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 lot of car for the $$$ - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By Jb - May 1 - 9:26 am

  Compared to Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion. Purchased Altima based on the number of options vs. price and first year of new style. Overall fun car to drive - CVT is great. You will not be disappointed!

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  Improvement needed by Nissan - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By pprince - May 1 - 9:13 am

  By the end of the year in 2014, i purchased a 2015 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV Java. The appearance of the vehicle was great & i loved every single bit of it. In 3 months i started hearing some noise cranking the vehicle than seem normal but gradually increased until where the vehicle completely shut off on me & my mom (different occasions) while driving. Last stroll was when it shut off on my mom @ night on a weekend with dealership being closed. Emergency was called & vehicle was pushed to side & later towed. Diagnosis came to be fuel pump & smthing else. Expenses on vehicle was never reimbursed & Nissan corporate blames me despite vehicle having factory warranty with 13k miles(current).

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  Really impressed with this truck! - 2012 Nissan Frontier
  By rbagnate - May 1 - 5:55 am

  I just wanted to say this truck saved me and my family from a semi-truck that had no control(icy roads). We braced for impact and after the semi hit the rear end, I though we were goners! After being pushed into the other vehicle and everything was said and done. My daughter in the back seat with the booster chair and restraints and my wife in the passenger side. We all came out of this truck unscathed. The airbags deployed and till this day I am still in Awe! The truck was a 2011 SL. I would definitely RECOMMEND this truck to anyone. Now we have a 2012 Pro-4X...

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  Best car I ever owned - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Ray - May 1 - 3:20 am

  I bought the car on a whim because I had seen the car in a parking lot and loved the look. I love to drive it and we only use it on weekends and trips.The only draw back I have is with the heat and cooling in the rear seat compartment. You cant regulate it. It needs an extra blower to maximise the air flow. I read an article where the top speed is 149 miles an hour and Ill never drive that fast but I believe it.

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  It saved my life - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By It saved my life - April 30 - 9:03 pm

  I owned a nissan 350z for about 6 months Id like to have owned it longer but unfortunately I was in an accident in it. The car was totaled. It rolled twice after hitting a large boulder. All of this happened because of my error no part of the cars handling or control was at fault. Anyway, I walked away from the accident with only two bruises, both from the seatbealt. All six of the cars airbags deployed and in the end the frame of the car was still in excellent condition given the fact that I had rolled it so many times and struck such a large object.

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  Best deal on the planet - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By kzphil - April 30 - 8:03 pm

  My son and I both own 2007 Versas. Both are 4 dr "S" sedans that we purchased about 4 months apart from the same dealer. I have 14000 miles on mine and average 27 mpg. Everyone from the big to the little people in our family loves these cars and I am going to buy a 2008 model soon.

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  2nd maxima - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By y2za - April 30 - 3:16 am

  I previously owned a 2002 Max SE - had for 20K miles. Never had any problems. In comparison - this car seems to handle better - must be the independant 4 wheel suspension. This car seems to have less torque steer. This car seems to have more upper range passing power. This car has a much better base sound system (240 watt 8 speaker systems). The true fun nature of this car comes out when pushed hard. When i drive conservately, i tend to think this is a heavy/slow car but boy when i push the pedal down and turn sharply the true nature of the car comes out.

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  one solid poswerful truck. - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By DSHESS57 - April 29 - 9:13 pm

  this has the most cab space of any extended cab pick-up i have previously purchased. interior design easy to manage all control knobs. strong sturdy ride. truck rides and feels really solid. no rattles inside of cab. wish it were a little more sound proof. hear a lot of outside sounds with windows up. overall very satisfied with truck. i will purchase another when i need another vehicle.

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  Id recommend it! - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By jules555 - April 29 - 8:03 pm

  I recently purchased a 2006 Altima and I love it! I bought a used 1994 Altima 3 years ago and its still going strong after 12 years so I trust the Nissan brand. As for the 2006 model I would definitely recommend upgrading to the one with a sunroof and alloy wheels...its worth the extra money for the sunroof alone. Its comfortable and everything from the seat to the steering wheel adjusts to the drivers preferences. The ride is smooth except there is a minor jerk when accelerating from 1st to 2nd. The sleek exterior is great and looks unique compared to any other car on the road. Now if they could only find a way to get rid of the new car smell...

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  Great Little Car! - 2013 Nissan Juke
  By nismo_gtr - April 29 - 11:10 am

  I recently got my 2013 Nissan Juke and I enjoy driving it. My odometer reading is about 700 miles but Im getting good mileage out of this little car. My average combined consumption is 32.8 mpg and the highest that I got was 34.3 mpg, which I think is good for a turbocharged vehicle. I like the style inside and out. Great little car!