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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  Mixed feeling - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ritchfan - March 1 - 6:33 pm

  Some good things some not so good about this car. Not as much room in the driver seat as I had on my 2000 XTerra, which was disappointing for a larger vehicle. Stereo is TERRIBLE- I had a better one that came with my 1980 Datsun station wagon. Worst thing is you cant really upgrade. If you do you will lose all of the information that goes to the little screen - temp, tire pressure, gas mileage, etc. Dealer says I cant upgrade to the navigation unit later- that has to be option ordered from factory up front. But drives nice, is quiet and has more pickup than my 2000 XTerra did.

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  In front----Frontier - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Mitchelm - March 1 - 5:50 am

  This truck has all things a truck should be, power,room for 5,looks, and NO problems. Quiet and smooth on less than perfect roads. Avg.20 mpg. Easy to park and get out of tuff parking spots. Sits high enough to allow you to see ahead of avg. autos on road today. I belive it may be one of the safer trucks on the road.

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  A Sporty yet Sophisticated Vehicle - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By shaynalp - March 1 - 4:00 am

  I am a first time car buyer. My parents had bought me a Toyota for my first car, and I had been driving my dads Lexus for a time. I decided to take my chances on a Nissan since my best friends whole family loves, and drives, Nissans. I love the sporty look of the Versa. It has the large interior space of a mid-size sedan with the agile steering of a compact vehicle. The power is great for a 1.8L engine. However I did notice, as another reviewer had, the high RPMs at such a low speed. Every other 4 cylinder vehicle I have driven would be at 3,000 RPMs at 80 MPH- not 65 MPH like this vehicle. I thought it would affect gas mileage, but I have not seen any evidence of it.

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  Buyer Beware - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Robin - February 29 - 10:16 pm

  The sunroof leaks in the car wash. After 3 attempts to have the problem fixed, I received a copy of the Nissan work instruction stating If water leaks occur only when using an automatic car wash or high pressure water spray, no repair is necessary. All the positive aspects of the car are overshadowed by the leaking sunroof. Buyer Beware -- Nissan does not warranty the sunroof in a car wash and this information is not available to consumers prior to purchase. If you never use an automatic car wash, this is the car for you. Otherwise, buy a Toyota.

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  Fun, Fun, and more Fun!!! - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By kitkat - February 29 - 6:36 pm

  This car is very roomy for a family of four but yet sporty enough to satisfy the desires of most sports car enthusiast. I am very impressed with the power and agility of this car. I considered the Honda Accord, but overwhelmingly chose the Maxima due to its interior room, comfortable seats, and power. This car is fun to drive!!

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  Disappointed in Nissan - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By LK Texas - February 29 - 12:40 pm

  This is my third Nissan pickup (80,82,05). Of the three I am really disappointed in the quality of the vehicle. I ONLY have 26,000 miles on it and already the exhaust manifold requires replacement (TSB was not sent to me), my fuel gauge sending unit is shot, and the wiper reservoir cracked. I will end up doing all the repairs as I will not pay for dealership service. Only good thing is I put on a Gibson performance exhaust, a custom CAI with a AMSOIL intake filter, replaced ALL fluids with AMSOIL and I am now getting 25 city and 33 highway. If nothing else goes out I will keep it. Otherwise, I will consider another manufacturer.

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  A Awesome Ride - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By shane - February 29 - 2:03 am

  My wife and I Just bought our Quest. We love the space for everyone. The sporty look and the cockpit area is great. Everything is right at your fingers, and easy to reach. We are getting great gas mil. with the first tank of gas already, and you can not beat the power of the engine. My wife has joked about sleeping in the van. She is one happy lady and so are my three kids.

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  First Class Generation Vehicle - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Harold Janhke - February 28 - 4:00 pm

  After owning a 1994 and 1998 Nissan Altima I put the new design 2002 head and shoulders above all competitors. My Altima SL 2.5 is now 3 yrs old and still awesome. Lthr, full power, 6 CD Bose sound, auto, 16" rims, etc. For looks, ride and performance it cant be beat in its class. Oh by the way it uses regular and has plenty of gettee up.

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  Great in-town car - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By Car Nutty - February 28 - 2:37 pm

  The Nissan Versa Hatchback is an economical car that is good to use in town (easy to park because of its size) but not a good car for making a long trip. Ive been getting about 28 mpg in town and around 32 on the highway. The car is powerful enough to keep up with traffic on the highway but too light weight to feel safe when next to other cars and trucks. UPDATE posted Nov. 26, 2016: On May 27, 2016, I traded my Nissan Versa Hatchback for a used 2014 Kia Sorento SX in order to get a car I felt safer in. And my insurance company agreed by reducing my monthly premium. A friend owned a 2008 Nissan Versa sedan and was broadsided. Her car was totalled! I decided then to trade for a safer car.

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  Best Combination of Features - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By ctnmart - February 28 - 2:00 pm

  I test drove the Pathfinder, Pilot, X- Terra, 4-Runner, Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, Volvo and Ford Explorer. The Volvo is a great design, but the premium fuel requirement was a problem as well as the cost of regular dealer service. The X-Terra has no sunroof option and is a bit "basic." The Grand Cherokee Limited seemed the most car- like, but the 4.7 V8 was very disapointing. The Pilot did everything well, but seemed bland, especially in the styling department. Ultimately, it got down to the Toyota and the Pathfinder. I drove both 3 times. In the end, I couldnt get past the 4-Runners "on the floor" driving position, even with the height control maxed out---Pathfinder won.