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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  Fantastic SUV! - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By melsie - June 14 - 6:06 pm

  I cant say enough positive things about the Murano. It is beautifully designed, inside and out. I dont have the need for a third row seat, so the Murano was perfect for me. The great thing about the back seat is that 3 tall adults can ride comfortably with plenty of leg and head room. The back seat even reclines for long road trips. There is plenty of cargo space and the back seats (40/60 split) fold down with zero effort because there are two handles located in the rear cargo area that you simply pull to lower the seats. The interior is very spacious and the exterior design is so eye- catching. The engine is smooth and quiet and the handling is solid. Great fuel economy.

• 

  outstanding car - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By andy - June 14 - 6:00 pm

  I traded my 350z convertible for the Altima SL in november 07 because i needed more space.Never regretted the trade. I love the altima. Getting the L package was worth the money. None of my friends can believe the price. From the gas milage, 28 in the city to 35 on the freeway, to the comfort and space, this car is a bargain. The style is sporty,yet elegant. the trunk is spacious and so is the backseat. My son is 62" and has no problem in the backseat. Power is more than sufficient and the CVT works great. i took it on a 1500 mile roundtrip to San Antonio and never was uncomfortable. And i am 63". All things considered, my next car will be an Altima again when the time comes.

• 

  Great Buy - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By vicreal - June 14 - 3:33 pm

  I really love this SUV it has just about everything a person could ask for. It has great power and the 4x4 is excellent. The leather and the navigation system are nice also.I have started to have a problem with the rear driver side passenger window button is shorting out will not come up sometimes. Road noise is a little to loud with windows up on the freeway.

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  Fun to drive! - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Bill - June 14 - 1:56 pm

  Replaced my 1997 Audi A4 Quattro and I find driving this to be as fun as the Audi. Have only been averaging 34 MPG which is disappoinging based on the EPA ratings, but is nearly twice what I was getting with the Audi.

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  Very impressed - 2012 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
  By volvovespa - June 14 - 12:57 pm

  So I bought the CrossCab as a quarter-life-crisis car. I live in central WI and this makes a great summer and winter driver (keeping my Volvo C30 as my every day chaser). Im very impressed with the feel and preformance of this car, and the room! I read the 3 reviews on Edmunds for the 2011 and I was a bit nervous. The main complaints seemed to be: wind noise (umm... its a convertible), heavy doors (very typical of a coupe... especially in an suv package), windshield vibration (havent experienced this), and rear visability with the top up (yes... this was one that bummed me out, but it wasnt as bad as I thought when I went on the test drive). If you like it, give it a shot. Its nice

• 

  2014 sl pathfinder - 2014 Nissan Pathfinder
  By mary1422 - June 13 - 10:58 am

  This is the worst car I have ever owned. It has the shudder problem at 28 mph. Third time taking it in tomorrow. They say they cannot duplicate the problem so there is nothing wrong with it!! So frustrated with this car. Do not recommend anyone to buy this car.

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  Never had an issue - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By car_guy_93 - June 13 - 3:28 am

  I bought my 2007 Nissan Sentra in September of 2011 with 42k on it. I didnt own it long, only until January of 2013. I drive a lot for work, and in the short time I owned it I went from 42K to 69k. So about 27k in about 1 1/2 year. I never brought this car in for anything besides oil changes. Not one issue. I replaced the tires once, if that counts. As I said I didnt own it long, but I drove it a lot and never had one remote issue or sore feeling. The only reason I got rid of it is that I got a new job, so upgraded to a Volvo S80. Must say, sometimes I miss my little reliable gas sipping Sentra. Definitely consider this vehicle, have a mechanic check it over first, of course.

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  Love it! - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By Sarah - June 12 - 8:56 pm

  Have had the Rogue for about a month now and LOVE it. We loaded up with all of the available packages - leather/heated seats, premium package w/ bluetooth, upgraded stereo, I-key and moonroof. It is so comfortable to drive and ride in, with plenty of room inside and decent cargo space, but still small enough to navigate heavy city traffic and park in crowded garages and small spaces. Ive read the complaints about engine drone from the CVT, but I dont find it to be an issue at all. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by how smooth the ride is, especially compared to some similar competitor models that I test drove. A lot of luxury and functionality for under $30K!

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  CVT needs replacement after 5 years - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By bummed about cvt - June 12 - 7:06 pm

  At 60000 the transmission was already having problems. At 70000 miles and 5 years old my transmission needs replacement. While driving for about 10-15 miles, it would have resistance at a stop sign, trying to pull into traffic. I would press the gas pedal and the Murano doesnt want to go, its scary when I pull into traffic and a car is coming. I love all other features of the Murano, just the CVT stinks. Today my Murano is stuck in the shop and I need $5000-$6000 to replace the transmission.

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  Nissan- What?!? - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By samandolia - June 12 - 12:17 pm

  I purchased a Pathfinder almost 2 years ago, used. The seats were found to be so uncomfortable, my husband ALWAYS complained about how they felt like sitting on plywood. The center console, (where you rest your arm), always made a cracking sound when leaned on, and eventually broke.The backseat cupholder was sort of loose, and eventually broke off too. Then, when the car hit 95,000 miles, my "Service Engine Soon" light came on. Advance Auto put the computer on it, and said it was just the way I had put the gas cap back on and it would go off. It did, but when I filled up again, it came back on. I got lucky & got rid of it, I knew it was about to become expensive to repair- JUNK