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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  Think twice before buying this used... - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By jenvok - June 24 - 11:33 pm

  Had this car for close to 5 years, just paid it off and glad I did. As mentioned in other reviews, the hubcaps rattle, there is significant wind noise, gas mileage isnt great (24mpg highway) and the ride is stiff. The seats are a tad uncomfortable and become moreso on long drives. Had to have all 4 window motors replaced under recall, then had the intake manifold gasket replaced at 63K miles ($600 job and apparently a known problem with Nissan Altimas, but not subject to recall). All that said, this has been a very reliable little car. The 4-cyl engine coped fairly with driving the Virginia hills towing a U-Haul trailer and does okay otherwise.

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  Having fun with a six speed - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By 6-speeder - June 24 - 10:56 pm

  I absolutely love it. It has been a good car for me. Buying it with 50,000 miles was miraculous. Especially with it being a six-speed. The car looks great and has beautiful horsepower. With it not being driven much I have had to replace the sprockets on the timing chain and little things along the way. But overall its a wonderful car I would recommend it to anyone.

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  Best affordable car ever. - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By knot2b4got10 - June 24 - 6:24 pm

  I picked the Nissan Versa because of how comfortable it was, because it was several thousand cheaper than any comparable car (say the honda fit) and because of the insane amount of room on the inside. Even though it feels like a compact car, I feel like I have the space of a small SUV. Im not sure what people are talking about it being not fun to drive. Anyone that has driven my car has mentioned how great my car handles and it has great pick up. I feel like I zip and zoom in it. I would recommend this car to anyone who does not want to fork over a bunch of money for bells and whistles but wants the most practical and comfortable car for the price.

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  X gon give it to yuh - 2011 Nissan Xterra
  By Matty - June 24 - 5:29 pm

  My wife and I were looking for a 5 seater 4x4 truck with good reliability for a great price. The xterra is easily the best value in that sector. After 2010 the SMOD issue and timing chain issue was fixed and the xterras are very reliable as a result. We love the unique styling, utilitarian interior (its nothing fancy at all) and decent power. The 280ft-lb of torque are available within the first 1/4" of gas pedal movement making this thing feel very peppy. I wish the interior was a little nicer and I hope the car can hold up to the salt roads here in Mass but for the price it cant be beat. Were getting 19MPG consistently which is good enough for me.

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  Great Car - 2010 Nissan Maxima
  By Darrell - June 24 - 12:26 pm

  Just received my new 2010 Maxima today. I considered other makes of cars before deciding upon the Maxima. I went to the dealership to look at the Altima. I test drove both the Altima and Maxima and I was blown away by the features in the Maxima.

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  Love it and options! - 2008 Nissan Armada
  By mack - June 23 - 11:40 pm

  LE 4X2 loaded! Love it! Spacious, nice interior, lots of power (if you need it) Just like a Q56, just $16,000 cheaper! Captains seats, DVD, NAV with touch screen, CF and Music box with XM. Power rear tailgate and power 3rd row! Sporty, and nice interior styling.

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  i am in love... - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By sandra - June 23 - 7:56 pm

  i feel like i won the lottery...i am constantly looking at every altima that i see to see if it is a hybrid...and when i see that it is not...i just smile...it is nice being one of very few that actually know about this fabulous car...i love it...it is beautiful, sexy, quiet, powerful, roomy, sophisticated, etc...i am a proud owner...i gave her a name...bought her a duster...covered her seats...the drive is superb...i have had several cars in my life...but it is different once you purchase the 2007 nissan altima...it is truly unexplainable...i am glad that i went car shopping when i did...i have no regrets...

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  If youre thinking of buying one, do it - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Danny - June 23 - 7:06 pm

  I went to the dealership not expecting to like the Sentra. Coming from a Buick Century, I thought, "oh, a small, Japanese 4-cyl, well, at least it has a warranty." Then I took it for a test drive. The engine / transmission combination on even the 2.0 S model blows my old car away, and blows away my friends Civics, Yarises, and even older V6-equipped cars. The interior leaves very little to be desired. Fuel economy is ridiculous compared to what Im used to (avg. 30, city and highway), and I bought it without even trying the amazing stock stereo system. This drives like a much more expensive car, and swaddles you with geek-chic tech to make sure you dont forget it.

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  Reliable - 1996 Nissan Sentra
  By sunnyface5 - June 23 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this veh 3yrs ago with 75,000 miles - I now have 170,000. With regular oil changes, maintenance, this car has gotten me though difficult times

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  Love my Pathfinder - 2000 Nissan Pathfinder
  By greeneyedellen - June 23 - 10:00 am

  I can do so much more with my Pathfinder than I ever could with any other car. We love to fish and camp and have been able to get to new spots with it that we could not get to in any car. We have had a lot of rain in the Northeast this year and it has gotten me out of deep mud several times. The gas mileage is so-so, but not bad compared to other SUVs. We live in a pretty populated area and I have no trouble merging in heavy 60+ mph traffic so dont listen to what they say about the engine. All in all, this is a great looking, sporty SUV that will get you unstuck and you will feel great driving it.