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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  2005 Altima in the hands of a 16 yr. old - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Blake Otwell - October 8 - 7:16 am

  My car gets a lot of looks, however I have added a Trenz chrome grill which really compliments the satin white paint. I have also added a few Stillen body parts painted the body color. My Borla mufflers with 3 1/2" chrome tips sound great and enhance the look of the rear a lot. Although my car looks a tad different than stock, I love the lines of the car which I have strived to keep.

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  2007 murano sl 4 door SUV AWD - 2007 Nissan Murano
  By mikki - October 8 - 3:03 am

  I am an ex-audi owner. I purchased the Murano after extensive research. I love the roomy interior, my bose system,excellent handling, the style. I could not find a pic. of 2009 so I bought the 2007 new and love the body style of this particular year. I did not get the automatic hatchback opener and regret it.

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  not just marketing hype - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Rob - October 8 - 1:40 am

  awesome blend of truck and SUV. in my opinion the best styling of any SUV out there. interior is quiet, tightly built, doors shut with a solid thump. engine is very good, though a little light on low end torque, but the HP proves its mettle around 35-50MPH. the perfect amount of exhaust note to sound tough, but not so much that its annoying to passengers. at cruising speed its quiet as a BMW. gas mileage is what you expect. ranks a 9 on the fun factor, only because the Wrangler (10) is parked next to it. all in all, its an awesome vehicle. if youre thinking of buying one, go for it. I cant imagine it getting better than the 05/06 model.

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  Havent Woken Up Yet! - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By JNae - October 7 - 5:00 pm

  I bought this truck in Aug. and I still love it! I got mine in Silverton Blue and get compliments on the color. It looks grey when it is dark outside and you have to get close to see dirt. It is very spacious inside w/ 2 kids and another on the way. There is room for 2 booster seats and a car seat in the middle. Gas is averaging 15-16 city, and 17-18 highway, but I knew this when I bought it. I bought this truck for my husband while he was in Iraq for a year. He is home now and loves it! We will be moving to Germany next year and will have to see how it does on the autobahn. Good pricing, too!

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  2004 as held up well - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Norski - October 7 - 1:36 pm

  Just had the car in for 30,000 mile service, and after getting the rear end aligned again the car drives like new again

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  Fits my needs perfectly! - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By LET-CA - October 7 - 7:03 am

  This is my second Nissan pickup. The first was a 97, now being driven by my daughter; yeah, they dont wear out. Were still waiting for the first major repair on that vehicle. I purchased this just a month ago, the XE with the Power Package, and the Value Truck package, basically the "old man" options that really make it comfortable. Its my daily driver, rock solid with good fuel economy. The 4-cylinder is not a good choice if you are going to be towing frequently, as the power is lacking. If you REALLY need the extra power, buy the 6, but be prepared for a large drop in mileage. Im delighted with mine and will drive it for a long long time!

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  Favorite car ever - 2008 Nissan Armada
  By Robster - October 7 - 4:43 am

  After shopping SUVs for months I could not find anything that offered everything with power and room to spare. This is simply my favorite vehicle ever. It handles like a small car, is as quick as a sports car, has the room of a full size van with accessibility, all the technology a guy could ever ask for for a reasonable price. The mileage is to be expected for a vehicle like this. I just cant get over how satisfied I am with this vehicle. I pull a trailer with a Diesel powered pickup and this SUV is not far behind on its towing prowess. I want to buy another one before they quit making them!

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  Love it! Hate it! - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Love it!Hate it! - October 6 - 3:50 pm

  I purchased this car 3 years ago and since I have had to replace the front struts for the third time with only 57000 miles its too much. My transmission started skipping and kicking at 52000 was replaced under warranty and now the engine Mounts which are extremely expensive are out.This is besides some electrical issues with the lights. So you can imagine why I hate it.

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  Max - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By Sarah - October 6 - 9:53 am

  This is truly an amazing car. I have driven many cars and trucks in the past but this one turly takes the cake. For a 1997 modle this is a very modern car. You realize the comfort and respect every time you get into it. This car is very reliable and I would trust it in any condition.It works great in snow and on dirt roads. It has a lot of space in all the right places. This is truly a great modle of car.I would even be comfortable to recomend at as a first car for your teen. It is just amazing, all the things that you can accomplish with this car. If you are looking into this car I would recomend you getting prepared for the ride of your dreams. This car doesnt leave any rock unturned.

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  2.5 SL - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By ritkid - October 6 - 5:23 am

  Great car for the money. I bought it brand new and it is now 2 years old. Nissan did a wonderful job of picking nice features to include and leaving others out to provide a wannabe luxury car at an economy car price. This is a very comfortable car, and performs wonderfully on the highway. I have added a K&N filter and that has given me a few extra MPG. The mileage is not as good as advertised on the sticker, but is still exceptional. I get about 32ish on the highway and 26 in town. The car handled very well in the snow. The only maintenance I have done is change the oil and clean the air filter in these first 26000 miles and I have had no problems at all. Just a great car. Highly recomended