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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  not what i expected - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By zzollwalk - May 20 - 10:00 am

  The design was good..engineering not so good. Transimission problems still persists even after replacement. Nissan does not offer a solution that would make us whole again after buying this vehicle. We are still going thru the replacing this vehicle process under the lemon law. I has taken an attorney and lots of phone calls to get something out of Nissan. They know and have admitted to having a problem with this vehicle but do not want the vehicle back. They are reluctant to work with us. FYI..tell them the news media will be involved..that seemed to help them speed replacement up..

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  would suggest to get it - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By dima - May 20 - 10:00 am

  i have deal for 398/mo 1300 down fully loaded...... i love it before i had Mercedes E 320..and ML 320. Murano is much better and more reliable then ML 320 is for sure...... ML 320 mercedes track is a big failure for mercedes..... bumpy, gas eatter....

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  This car rocks! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Trippen41 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  This car is so fast. Love pulling up to people who think there car is faster, then just tap the gas and they are in your dust. Its unreal.

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  Pretty.....But Noisy Car! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Buzz1957 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  At test drive, we loved the car. Great looking car..hard to beat in its class! On the other hand, the car is very noisy; engine sound is high and road noise is higher! The rear end is light, and the trunk floor and jack bounce around. On a smooth highway, ride is nice, but once you get on the regular roads, you become conscious of the noise and the ride.It takes away from the sound system also. The steering does not feel like you are in real control!

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  Almost Excellent - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By BJ - May 20 - 9:36 am

  This thing will pull a house and sounds cool doing it, just like on TV; however, the gas mileage isnt as rated. In the process, the suspension system feels a little cheesy for such a beefy rig, and if its cold out, your pedal foot is too, and the doors dont shut with as much ease as when its warm out. The dash is also a bit high into your vision, limiting your view of the vehicle front and making it easy to ding the gargantuan bumper in tight spots. It can be hard to tell if the emergency brake is on also, and with the vehicles power and the idiot light hidden by the steering wheel, one can drive with the brake engaged, not particularly a good thing for discs and pads. Almost perfect.

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  Under-rated by Automotive "Journalists" - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By Garandman - May 20 - 3:23 am

  We now have over 10,000 miles on an 05 Quest SE used as a company car. We found most auto writer reviews just plain wrong. Side doors and back are bigger than competitors. Ride, handling, and feeling of safety in bad weather is very impressive. The 3.5L engine is great, and we have logged several tanks of fuel over 26mpg - the EPA highway figure! average over first 6,000 miles including break-in and Winter driving was 22.8. A/C works very effectively. Contrary to reviews, second row seats do fold down with headrests in place. The mid-level sound system is good. Four different drivers operate this vehicle regularly and report that the center-mounted speedo takes 15 minutes to get used to.

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  Real nice suv - 1999 Nissan Pathfinder
  By BIGRON - May 19 - 11:20 pm

  I purchased this vehicle in july of 1999. It has been the most reliable automobile I have ever owned. After breaking it in I changed to Mobil 1 motor oil, got two more MPG and it has been and outstanding dependable SUV. The car has never seen the dealership for any warrantee or recalls. That is how much you can count on this car everyday. Just turn the key and no matter the weather (4X4) your on you way. Now some six years old, these SUVs are great for college students. Offering plenty of room, not bad MPG 18-20, and a strong truck frame & body to protect your young drivers. What would you like to see you student driving? A small Civic or a REAL SOLID TRUCK? Sometimes bigger is better.

• 

  Awesome Car! - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Todd - May 19 - 5:30 pm

  Proud owner for a little more than a year (24k miles). This car is a great car. Instant engine response and acceleration. Fast car that bites off the line for a non-turbo charged car. Feels extremely secure and no rattles with very little body roll in tight curves. Awesome summer driver but strongly recommend winter tires for winter driving and get ABS brakes/side airbags if you buy this car. Build quality is definitely Nissan and would definitely buy the next model :) Stock radio is above avg at 7 speakers but dont bother with the fosgate package (go aftermarket)..

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  My fourth Nissan - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By Kelly B - May 19 - 3:48 pm

  Bought this car used with only 12k miles. I have had it for two years. The drive is solid and there is nothing fancy about it. Hate the interior. Seats hang onto dog hair for dear life. Random pieces of plastic are found floating around the interior (figured out where two of them belong but cant get them back on the place they should be). The cloth on the rear passenger door handle has come off and will need an upolstery person to fix it. The interior is very cheap feeling and looking. I am the type that buys a vehicle and drives it until the wheels fall off but have arranged for my husband to take this one off my hands until my son starts to drive. My next car will be a Mazda or Honda.

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  I knew better than to buy the first year of a redesign - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By 2013neveragain - May 19 - 3:18 pm

  I know better than to buy the first model year of a complete redesign... Immediately after purchase I had the windshield trim replaced because it would not hold secure and was flapping at highway speeds. Then with about 2K miles on it the car left me stranded at Wal-Mart. Nissan roadside took two hours to get a tow truck to me. Turns out it was a known ignition system recall that the dealer failed to update before I purchased the car. The radio has been replaced already for having issues such as dropping the blue tooth link with any connected phone, flashing on and off and so on. It took 3 weeks to get a replacement radio in. Dash trim on the side of the radio has been replaced...........