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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  Love my Maxima! - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By lhowell62 - April 13 - 1:30 am

  I wanted a car with plenty of interior space - but still a sporty look. No granny car for me! I fell in love with the Maxima when I test drove it the first time in April, before the 07s came out. Decided to shop around and I ended up coming back. Was going to get an 07, but got a great deal on the 06. CVT and keyless start only diffs. I get up to 34 mpg on hwy - bonus! I love the handling and living in a remote state with lots of highway driving, I love the get up and go when I pass. This car is the most fun to drive, its sporty yet luxurious. Its exactly what I was looking for. Wish I would have got the navigation system, otherwise Id say its the perfect car for me.

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  Buy one too! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Happy in Ohio - April 12 - 12:00 pm

  Just purchased on Sat, and love it. I was looking for something smaller, better gas mileage (have Toyota Highlander, which is a great SUV too). The Rogue looks impressive, and it is fun to drive, handles beautifully. I bought the Silver Ice, SL AWD, leather, premium package and moonroof. Im looking for driving around town! Im very happy with my purchase.

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  04 Titan Review - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Drivedabuziness - April 12 - 11:46 am

  Love this truck. I get a lot of comments about it. Biggest gripe is mileage - I usually get around 16 mpg. However, after I used SUV formula in my last oil change, Im now getting 18 mpg. Not too bad for a big truck. Power is great, handles tight. Love the stereo - lots of other great design features. Road noise is higher than I like, but the exhaust has a nice growl.

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  great ride - 2009 Nissan Cube
  By jeff - April 12 - 10:30 am

  I have had this car for 2 weeks and put 1400 miles on it. It is fun to drive, very comfortable, takes up very little space, has a ton of curb appeal, more power than I expected, lots of features and makes you laugh when you look at it. I talk to myself more in this car than any other one I have owned. The auto trans works great and the engine is nice and quiet. If something happened to this car, I would get another Cube right away. Love this car!

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  Glad I got it! - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By Shane - April 12 - 2:26 am

  I just bought my Murano used a month ago from a private party. It only had 8,100 miles on it (2006). I looked for a year and got a great price for an SL in perfect condition. I love driving this car. Its zippy, and fun. The Bose stereo system sounds great for most, if youre really into your music you might be a little disappointed. The suspension is a little soft on the SL model if you really like to put the car through the turns. But overall Im very happy with the car!! I love the interior and exterior lines.

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  Loving it so far - 2008 Nissan Titan
  By Fishtech - April 12 - 1:10 am

  Was looking for a truck that didnt drive like a heavy oversized truck but with the power and reliability to work like a full size truck. Hauled lots lumber so far almost 2000 lbs. Handled it well and drove great with the load. This truck is fun to drive and easy to hop up as well. Going to get an air intake kit soon. Still low miles on the truck just over 3k. If you drive it heavy on the gas, yes it eats the fuel, but dont drag race at every light and its not too bad.

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  Love my pathfinder - 1999 Nissan Pathfinder
  By JAZ - April 11 - 9:26 pm

  Solid reliable transportation, fun to drive, safe, little hard on gas, if you do the maintinance it will last forever. 240,000 and going strong.

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  Great value and performance - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By dkeehn2 - April 11 - 1:55 am

  If you love the G35 but not the price, this is your car. Other than badging and the grill, it is nearly identical. Same 3.5 liter engine thats in the G35 or 350Z. A little less bling than the G cars, but I spent THOUSANDS less for more or less the same car. It is front wheel drive instead of rear wheel drive, as the G is. OK, so "real" sports cars are rear wheel drive. Fine. I prefer the front wheel drive for bad weather situations and this car is still a rocket. Absolutely no problems with it. Good build quality.

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  Impressed - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Rich - April 9 - 10:23 pm

  I have been extremely impressed with the ride and performance of the vehicle. It is rare to find a 4X4 that has the ride of a sedan. Interior noise is almost non- existant. Fuel efficiency is running around 19 MPG and by adding a soft cover to the bed I have increased this number to 21 MPG.

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  I Love This Car - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By noregrets - April 9 - 10:10 pm

  I really love my Versa. I went from an unreliable 1994 Mazda 626 to a 2007 Versa and it was a wise choice and a great buy. My only issue is I have not mastered parking it like I did with my Mazda. Hopefully, I will get better with time. I love my Nissan Versa!!!!