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 great car at almost 100k miles - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By js1 - September 29 - 10:06 am

  We bought our Maxima when it was 3 years old. It has been near flawless ever since. Just had to replace a starter at 95k miles. The exterior is holding up very well. Good original paint still shines. The interior is also in excellent condition. No cracking or breaking on any of the plastic pieces. The engine is quite and smooth, even more so than many 4 cylinder engines. The only complaint is a very light steering feel and too much body roll in the corners. The rear suspension should be independent. Nissan tried to compromise comfort and sport.

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  Hate to See It Go - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By mleinnyc - September 29 - 6:43 am

  We are so sad to part with our Sentra. (We have to get a bigger car for kids and cant afford to insure two.) I bought it with 30K miles as a salvage and now have 100K on it. The only issue I ever had w/ the engine was fixed for free as a recall. Ive replaced a few belts and the brake pads. This car has been 100% reliable. Weve driven it, literally, across the country. Im not into flashy cars, dont care about how "fun" they are to drive. My main concern has always been the bottom line. I really appreciate being able to rely on this car and that Ive never had to spend a lot on it. Love this car!

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  Love my Rogue - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By John - September 28 - 11:53 pm

  I traded in my ford escape for the Rogue. We just got back from a trip of 5000 miles from Az to Fla and back averaged 30.2 mpg, very comfortable to drive. Easy to get in and out. Controls handy, love the paddle shifters, Bose stereo is great! My wife loves the large glove compartment. Engine has plenty of power and the CVT works great.

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  Handles Like A GoKart - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Humam Talhami - September 28 - 6:46 am

  I love the car. I do not like the fact the VDC does not fully turn off when the button is in the "Off" setting.

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  my new Pathfinder - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By hopper - September 28 - 6:46 am

  I just purchased this pathfinder. We looked at everything, 4runner, Escape, liberty, exconoix, etc... This was the most car for the money. I would have paid the same or 4 to 5,000 more for the other vehicles. This is much bigger than the other suvs. It was a lot less expensive as the 4runner. We even looked at the honda ridgeline, it was 33,000. So far this is a great fun suv. It looks good, has plenty of room inside, fun to drive, great cd player, good information center, good lights for night driving, great steering, tight steering, so so on gas usage, so far 15.6 mpg. in the city. Cant expect great gas milage with this size vehicle. Seats fold flat, good cargo area,great a/c.

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  52000 Miles. NO MORE CVTS!! - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By Wallz - September 28 - 2:40 am

  I got the car "certified used" from the local Nissan dealer in May 2015. I have had a couple issues with a check engine light saying the mass air flow sensor being slow. Shortly after that issue was fixed, the trans began to shutter at times. 28th just becoming more frequent in the last 2 days. The year has not even ended and this morning on my way to pick up tools to put my daughters new stuff together and in the middle of an intersection the transmission stopped the car. Would not go into gear and if you put it in nuetral it is difficult to move by yourself in the rain I had to rock it back and forth to get it to move out of the intersection but BEWARE ONCE YOU GET IT MOVING IN NEUTRAL WHEN YOU STOP PUSHING MAKE SURE IT IS IN PARK OR USE THE PARKING BRAKE IT WILL ROLL OFF IN NEUTRAL WITHOUT HELP for some reason the car will barely propel itself in neutral. Found that out after he got it off the tow truck haha. Luckily it was very early on Sunday morning and I didnt have my 2 year old daughter with me. But needless to say I WILL NOT EVER BUY ANOTHER CVT TRANSMISSION CAR AGAIN. I bought the car out of necessity and not what I wanted and so I cant blame the salesman I should have been more vigilant in my decision. Wont be making that mistake again.

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  2015 Rogue S - 2015 Nissan Rogue
  By Sam Celentino - September 27 - 8:51 pm

  Had the Rogue for a Month now, find it very comfortable on the highway. Quiet, good sound system. Very comfortable seats, no leather. Nice touches in design to not make you feel like your purchases a cheap version. (chrome door handles, halogen running lights, backup camera) We came from a Rav 4 and we thought the styling was better than the Toyota. CVT comes on real smooth, no jerky acceleration. So far we like it and it came with Sport and Eco tuning to the transmission. Overall a VERY COMFORTABLE ride. The Trunk organizaion is a nice feature also. Do not leave this vehicle out of your comparison shopping.

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  Paint Problems - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Angela Bailey - September 27 - 8:46 pm

  First I have to say, I love this truck. There are few things I would change if given the opportunity. Ive put a lot of miles on this vehicle-56,000 & I keep it in the garage when at home. The paint around the windshield is peeling off. Not cracking or chipping--peeling. Not just the clear coat or even top coat, but base coat down to bare metal. Apparently, Nissan & Co think its perfectly normal for paint to peel off. Sadly, Nissan support & customer service is greatly lacking principles and integrity.

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  I love my sentra - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By lbaker - September 27 - 2:36 pm

  I have had other makes and models of cars, I prefer the Sentra to all the other cars I have owned. I have not had any trouble with my car. It drives great and will take off with out the long wait to warm up like some cars I have owned. It did not cost an arm and a leg. It gets great gas mileage.

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  I love my Nissan - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By lovemynissan2 - September 27 - 1:20 pm

  I bought my nissan in 2009 at 21k milwa on it. I love the car, great MPG. i started at 25mpg and i only used shell or bp gasoline and the best oil and now am up to 31.2(31.8) at one point. I have rims on it(16inch) bcuz the originals were bent (damn pot holes) but over all i love the car, am now at 63k miles on it and loving it. Im planning to keep until it cant run anymore. there has been a few times where i was told "u have a beautiful car" i agree it is.