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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  Best buy in its class!! - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Kari - August 5 - 5:50 pm

  I cant believe Ive had my car for five years and am about to pay it off - it looks brand new! Regular oil changes and the car is practically perfect!! From someone whos had to drive junk all her life this was a great and smart first buy. Reliable and perfect for the small streets of Charleston where I live. Good on gas and feels well built while driving, no loose areas except maybe windows and that doesnt improve until you go luxury. Its wonderful!!!

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  Reliable Car - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By RoadWarrior1 - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Purchased the car used with 22,000 miles and am still driving it with 150,000 miles. Everyday reliability with minor maintenance (leaking power steering fluid, brakes). Still fun to drive.

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  CONCERNS - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By yvan - August 4 - 2:00 am

  I got this beautiful truck after owning a tahoe and a expedition, runs wonderful but i start it to have problems w/it since the winter in NY my driver side door wont close ,only in cold weather,my front brakes where gone in 3 months they replace it for free this time,at that time i discover a leak on the power sterring they fix it to,but my driver side door still got the problem NISSAN USA is involved and hopefully will fix once and for all.

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  so much better than my cavalier - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By snap0931 - August 4 - 2:00 am

  I really like all the standard features and the modern looking interior. I find that this loooks much better than other cars in its class.

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  Rattle and Hum (and gulp) ... - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By dzurej - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this m.v. (my first) for 2 months. The engine and drivetrain certainly hum along. The passenger-side power door rattles over every bump. Im avering just 18 mpg to-date (well below expected). The center console takes some getting used to, but it grew on me (but not everyone). Handles surprisingly well in both rain and snow. My overall opinion is still positive, but Ill reserve long-term judgement until I see how quickly Nissan fixes the door rattle and the interior wears with age.

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  the winds of change - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By sean124352 - August 4 - 2:00 am

  this truck blows all the other truck right out of the water. it has great performce, confort, and fetures. i bought mine for $89 over invoice. bottom line great truck the power is awusome. the F-150 runs out of power fast on the highway, this just keeps going, like the maxiama

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  2013 Pathfinder Excellent SUV - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By dave_justdave - August 4 - 1:37 am

  I have had my 13 Pathfinder now for approx 6 months and 5000 miles and everything is running beautifully. The leather seats are very comfortable, especially on long trips. The AC is been outstanding during these last few weeks of high heat. I barely notice the CV transmission now, handling is responsive in the city and on the highway. Overall mileage is much better than my last SUV - a Mazda CX9 V6. I would highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Nissan sucks - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By av_guy - August 3 - 11:59 pm

  Spoke to Nissan and they wont give me the time of day to help replace my transmission. Its been replaced once already and they wont listen. Besides the transmission, the lumbar system which was recalled is broken again, the fog lights have been replaced at least 6 times. Nissan has the worst customer service at their HQ. I wouldnt buy another Nissan. They dont care about their customers, so why should I patronize them by purchasing another vehicle from them. They really suck.

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  nice car - 2001 Nissan Altima
  By cockychest - August 3 - 10:00 am

  Bought the GXE Limited Editon in October 2000 brand new. Has been a very reliable car and have always trusted Nissan products. I presently have over 21000 miles with no problem to report. Easy to keep up and is a beautiful car after it is cleaned.

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  Looks better than Lex gs400 - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By lwoman - August 3 - 10:00 am

  Great car. It looks better than the lexus Gs 300 and 400 although they do look quite similar. Altima has everything in its class beat. it looks much more expensive than what it is. I have had car since October and I have 14,000 miles on it. sure I drive alot but its fun to drive. the car is simply great. What a beauty. ALTIMA 2.5SL. pEOPLE CANNOT BELIEVE ITS NOT A LEXUS. pARK AN ALTIMA NEXT TO A Gs 300 or 400 and tell me which looks better. The is 300 dosent come close to the altima in s. Great car everyone should buy one. Nissan altima has the accord and camry beat this time. Go altima all the way. you are a beauty. simply the best