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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  Watch out! - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Stephan625 - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Ive had the car for 5 months and it has developed a condensation problem in the fuel system causing the car to stall. Nissan has yet to do anything about it. I also had a 2002 Mustang GT and needed a four door car and my mustang with mods pushing the car to over 300hp was better in the snow and rain.

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  03 sentra spec v - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By ggskivt - December 27 - 2:00 am

  When looking for a new car I was trying to find a small car that I could find fun to drive and at the same time keep the sports car feel. At Nissan world of red bank the staff was great and showed concern for all my needs. I bought the spec-v model of the car and love to drive it.

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  STAY AWAY - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By LouR - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Great car, has all the bells and whistles but if you live where there are criminals THE HEADLIGHTS GET STOLEN LIKE CANDY. I HAVE MY CAR FOR6 MONTHS AND I AM SELLINGIT ASAP

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  Great car- very satisfied. - 2000 Nissan Altima
  By C White - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Good car. have not had any problems with it and have recommended the Altima/ Nissan to friends. My next car may be the new model Altima (with the V- 6 of course)!

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  Nissan needs to be shut down - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By deirdra - December 26 - 5:43 pm

  First please sign my petition we can complain all day online on blogs but unless something is done or someone dies nothing will be done. The car exterior design is great and fuel economy is great the rest of the car. Disappointing. I have everything from transmission engine and electrical issues. I have less than 60,000+ on it and started having issues after 30,000. I have taken the car to the dealer nothing was done contacted Nissan nothing was done. Nissan needs to pay for what their customers are going through. I recently had an accident do to the transmission jerking basically out of gear and I ran up on a curb that cost me $2000 in damages.

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  Very Nice ride - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By T. O - December 26 - 1:10 pm

  Had my Maxima for a year now. Owned a 2000 GLE prior to my 2009. The body style is one of the coolest cars on the road. I get compliments on a weekly basis. Got the sport package, 19 rims, enjoy the XM radio. I had to buy the SV in order to get the XM so with the sport package that put me me up in the $33k range which is a lot for this car. What happened to the wood paneling? Ive seen 97 Maximas with wood grain and my $33k 2009 doesnt have it???? It lacks the true luxury feel without it. Had to replace a fuel pump in first 6 months but other than that the car has been reliable. The trunk is extremely heavy, turning radius is poor but it handles great! Overall I like the car

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  Sandras Altima - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Sandra - December 26 - 12:06 pm

  Before I saw the 2008 Altima, my mind was set on a Camry, but after seeing and reading about the Altima, my mind changed. I had to have an Altima. I look forward to driving it each day. I love the keyless entry, keyless start and the CVT transmission. No digging in my purse for the key!! I have so much fun driving it.The gas mileage is awesome. Bottom line, I love my Altima!

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  I love my Altima - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By tulip23 - December 26 - 1:43 am

  It was time for me to get a new car and I could not be happier that I chose to get an Altima! I also considered a Mazda3, the new Honda CRV and the Camry and Accord. The Altima was the perfect combination for me. It is a roomy car with great amenities, but also has styling that I like. It looks a little sportier than some of the competitors.

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  you need a warranty! - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By jmorri0283 - December 26 - 12:50 am

  I bought this car in may 2013 and after having it in the shop twice for the transmission they replaced it in August. My issue happened on the interstate after a few hours of driving which is why it took the dealer so long to diagnose. Its February 2014 and same issue on a road trip with the car. was in the shop for almost a week and no luck.

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  WOW! Great car for the money - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Dero210 - December 25 - 8:23 pm

  Well, I traded my 05 GTO for the keys of an 07 Nissan Altima due to a baby on the way and all I can say is WOW. The interior is very roomy with a lot of head and leg room and a great amount of places to stash your extra belongings (wallet, mp3, cell phone). Even though the power is not comparable to a 6.0L v8 GTO, it was way more then I ever expected from a 3.5L V6. My first vehicle was an old Maxima and Nissan really makes some reliable cars. Combine that with some nice interior and head turning stlye and you have one great car.