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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  Buy this car NOW! - 2016 Nissan Sentra
  By Ryann - August 13 - 8:49 am

  I live in southern california and drive for work, 2,000 miles a month and my sentra has been the most comfortable of anything i have ever driven. My company is buying 5 more based on the cost of ownership, comfort and reliability. Its amazing, the only other cars that compare are 3x the price. And my dealership was so helpful, they asked all the right questions and found me a car that fits what I need. No complaints.

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  fun to drive - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By miriam - August 13 - 1:06 am

  I have nothing bad to say about my Z car. It handles well and is so much fun to drive. I get nothing but compliments from everyone I know and dont know about the looks of the car. The gas mileage is not bad for a sports car either. I get 20 miles to the gallon in town about 25 on the highway. The color is gorgeous too. I have the brickyard color which is kind of a dark plum color. I put an after market spoiler on the back and it is too cute.

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  You need this car! - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By Jeff - August 13 - 1:03 am

  My wife and I just purchased a 2008 SL Nissan Maxima after a long, hard look at all cars in this price range. After several test drives and months of searching we found the car to buy! This car is excellent in comfort, ride, power and value. We just fell in love with the styling of the Nissan Maxima. After a test drive we were sold! Great buy!!

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  Good for what it is - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Nissan2 - August 13 - 12:56 am

  I own a 2002 Altima with 143000 miles. I gave it to my wife to drive. She eagerly drove the car. Found this car on the used car lot. The SUV drives like a sports car but loves premium fuel to get the best performance. This SUV is very solid and quite. The CVT is very smooth and I love the way it accelerates. If you drive this car aggressively your mileage will suffer. I consistently get 21 to 24 MPG. I knew the mileage potential before I bought it. I wasnt sure if I would like the different styling of the dash but it perfect for placing my Garmin Nuvi760 on. I used the bean bag (friction) mount.

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  Lots of car for little money - 2009 Nissan 370Z
  By Damon44 - August 12 - 5:30 pm

  Purchased with Nav, sport,and touring. Awesome performance and handling.Good nav with audio controls and options. Low seating and a bit cramped inside. Noisy on hwy but expected. Hugs road with those 19" tires.Beautiful curves, w/ well fitted upgraded interior.Shift easily with SynchroRev. Found myself looking for errands so I could drive more :). Cockpit very ergonomic and detailed. Bought $400 over invoice.

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  Very nice car! - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By Bhanu - August 12 - 9:10 am

  This car is really smooth. You hardly hear the engine sound. Nice safety features.

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  Made to last!!! - 1998 Nissan Sentra
  By niss4eva - August 12 - 12:38 am

  I loved this car!!! I brought it with 76k miles in 2004 and paid $3000. I had to replace the starter and the radiator. Other then that I gas and went! No oil changes, tune ups, NOTHING for the entire 8 years I had the car!! And I drove it to 225k miles and I sold it for $600 to a mechanic that drives it daily!!

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  Excellent truck - 2017 Nissan Frontier
  By Rob Gunner - August 12 - 12:01 am

  Nissan Frontier is an excellent truck. Extremely reliable.

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  Awesome... Murano Lite - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Sexysnoopy614 - August 11 - 9:23 pm

  This is a fun to drive vehicle which looks like a Murano, it is spacious and has lots of storage space in the back. Good for families. It has a kickin Bose 6 cd changer sound system with a subwoofer. It is a great car! Cannot wait to go to work in the morning and show it off.

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  This is a very good car. - 1995 Nissan 200SX
  By Just another owner - August 10 - 2:00 am

  We are selling our 200sx/se after 10 years of flawless reliable service. Alternator replacement is the only major mechanical issue in 10 years. Maintained as recommended. The car is anemic with the A/C on when entering the freeway, though in the winter the heater is warm as toast after 2 minutes. We had the 5 speed-in my opinion the only way to go (fun factor). The mileage is phenomenal-I pulled 32 city consistently, 40 plus on the highway (are you listening Detroit??). After 10 years, it was time to move on but Im sure theres another 100 thousand miles left. I would recommend this car as a used car anytime to anyone.