsome. - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By mg - December 11 - 8:03 am

  Love this car. Its very quiet on the highway with 20in wheels. Extremely comfortable and luxurious. Stereo system sound is great. All the appointments in the car are very well done. Cant say enough. very pleased.

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  sweet!! - 2009 Nissan Frontier
  By incrediblehonky - December 11 - 4:56 am

  this truck is awesome. i got lucky finding this one. i looked within 500 mile of my home, no luck then my local dealer got one. every aspect of this truck is awesome, from the rockford fosgate sterio to the rear locker. this truck has the feel of a luxury suv with real 4x4 performance.

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  Love the Sentra - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Schabotnik - December 10 - 9:53 pm

  For those in the market for a small car, I cant imagine how you can do better than the Sentra. I went from a gas guzzling, junk heap Wrangler, and havent regretted a second. Its fun to drive, handles great, quiet, smooth, great MPG. Honestly, I dont know what some of these reviewers are thinking. This thing is awesome in all regards.