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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  A True Sports Car Thats Affodable - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By WKW - March 9 - 10:00 pm

  The 350 has an absolutely impressive V6 engine and transmission combination, excellent build quality with superb looks, the ride is a bit ruff but NOT Harsh, for daily commutes. It was everything I had ever wanted in a sports car and now I can actually afford one! A Real Road Rocket that wont Hurt the Pocket!

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  Awesome Vehicle - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Sean - March 9 - 8:50 pm

  I looked at last years and this years. What an improvement. Plenty of power, smart features. Basically like the Pathfinder, just a little shorter. I totally recommend it! I only have about 100 miles on it, but I love it already. Its a Nissan, so the engine should be reliable. AWESOME is all I can say.

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  Happy Nissan Owner - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Tim - March 9 - 5:53 am

  I loved my 94 Altima so much that buying another was an easy choice. My 02 has its ups & downs. Its performance is great, though 3rd-to-2nd-gear shifting could be crisper. My mileage with the automatic transmission is good enough (26.5 mpg freeway). this cars andling is good as well. Its fun to throw around. I have not experienced any mechanical problems, other than several annoying sensor problems. the body style is gorgeous, and the interior is plain, but it doesnt bother me. I agree that its wet weather traction isnt as good as older models. the sun visors are too small, so sunset driving can be challenging. But all things considered, Id buy another.

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  Nissan Frontier Truck - value package - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By camel99 - March 9 - 1:20 am

  A no frills truck, 2wd, king cab, 5 speed, value package. I also own a 1993 hardbody and never had any technical issues until after 140,000 miles with mediocre maintenance on my part. This truck had no build issues. These trucks make great fleet vehicles.

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  STAY AWAY!!! - 2012 Nissan 370Z
  By mikegt87 - March 8 - 9:06 am

  All I can say is do not buy a Nissan! At 7k miles my car suffered complete engine failure. Blown head gasket, engine coolant in the combustion chamber. How did Nissan react? They replaced the head gasket and not the motor. Well now 5k miles later the engine is starting to act up again. This goes with all the other problems the car has had. The AC has failed, the tpms system malfunctions. The manual tranny sounds horrible. All this at under 10k miles. Stay away!

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  Run from it like your head is on fire - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By KarenMarie - March 7 - 11:40 pm

  This is the best looking piece of crap on the road. As a highway driver I dont brake much. Curious as to why I had to get new rear brakes at 20k which was just over a year and that was just the start, lost count of my brake jobs. Ive had to replace the steering rack, wheel hub, under carriage parts, tie rod, front struts, rear shocks, radiator: within the first 12 months, battery and alternator. And that is just the major repairs. Ive lost track of the nuisance repairs. They claim there are no leaks and yet I put oil in it every couple of months. My extended warranty paid for itself many times over. My parting thoughts: Run, run from the Altima like your head is on fire.

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  Worst car ever - 2013 Nissan Altima
  By gary spivack - March 7 - 6:52 pm

  Broken down 3 times within 65,000 miles. 2 transmissions. Air conditioning , leaking shocks, door handle broke, two recalls. Very nice service managers but worst car I have ever had in 52 years of driving. Got rid of it and tried suing Nissan but was unsuccessful. Went back to Toyota and am very happy.

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  What a subcompact!!!! - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By bryandd08 - March 7 - 6:20 pm

  Maybe one day America will build a strong reliable subcompact!! Chevy cobalt??Test drove it,what junk!!Ford focus??Test dove it,I hit a small indent at a intersection at 35 mph,you had to hear the strut bang coming off the front left wheel!!Dealer pretended he did not hear anything!!!Honda civic,excelent car,but over-priced!! Toyota corolla, excellent car,but again over-priced!! Nissan sentra-S 2010,solid car,great quality,quiet,great build,and yes a strong history of strong reliability!! Had to wack the dealer somewhat,but eventually came close to my price!! What a car!!!! NISSAN DELIVERS!!

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  A great value for the performance - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By DanR76 - March 7 - 3:56 pm

  I went from a Lotus Elise to a Mini S JCW package to this wonderful 2006 Nissan 350z (Daytona Blue). It is a lot of fun to drive. I get a ton of looks when I drive by people and with the new wheel packages over the old alloy look, makes this ride look even more tricked out. I got an AVIC Pioneer NAV put in it and it monitors my G-Force acceleration which hits 1G on occasion when I launch out of the gate. It is not my primary car so I am not sure how the day to day drive would be or long trips would feel on the back, but it is a great care if you like attention on your car for all the RIGHT reasons. I highly recommend this ride!

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  Good car - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By Gem - March 7 - 3:16 pm

  This car is super comfortable for long trips. On hwy only Ive managed up to 42 mpg a and avg. 35 City miles average 18-20. Or took 4 mo. to get used to the cvt. It is a good looking car and I get a lot of compliments from passengers. The sound system is wonderful and our handles well. The cons... It is noisy and the engine sounds awful sometimes. Not like its running bad just cheap sounding. Overall its a great car.