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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  Great Suv - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By DBoothe - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Pathfinder for just over 2 years now. The only problem I had was an o2 sensor that was replaced at the dealership at no charge. Wish gas milage was better but then again im in a SUV. It dependable and it looks good and not everybody is driving around in one. Would recommend it to anyone.

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  Geat fun - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By zgdlife - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. It handles like a true sports car, has huge power and everyone loves the look. We are having great fun with this car.

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  2 months and 5,ooo miles later - 2011 Nissan Quest
  By texas_daddy - November 4 - 4:05 am

  As should be expected my Quest continues to impress and delight my family. We recently took a road trip from Texas to Northern Wisconsin, over 2500 miles. The quietness of the Quest was great during the 40 hours on the road as was the soft yet controlled ride. I also got to test out the Quests ability to make a U-turn many times, no GPS. It is very tight turning radius and handles better than I expected from such a large vehicle.

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  7 month - 2nd review and all is well - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By rick752 - November 4 - 1:10 am

  This is an added review to the one I wrote on 12/10/07. I mostly use my Versa as a daily commuter in stop & go suburban rush hour traffic and get about 28 mpg. I just took it on its first 200 mile trip up and down the Berkshire Mountains of Ma on a major highway and was more than pleased to see that I got 36 mpg with cruise set @ 72 mph with the 6M. The ride was comfortable and quiet although the narrow, tall stature of this car causes crosswinds to play with it a little bit. Nothing terrible though. I still miss not having a center console. The only annoyance I had was the low pressure tire sensors misbehaving in the extreme cold. No problems though. Still love it!

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  Wolf in Sheeps Clothing - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By David - November 4 - 12:26 am

  What a fun car to drive, From the response of the gas pedal, the stability of the suspension, and the comfort and support of the sport bucket seats I look forward to jumping into the drivers seat each and every day. The car comes stock with all the after market goodies you can expect to pay big time money for. The dash is nicely laid out and the stereo produces sound that is incomparable. The seating in the rear is comfy and spacious, through the car in sixth gear on the highway and expect to get 35mpg. I couldnt ask for more in a car. Good job Nissan.

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  A truly beauty - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By NW of Wilmington, DE - November 3 - 11:36 pm

  Ive owned the new 2008 Altima 2.5 S for just over 2-month with 2500 miles on it. It is a truly amazing car with outstanding gas mileage and fun to drive. I got 31 mpg on mixed city/hwy driving. It is fun to drive with plenty of ponies to spare on the hwy. The CVT is very smooth and the rev rarely over 2000 rpm even at 70 mph. Five-star crash test rating gives me a peace of mind. Having owned three Toyota Camry and one Honda Accord, I must say the Nissan Altima is way better and with the money saved enough for a nice Bahama vacation package. I just hope Nissan would make a diesel version of the Altima in the future.

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  A true sportscar! - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Dale - November 3 - 7:33 am

  Already commented on many times, the interior components could be higher quality... but ergonomically, they work well. Ample space for the drive and passenger, not much space for luggage though. This car really shines in performance! Tight handling, great power though all gears and at all RPMs, a good feel for the road without beating the driver to death... this car is not for the faint of heart! Great Bose stereo too on the Touring model. Gear shifts on the 6MT are sharp, short And did I mention this is a convertable? Great lines on the car and minimal road noise when top is up, a pleasant surprise... and with top down, its a joy! The top retracts in a mere 20 seconds.

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  Excellent Buy - 2006 Nissan Quest
  By DesertResident - November 3 - 1:23 am

  As a previous owner of a Quest, it was an easy decision to go back to it after a decade. The new Quest is even better than the one I used to own. In every way possible. It handles the road beautifully. Braking is excellent - a trademark of a Nissan. And if the looks can kill, 2006 Quest would be a serial killer. Best minivan your money can buy.

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  Awesome SUV - 2008 Nissan Armada
  By Peppershaker - November 2 - 11:23 pm

  We bought this last week and we traded in a 1997 Nissan Quest with 135000 miles and never had it in the shop so we bought another Nissan product. This truck is the bomb and it gets 16.5 with a K&N air filter around town and 19.5 on the hwy, so if your looking for a great big SUV this is the Truck. Our old van only got 16 in city and 21 on the hwy so theres not much difference in the fuel economy, and the power is awesome with the 5.6 liter V-8 engine.

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  Titan number 2 - 2010 Nissan Titan
  By Steve - November 2 - 6:33 pm

  This is my second Titan, 1st one in 2004 and loved it in town and on the highway. Traded for a new Frontier in 2007 and never looked back until last month. Love the Frontier so much I kept it and traded my commuter car. This 2010 Titan is now my daily driver and it is great. Gas mileage is as expected, just OK. It is a full sized truck with a V-8 and the 16 in town is ok. Comfortable, handles like a dream, sounds great and lots of toys. Loving it! Nissan hit a home run in 04 and it still is 7 years later. I did compare to the other full size trucks and Nissan is still the best for the money.