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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  MY MARVELOUS MURANO - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By LOCKWOOD - March 29 - 10:00 am

  VERY STYLISH, SUPER SUV!!! EVERYONE STOPS TO ASK ME WHAT IT IS AND HOW I LIKE IT!!VERY SPACIOUS, AWESOMELY COMFORTABLE SEATS,GREAT TRANSMISSION- PLENTY OF POWER FOR ANYONE AND SMOOTH AS SILK!!NICE BIG SAFE TIRES. I AM IN HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!

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  my titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By BUFFALOW - March 29 - 10:00 am

  I love my Titan,when buying my new truck i was at first interested in the f-series but to no avail I bought the Titan instead. the tian is much more bang for the buck

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  The car of the year - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Smitty III - March 29 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best car that I have ever driven. It has more than I will ever need in this life time

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  Satisfied Max Guy - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By eshlegs2 - March 29 - 10:00 am

  A nice improveent over my previous one, a 95. Seats are more comfortable, instruments easier to read, lots of bells and whistles for reasonable price.

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  Cant do much more - 2010 Nissan Frontier
  By Wil - March 29 - 2:33 am

  Over all very please with the truck. Could do without the roofrack it should be a option. The finish is first class both inside and out. The gas mileage I get is 18.5. After testing Tacoma and Frontier and the price of each it was a no brainer.

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  Quick and fun - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By arbormike1 - March 28 - 8:25 pm

  I purchased mine, new in 2007 and have since added over 115,000 miles of redline-shifting, hard driving use. Although I admit to having gone through multiple sets of tires and brakes, this car has never left me stranded. This past week , for the first time, I brought my car to the dealership. The only problems were: worn front struts and a valve cover gasket. Additionally I have needed to replace the battery at about two years. It may not be anything fancy but it is fast and takes the abuse in stride.

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  Excellent used car - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By Ken - March 28 - 6:53 pm

  Purchased at 73,000 miles and driven 4,000 in 4 months during one of the harshest winter in Chicago. The car started every time and everything worked great. The engine is very quite and the ride is very comfortable. Fuel economy is worse than expected as it has been consistently getting about 18 MPG in the city but it jumps to 22 MPG on highways. Still very stylish after all these years.

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  Fun to Drive - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Fever - March 28 - 11:23 am

  I have owned her since October. I just rolled 10,000 miles. She is fun to drive and is very obedient. Driving requests are fulfilled flawlessly. Steering is very responsive, as are braking and accelerating. CVT pulls hard under acceleration, making interstate merging quite easy. Very nimble in traffic, yet comfortable on the highway. Entry and exit very comfortable, as is the unlimited fan speed selector. Great move Nissan. Had two airbag service appts but all fixed up now. You have to expect small hicups with a brand new model.

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  So much better than my Ford Explorer - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By David - March 28 - 2:53 am

  I have always been a Ford man, never driving an "import". Finally the resale value of Fords turned me to products by Nissan & Toyota. I have to say I am glad I made the switch. The overall quality of my Nissan Pathfinder is so much better than I have learned to live with. It is loaded with extras, has more power than I know what to do with and has a new powerful look to it. No wonder Nissan has one of the highest resale values on the market.

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  Incredible! - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By HSEinPhila - March 27 - 2:03 pm

  Wow, what a great car. Just got an 09 with sports package, truly lust at first drive. Incredible power, throaty exhaust note, handles/corners well. Eye catching styling. Comfy seats hug and support. Well designed cockpit, easy to see gauges and controls. Having a lot of fun with this one.