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 Car - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By phil31 - May 15 - 1:05 am

  Very, very nice car for the money. Excellent fuel economy with the cvt avg mpg between 38-45, with 2500 miles on the odo. Nice body stype, much bigger then the 2011 model, very large truck and back seat paid $15.3 delevered for my SV model

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  My mistress - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By Nismax - May 14 - 10:00 am

  albeit a patient economical one! This is my second Maxi - I had a 96 SE that was a write off after my wife did a number on it - and I found this on a dealer lot - 5 spd GXE. This tranny has been so much fun to drive and I have nothing but wear and tear items as far as maintenance - tires, plugs, wipers, etc. Gas mileage is wonderful and the great thing is so many people secretly admire this car - even camry owners! Will drive this as long as possible and perhaps upgrade to I35 or 540i

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  Excellent Daily Driver - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By kwamdoo - May 14 - 10:00 am

  I appreciate the sporty feel that the car gives you eventhough its a four door sport sedan which feels as quick, nimble and agile as some two door coupes onthe market today. Im not as tall as many men, but extremely wide across my shoulders. This car seememd to support my wide frame with its wide and supportive seats, rather than having my shoulders sitting out without any support like many other vehicles in its class. The interior design of the controls is somewhat bland, but all and all, is very easy to access while driving.

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  WOW !!! - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By TOM FOX - May 14 - 10:00 am

  BEST CAR FOR EVEN MORE MONEY THAN ANY OTHER IMPORTS OR DOMESTIC MODELS I TEST THEM ALL FOR A LIVING

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  2011 Frontier Crew CAB SL - 2011 Nissan Frontier
  By glockamole - May 14 - 7:23 am

  I had a Toyota Tacoma Doublecab TRD Off-Road, which I loved. I reluctantly traded for a car. When I came to realize I couldnt handle not having a truck, I began looking for a Tacoma or Frontier. When it came down to price and creature comforts, the Nissan Frontier was, hands down, the best choice for me. Toyota dealer was barely willing to negotiate with me on the price of a Doublecab 2WD. I ended up with my frontier, which has leather, sunroof, heated seats, nerf bars, bed extender, XM, and roof rack for roughly $4,000 less than the comparable Tacoma I was looking at. Ride and capabilities are every bit as good and it looks great. The only thing I miss is the back up camera in the Tacoma.

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  07 2.5s - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By gbrums67 - May 13 - 11:30 am

  The was an excellent choice for my wife. She drives 35 miles to work each way and she was looking for a car that got good gas mileage. We were looking for an inexpensive vehicle (under 20K). Looked @ Accord LX, slow acceleration and cheap looking interior. Camry CE wasnt much better. Nissan CVT is a smooth (excellent trans) and gives a feel of good acceleration. The car is a good combination of handling and comfort. It corners well, yet still has a smooth ride. The list for new was 24k we were able to get a used one with 5k miles for 16k. First fill up with mostly city driving it got 30 mpg. 35 hwy mpg is reachable with the right driving habits.

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  a real suv - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Johnson - May 13 - 11:16 am

  This is a real suv. No leather option, no four wheel indepenent suspension, plenty of cleats for anchoring cargo, plenty of horse power and torque with a fun 6 speed tranny and plenty of towing capacity

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  Absolutely the best vehicle ever! - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Ed - May 12 - 5:56 pm

  I bought this Pathy in Oct. of 05, mainly to use as a tow vehicle for my trailer. Was not looking for 4wd, but it was an awesome deal. Quickly learned why it is so popular off road, and on road. It handles like a dream in both enviroments; will corner with the best on the street, and will climb a tree in 4wd low. It is only an occasional use vehicle (only 7k miles in the 2.5 years I have owned it), but have had 0 problems. I have taken this truck into places I wouldnt take a mule, tore off the stock plastic skidplate and scarred both side steps severely (earning a loud groan from the ATV riders following me). It is an absolute beast, and looks fantastic to boot!

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  Impressed - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Peter - May 12 - 3:43 pm

  Purchased the new Murano the first of May. We traded in an 06 3 series BMW. We test drove several vehicles that we were considering, Lexus RX330 and BMW X3. After many weeks of reading reviews and test driving all the cars we decided on the 09 Murano. We purchased an SL with premium pkg. and leather. The wife loves it, her decision to go with this vehicle. We got Black on black, highly recommend this cross over suv.

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  Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Jane - May 12 - 2:13 pm

  This is my second Maxima. I cant say enough good about this car. It has been reliable and fun to drive. The interior and trunk are roomy, and the little conveniences like sunglass holder, spacious console box for CDs,extra backseat drink cup holder and power plug make a real difference on trips. The cars power is a big plus when merging in traffic or handling congested but fast-moving freeway driving. I have been pleasantly surprised by gas mileage.