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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  04 Quest from Hell - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By sugaz23 - February 1 - 6:40 pm

  Where to start. Had the van a month, the 6 disc cd player died, ive replaced it 4 times since. Replaced brakes and rotors every year. Power sliding doors have their own mind, theyll open when they want. Sun roof leaks. Had to replace cam shaft position censor only to find out it need a new computer! Everyone said how reliable Nissans are, well the motor might never die, but everything else around it will! I will never own another Nissan and im telling everyone i know not to get one either!

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  Really Fast - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By KillerZero - February 1 - 6:13 pm

  This car is the fastest car Ive driven so far and its great. Very fast acceleration and awesome brakes. Speeding with this car is a unforgettable experience.

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  Still love it after 1 year - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By James - February 1 - 4:03 pm

  I bought my Nismo Frontier just over a year ago. I still volunteer to drive friends places just to drive it and look over my shoulder after I park it just to see it again. Its been great in every way. My favorite vehicle Ive owned yet.

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  Nissan and theyre great tire wear scam - 2015 Nissan NV200
  By Matt - February 1 - 6:16 am

  Watch out when you buy an nv200 cargo van my van and numerous other reviews on the internet State the same thing ear regular tire wear tread cross pattern issues Tire cupping dealer and manufacturer blaming it on consumer knowing that there is a issue with suspension I myself have had the tire pressure sensor system worked on at least twice was supposed to have had a tire rotation by the dealer in January of 2017 I have had bearing and Axle work on the front end have been trying to get the vehicle into dealer for over four to five months and now that it is in the dealer the dealer is trying to hit me with a lot of vehicle cost of repairs when the vehicle is under 5 year 100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and tires are under the manufacturer warranty tires have been rotated tire pressure sensor System since the dealer recalibrated it and January of 2017 the indicator has never went off on the dash to advise me that the tires were low but somehow when I took it into the dealer theyre blaming the ear regular tire wear on low pressure which is the same diagnosis that is all over the internet from other customers writing negative reviews I am getting treated the same way from Nissan Nissan is trying to cover it up the dealer is trying to cover up their poor repairs and at this point the vehicle has been left at the dealership and I am investigating lemon law in the state of Ohio.

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  Needs improvement - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Not So Pleased - February 1 - 1:40 am

  Although I love the way this new body style of the Sentra looks I think the interior features need work...the sunglass holders are poorly made and the plastic molding used for the doors and other interior areas scratch very easily.

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  2001 Nissan Sentra - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By robert lins - January 31 - 2:23 pm

  This is truly one of the best cars I have ever owned. My first two were American ( Chevy Impala and a Plymouth Duster, both pieces of JUNK).

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  Bugs and more bugs - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By Bxbean - January 31 - 6:30 am

  The end of my story is that we bought out our lease early and walked away from this piece of junk. The list of problems are too numerous to list, but here goes: power sliding doors opened by themselves (recall, fixed), passenger sliding door rattles and lets air in to cabin (not a good thing when its 10 degrees out), starting problems went on for over two years, new brakes needed after only 30,000 miles of driving. Also, interior materials feel cheap, fan blower is very loud, even on the lowest setting, heater works poorly. We took the vehicle to Lemon Law and settled for a modest amount of money and walked away through an early lease termination. Nissan Corporate was not responsive.

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  Low build quality that takes all the fun - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By Hondaguy - January 31 - 12:13 am

  Nissan wanted to make the most profit possible, so they built this nice car with the lowest quality parts available. The car has nice transmission, powerful engine, comfortable seats. and low quality material. bad suspension, below average rims quality, precise steering that wont last long. noisy gas tank when its full.The car also has a very large turning radius makes you feel youre turning with a semi truck. Nissan also has a very bad customer service with the slowest response in the industry.

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  This car saves lives! - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Jen - January 30 - 6:43 pm

  I bought my 2007 Versa in April and on Memorial Day my kids and I were in a serious car accident with this car. The impact was so serious that it caused this brand new car to be deemed a total loss by the insurance company. Essentially, my kids and I walked away from the accident with nothing more than scrapes, bruises, an airbag burn here and there and a rotator cuff injury. As soon as I settle with the insurance company I am going out to buy yet another 2007 Versa because this car has proven its safety-worthiness to me and my family. Kudos to the engineers at Nissan for designing such a "green", affordable and SAFE automobile!

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  Never Disappointed me - 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Mary516 - January 30 - 10:00 am

  Bought new, still going real strong 7 years & 130,000 miles later. Normal maintenance is all this Pathfinder has ever needed. Rides well, holds a lot. Gas mileage is consistent with if not better than other SUVs. Love the full size spare tire. Will drive this car till it dies, whenever that might be. Holds road really well in heavy rain or snow. Sometimes keeps 4WD engaged even after you dont want it, but it eventually goes back to normal by itself.