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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  Good commute car - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By me from sunnyvale - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Bought it in October 2004. Got it $300 below invoice, plus $1000 rebate, plus $500 new graduate rebate, plus %1 APR for 5 years. There are no better deals out there. In overall it costed $3500 less than a civic LX. In reliability and quality it can compete with the ciciv or corolla, and yet a lot cheaper with these special cash back and APR deals.

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  for the money - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By guiseppie - July 19 - 10:00 am

  great acceleration, sweet 6cyl comfortable roomy enough great milage styling looks like a roach but not bad second maxima had 2002 had 2 recals on it.but thrilling to drive.265 hp engine I think better built that a honda, with a 6, acura is more , and i think hondas quality has gone down in recent years.

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  Best Utility Vehicle - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By jhaskell - July 19 - 10:00 am

  If a fun, off-road worthy vehicle is what you are after, then The X-terra is for you. It is built for a purpose and fills it! Handles capably on the road, but was designed to be abused. Somewhat simplistic in its design (interior specifically), but most places you take this the scenery is better outside anyway. Get an X-terra and USE it!!!

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  350Z first timer - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Gito - July 19 - 10:00 am

  The Z experience has been an adventure everyday. I love the feel of the car, the way it handles in every situation. I can say my major disappointment has been with the paint on the car. I have Pikes Peak White and have already had one repaint - damage done at delivery to me, and ready for a second due to rock pings going to metal. I have had to replace my tires and brakes because of poor quality. The engine is amazing. I hate the dealership that I purchased this car from ABC Nissan Phoenix, AZ. It will definitely deter me from buying another vehicle from them. A 2006 is a must have for me! Bad dealer/service department-- amazing car!

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  Great Car - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By San Diego Man - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Didnt realize driving could be so much fun. Previously drove an 2001 Acura CL, and was considering a 2005 Acura TL or a Honda S2000. Test drove the 350Z and was captivated. Constantly turns heads and turns my head every time I walk away from it. If you want sports car, this is the one.

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  altima 2005 - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By chabza thomas - July 19 - 10:00 am

  good unbeatable for the money had a 2002 before this one

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  Unstable Rear-end at High Speeds - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Scared - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Drove car on trip with 5 passengers and luggage. At 70 MPH plus back seat occupants had a dizzy feeling during lane changes and stated the rear-end is swaying. After trip, tried to miss object in the road at 70 MPH and ended up skidding sideways into center grass medium. Made same maneuver as vehicle in front of me which handled just fine. No injuries but a lot of damage. Nissan rep. inspected car and found no part failures. I told Nissan its a design problem and they sent me a mechanic. Edmunds.com (road tests) warns of the skittish problem and overboosted steering. I highly recommend careful review of these facts before purchase of this car.

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  Terrific Car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By BarbJan - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Love the 2005 Altima we purchased. Beautiful design and handling. The only funny snag is that with all the extras that are in it it does not include an ashtray. We were able to get the Smokers Package but the lighter that will work with it hasnt been designed yet.

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  Great Car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By ducci15 - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Came from Mazda 626. 2.5 S is much sporty and larger interior makes it feel like larger vehicles. Someone told me that it looks like a cross between a Beemer and a Lexus! Good pickup and interior features.

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  SO far SO good! - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Jerry - July 19 - 7:13 am

  Hello one and all, i bought the SE 4x4 night armor late aug got 1400+ miles on it, the truck rides nicely and have been fun to drive. It has GREAT pick up, i AVG bout 19-23 HWY which is not bad if u think bout compared to other SUVs. Im 65 tall and it fits pretty well. It would have been nice for the back glass to pop open sometimes its a pain to open the whole back just to get something.Over all i am happy with this truck.