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 the car but hate paying at the pump - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By MME - September 16 - 11:50 am

  I have been driving this car for 2 yrs and absolutely love it. My only complaint is having to run premium fuel in it. I usually only get about 23 mpg. With gas prices these days, that hurts your pocket.

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  Very Good Car/Value - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By rkrois - September 16 - 10:00 am

  Purchased car new in 1998, stick shift, no problems at all, currently have 115,000 miles and it still runs great and is fun to drive.

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  NICE car - Well worth the $$ - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By johnny G - September 16 - 10:00 am

  I truly enjoy this car. Stylish, comfortable and has a very large cargo area.

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  Watch out big 3 - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Max_Power - September 16 - 10:00 am

  I was looking for a tow vehicle and did not want one of the big 3s trucks. The Titan has great power and acceleration with the best options for the money. Who needs a Hemi when you have the torque monster Nissan 5.6L. I average 15 mpg city driving. It drives great and shifts smooth. Only complaint is the placement of the door and window controls on the drivers door, they seem to get wet easy.

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  I love it - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By meo - September 15 - 3:53 am

  The car is fun to drive. Only thing my wife doesnt like about it is no glove box. Go figure. It Put the fun back in driving. Very stable at high speeds. Seem to be very solid car.

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  Great! - 2007 Nissan 350Z
  By sonyb1 - September 15 - 3:03 am

  I bought a 6spd "z", but didnt want the hassle of shifting in traffic; returned it for the automatic. It is just as exciting, Great looks, plenty of power, looks and drives like it should cost more, excellent value!

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  Great Car! - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Dave - September 13 - 9:50 am

  Ive only had my Altima for about 3 weeks, but I already love it. The ride is firm, but not too harsh. Its comfortable and stylish. The Bluetooth feature is very cool. What I love about the car: the style, the performance and how well things seem to be laid out. What I dont love about the car: the stereo puts out too much bass, the gas mileage is less than I thought itd be (Im getting about 20 mpg), and the air conditioning is a bit weak. Ive already had it in the shop due to a faulty fuel canister (leak).

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  Great Car If You Can Afford It - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Ryan - September 13 - 9:20 am

  Besides overpaying $2,000 on the car, I love the car. It definitely has LOTS of power. Torque steer is very evident when flooring it from a stand still. Crusing at 80mph on the freeway feels like your going 30. Leather seats are nice, but take awhile to warm up. Stereo is pretty nice. Suspension is really stiff, which makes freeway driving a little bumpy. Average about 17mpg in the city with a heavy foot so thats pretty good. The navigation system tells you your current fuel usage and mpg, distance to empty, distance to next maintance...etc. Overall a very fun car to drive! Just dont get ripped off at the dealer!

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  Absolute Best Vehicle - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By WC - September 13 - 2:00 am

  The wife said it was time to go and so I bought a new SUV. But!!! The Maxima that I just traded in was the best car that I have ever owned. I put 187,000 miles on it and all I ever did other than put gas in and routine maintenance was a fan belt and an alternator (both repairs occurred after 100K miles). Great ride, great performance, great style. They dont come any better!!!!!

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  myCar - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By GG777 - September 13 - 2:00 am

  Very happy with the car. It got stolen. Looking for subaru.