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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  Junk - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Paul - December 15 - 12:56 am

  My first impression was very favorable - fun to drive, enough power for 4cyl, good MPG. Comfortable inside, although noisy. I drive to work 150 miles each day. After 12K miles problems started to come up like ants. Fuel gauge, airbag sensor, "service engine", battery, suspension, not to mention numerous other smaller problems. Several times, when I picked up the car from the dealer with one problem fixed, I would have to turn around and drive back because another problem popped up while I am taking car home. Talk to the dealer, talk to Nissan - they do not care. Going to trade it and never buy again.

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  Luxury without the luxury nameplate - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Joe Schweickart - December 14 - 7:57 pm

  We were planning to get a compact SUV and looking at the Toyota RAV 4, Mazda CX5 and Honda CRV. My wife has a bad back, so we put a premium on her comfort. We went to an auto mall with all 3 dealerships and she sat in all 3 cars and deemed the CRV the most comfortable. They all drove well. As we were leaving, we decided to stop at the Nissan dealer as we had heard about the zero gravity seats in the Murano. She sat in one and the decision was made. The pros were seat comfort, more interior room, better color choices and combinations, luxurious interior that rivals the luxury brands and nice exterior styling. The cons were about $8K more expensive, lower gas mileage, little extra cargo room over the CRV considering how much bigger the vehicle is, leg room could be a bit longer.

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  Best truck in its class!! - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Magdaddy - December 14 - 10:03 am

  Simply said, biggest interior space, 317 horsepower! Almost 10,000 lbs of towing capacity (not that I need that much)! Very fun to drive.

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  Lots of Car for the Money! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By AL - December 13 - 11:50 am

  After test driving the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris I chose the Nissan Versa because you get much more car for the money. When driving the Versa you get that heavy, bigger car feel. Its drive is both smooth and sturdy. The electronic steering feels precise and accurate and the car just loves to cruise at highway plus speeds. The seats are comforatble and supportive. The only negative is some engine noise during acceleration. Though when idling the engine is steady and practically silent. Six speed manual tranny shifts crisply and smoothly.

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  Best Truck I Have Ever Bought - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By Roadturtle - December 13 - 7:56 am

  POWER POWER POWER I love this Nissan Titan. It has everything you could possible want in a 4x4 truck. Nissan did everything right. I have owned all of the others. Hey Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and Toyota. You are falling way behind Copy this truck. It is the best. If you drive it You WILL buy it.

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  Best minivan for the money - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By alan1020 - December 13 - 12:46 am

  First off let me explain that I am a car enthusiast. I read review after review weighing the pros and cons of vehicles before I even consider purchasing one. When the time came for my wife and I to choose a new van (at the time we had an 07 Odyssey) I wanted to evaluate all the 2011 models. After all my analysis this is the conclusion I came to, the 2011 Nissan Quest. In comparing the Quest, we looked at all the other vans out on the market. Odyssey has an awesome interior but the exterior is insanely ugly. Plus we hadnt been pleased with the transmission on our 07. Toyota Sienna was too cheap looking inside and out and the new Dodges exterior is too bland as well.

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  A Great Ride - 2007 Nissan Quest
  By Fran Hill - December 12 - 2:46 am

  I purchased my new 07 Quest on a Thursday and left on Friday for a 4,600 mile trip with 2 kids 6 and 7. The built in DVD player is great, so are the wireless headphones! The ride is smooth and overall my Quest is very comfortable! I love the extra options in the minivan that I did not have with my Tahoe and I really like the increased gas mileage!

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  2014 pathfinder transmission - 2014 Nissan Pathfinder
  By rob267 - December 12 - 12:22 am

  We have the shudder problem at 20+- miles per hour and on our forth attempt at a repair the car has been in the shop now for seven days and they are still waiting on parts ????? . I will post again when I get the car back .

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  Competent and reliable - 1996 Nissan Altima
  By oldsport - December 11 - 2:00 am

  Reliable. Conservatively iconoclastic styling. Very competent handling. And did I say reliable? Ours is about to turn 100K, and all weve done is change the fluids, plugs, and timing belt at normal intervals.

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  Putting the Fun Back in Driving - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By herz - December 11 - 2:00 am

  The 350Z is just a blast to drive. Can you say flat cornering? I can! The 350Z corners like a dream. Can you say quick smooth braking? I can! Go from 50 MPH to stop in no time, but not feel like you are doing a sudden stop. Accelerating on short highway on-ramps is almost too easy. I sometimes find myself doing 80 mph as I merge into the highway traffic.