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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  No better car for the price - 1995 Nissan 200SX
  By Kyl - April 2 - 10:00 am

  I have had one for 3 years and there is no better car i could have bought.

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  great car - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By ludacris - April 2 - 10:00 am

  Great car, acceleration from a stop is more than adequate, from a roll is excellent. The engines refinement is amazing, you cant hear or feel the engine at idle at all. Even when flooring it there is no vibration. I now have an intake on it so I can definetly hear a growl! Spacious, comfortable, powerful, refined, reliable, fun to drive, good looking. What else is there to like?

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  Great Car - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By toniomdny - April 2 - 10:00 am

  Top 10 engine for so many years in a row is enough to say. With the engine size that the car has, it has more power than cars with bigger engine. The car has great power and accelerates so fast.

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  A real SUV on todays market - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Jaimemoto - April 2 - 10:00 am

  I felt in love with this SUV when I first saw it. The style is just so cool. There are no many SUV on todays market. First of all, let me say this, to me there is no such thing as a luxury SUV. A SUV is a SUV. A Sport Utility Vehile to handle the tasks that you want to do. . That is why I like the Xterra. No leather seat and those luxurious nonsense. A true SUV!

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  Great Buy - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Mas7UB - April 2 - 10:00 am

  I just bought a Pewter color 2.5S and i really like it. The exterior looks very sleak and classy. I got mine with the auto dimming rear-view mirror with temp and compass, incabin microfilter,splash guards, and floor matts. I got it for about 18,400. So far I really like the car. Compared to the Accord, Camry, and Stratus, I think the Nissan Altima was a good choice for me.

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  Awesome car for the money - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By Dmitriy - April 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car a month ago and cant stop enjoying driving it. Considered the accord and camry but altima offers way more for the money (paid 18200). The 4 cilinder offers very lively performance - cruises effortlessly at 85 mph. The design is outstanding. Nissan reliability is awesome(had a 96 altima for 6 years - not a single problem with 95000 miles on the odometer). Yes some plastic detailes have not yet been perfected in the interior but that is expected in the first year with a completely redesigned car. Altima just cant be beat at the price. Test drive one and you will see the difference. Way to go nissan.

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  Excellent Crossover! - 2012 Nissan Murano
  By bronco38 - April 2 - 3:30 am

  After driving several Crossovers like a Buick Enclave, GMC Terrain and a few others we drove this and loved it. It has a great response and handling and the interior is well put together, fun and sophisticated. It has a lot of technology built in it and it is all user friendly too. Strong engine and we look forward to having a lot of fun in it for a long time

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  Awesome car - 2011 Nissan Altima
  By jrallen - April 1 - 3:47 pm

  Wow this car is great. I got the 3.5SR becuase I like a car that has some get up and go. I was suprised at the power of this car. My past 2 cars were a 2000 Audi A6 2.7T and a 2006 BMW 325xi and this thing has them beat. The technology in this car is awesome too. I got all the packages available and they are worth the money. I have had the car for 8 months now and 14,500mi and havent had a problem except for the home link which was fixed fast.

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  Awesome !! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Franco - April 1 - 2:33 pm

  Its been a month and this car is awesome..Had a Galant before this..BORING, This car has it all..awesome sound system..great engine with great accelration..Display are nice and bright..seats are comfy..Everyone who has seen it or rode it love it. As with any car there is always room for improvement..would like to see auto locks, folding side mirrors and better rim selection

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  Best choose - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Maureen Sloggie - April 1 - 7:10 am

  I own my 350Z for one year now. No regrets in anyway. Driving this car is like no other I have ever driven. The look of the car matches its performance.