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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  Still New - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By tcarpn - August 3 - 10:46 pm

  I purchased the Titan LE one week ago only have 400 miles on it and everything seems fine very powerful and drives very good

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  4DSC - 2016 Nissan Maxima
  By Stan O - August 3 - 5:58 pm

  Great new style. Its a 4 DOOR SPORTS CAR. To me it is bigger and better and less expensive than the BMW I was looking at. Also the Maxima offered a better alternative to the pricy sister company Infiniti line. Its brand new, so check back with me in a year.

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  Toy - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Mytoy - August 3 - 7:30 am

  What can I say?? It is fast it is fun and I am very happy with it. I have the roadster and I enjoy driving it but when the top is down it is nothing but a blast. This car is meant to be a toy. If you can accept it as that you will be very happy. The 350Z is not an every day car. Remember this is a "fun to drive" car.

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  Caught off Guard - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By dogteam - August 2 - 4:26 pm

  I was caught off guard that this truck has worked so well. I read a lot of bad reviews and was cautious about this truck. I get compliments on its looks all the time and I can haul my kids and all their stuff with no problem. The power is great and it is geared nice, this big dude can really get on the freeway in a hurry. The backup camera is great and my sons love the DVD. I even watch it while when I have to wait in the truck. The dealership has been good to me also. I ran into the brake shaking problem and they solved it in a few hours at no cost. Other than that, the truck is tough and has run great.

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  Great Car!!!! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Jims Maxima - August 2 - 2:33 pm

  In forty years of driving, one of the best cars I have every diven or owned. Handling, comfort, acceleration, you name it.

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  2001 Nissan Senra XE - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By ROBERT LINS - August 2 - 1:26 am

  Great car, reliable, dependable, and comfortable. The selling dealer tried to cover up cosmetic flaws poorly (they show up now) but overall the car is great. Love the mechanical durability and the timing CHAIN. Wish it had a tachometer.

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  2011 Murano SL vs. 2009 Murano LE - 2011 Nissan Murano
  By stradivarius - August 1 - 5:19 pm

  I purchased a 2009 Murano LE September 2008 and recently traded for 2011 SL @ 74K miles. The 09 was my first Nissan and I really liked it so I opted for another. The SL now has the power lift gate and memory seats which are important to me so I did not need LE. For the most part the vehicles are very similar. The 11 seems to ride and handle better with 18"wheels vs. 20". I also seem to be getting better gas mileage which should improve when broken in. Biggest gripe is voice recognition of bluetooth is horrible vs. 09. Also I cant believe that Nissan did away with cd changer on $39K vehicle which I did not catch before buying. As far as headlights not being xenon, I cant tell difference.

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  From "Nearly Flawless" to "Major Flakes" - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Mike234 - August 1 - 5:00 am

  My first review was published at 2 yrs, 23K miles titled "Nearly Flawless". 3 years and almost 30K miles later the drivetrain performance still is. However this vehicle has developed a Major paint problem - the paint is flaking off the top of the lift gate and starting on the roof. I lose about 4 sq inches every time I wash! Nothing environmental or damaged and I am vigilant with maintenance. Just defective paint as far as I can tell. Nissans response was basically "Sorry, its out of warranty". Unfortunate, because its an otherwise fantastic vehicle. I was a big fan and now theyve lost a customer.

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  Awesome truck! - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Shawn - August 1 - 12:36 am

  I love my truck! Yes the gas is an issue but the power that this monster has makes you forget that! I did have an issue with the radio but got it taken care of pretty cheap. This thing is huge. The parking sensors definitely come in Handy. My wife loves driving it too as you feel like King of the road, no one will cut you off ever!

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  Excellent Car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Ashakay713 - July 31 - 9:56 pm

  I just bought a 2005 Nissan Altima about two weeks ago and I cant say enough about the car. I absolutely love it. It is so much fun to drive, is great on gas, goes great in the snow, and its a very classy looking car. I think the price is extremely reasonable, for the quality of product you get with this car. I would highly recommend this car to anyone.