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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  hood paint off & noise underneath - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By thomas - July 13 - 3:43 pm

  1) In less than 18 months, a small portion of the hood paint is off naturally. Bought brand new. 2) When passing a road-bump even with a very low speed, you can hear a noise come from underneath the car. The noise is similar to as if something was loose. On two occasions I took the vehicle to the dealer to correct this problem. The noise was back within a month.

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  Kinda Used.. - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By Origamiman - July 13 - 10:00 am

  I was driving a Crown Vic. I loved my roomy 4.6 V8 car,but i needed something more updated; plus, people always thought i was a cop. Loved the look of the Nissan for the dollar. Both the Ford and Dodge had better engines, but the Dodge was too expensive and the jumpseats in the Ford are a joke. I settled on A Nissan XE 2002 barely used. It only had 4000 miles on it, and most of the features i wanted. I built my truck online and i would of had to pay much more money if was brand new. I got a find.

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  Just OK - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By sgkoch - July 13 - 8:33 am

  I bought my 2007 Maxima new and it now has 22K miles on it; I live very close to work. At 19K miles the AC compressor went and took out the whole system including the serpantine belt. We were stranded in the middle of nowhere 75 miles from home. Thankfully I had 9 days left on the 3/36 warranty so the AC was covered. However Nissan did not have the compressor in stock and it was on backorder for 2 months. What does that tell you...Must be alot of ACs going out. They did provide me with a rental car but it was still a pain not having my car. Other than that nightmare the car has been OK. Its fast, it handles fine for what it is and its comfortable. The Bose system is great.

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  Has been a good SUV - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By rotti92201 - July 13 - 7:16 am

  Enjoyed leasing this SUV... Gets smaller as the family grows!!!!!! Very dependable SUV, never had a problem.

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  Exactly what I expected..... - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By KimH - July 11 - 3:26 pm

  Bought in early 2004 and I have had very few problems. Nissan replaced the electronic throttle controller in summer of 2004 but since than it ran like a dream.

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  Good Quality Basic Truck - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Peacefield - July 10 - 10:36 pm

  Handsome inside and out, good build quality, and comfortable. Too new to tell on reliability, but its already leading me to high expectations. Not a bad little engine and an easy clutch, though I wish the gear box felt more certain and direct through the stick to my hand. My only real complaint is that the truck suffers terribly from bump steer. You dont even have to be going very fast to be startled by it. Hit some bumps while going around the curve (or even going straight for that matter), and the wheels leave the road to come down some place different. That aside, its a nice driving truck and represents a very good value. Im happy with my purchase.

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  good car , could be better. - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By shishou - July 10 - 10:00 am

  had alot of problem with the car since i bought it, very comfortable car but it has it share of problem, my car as 14.000 miles and i already change my tire evendought the dealer said that they rotated the tires. my gear change handle already broke, and the dashboard was peeling and was replace.

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  JUST PURCHASED ALTIMA - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By healeyman - July 9 - 2:03 pm

  was looking for a new car. on way to lexus dealer ,,, stopped in to look at maxima, and pathfinder. once saw altima, drove it and bought it... less than 2000 miles. everthing works, got the top model.... very nice and all controls are very well thought out... i hope it holds up being a new model and everything, love it! saved thousands over the lexus, if as well built as wifes 1991 300zx, then it will be a great car...

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  So so - 2010 Nissan Murano
  By mahammad - July 9 - 7:50 am

  Vehicle is cheaply made with a high price tag body exterior is too thin I closed the hood and pressed down with my elbow which resulted with a dent in the hood just hoping it will make up on the mechanical

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  Sporty Luxury - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Erik - July 9 - 5:30 am

  This car is pretty luxurious for not being a "luxury car." The 245hp is quite nice, especially compared to my last car -- a 150hp Honda. I never thought that an SUV could be fun to drive, but thanks to the power, its sure fun to stomp on the accelerator! The CVT helps provide an amazingly smooth ride without lurching for gear changes. The exterior styling turns heads, and the HID lamps really light up the road ahead. The height of the cabin is perfect for an effortless entrance and egress, while the leather heated seats are soft to the touch, but firm in support. The interior is quite spacious and with real aluminum trim gives the feel of sporty luxury.