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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  good price needs comfort - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Keith O - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Rides like a truck, seats are uncomfortable. Poor fuel milage for such a weak engine. "ABS" & "BRAKE" light come on occasionally. Dealer insists that there is nothing they can do unless light is "on" when they check it. Try getting that light to come on during scheduled maintenence. Rugged good looks on the outside but lacks ride comfort inside and out.

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  Beware - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By williampaul45 - August 27 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the vehicle after driving the SL. The handling is totally different on the SE. Its been in the shop 3 times as you brakes pull to the left. It had the basic radio which has a real tinney sound to it. I think thetires ( goodyears) were not designed for the car.having an Ols Intriguefor 5 years with the same tires the Olds handled much better. In a corner it the front ends leans into it making the car handle very funny.

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  looks - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By ed - August 26 - 7:03 am

  i enjoy it so far fun to drive and people love its looks

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  nice car - 2001 Nissan Maxima
  By nick - August 25 - 10:16 am

  I have had the car for all most half a year bought it with 64,000 miles just had the O2 sensor replaced and fix timimg cover oil leak at 74,000 had extended warranty all ways buy the warranty. Other then thad i love the car. Handles a little woerd sometime but i can pass just about anything in the midsize sedan class. Will buy a another one soon

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  Stylish looks and good ride - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Uds - August 24 - 2:03 pm

  I have just had it for four days. The ride is good. Vehicle is stylish and has 18" wheels. Yet to determine MPG. Got it at $27K with premium pkg and other minuscule options. Wish there were more storage space in the front cabin. I like it and is worthy enough if you can bargain much. A major drawback is the blindspot. The window at the rear is a little too small and the rear seats obscure some view at the corner. Youll have to solely depend on the outside rear view mirror. Other than this and a little space, the auto is very good.

• 

  Impulsive purchase - 1999 Nissan Frontier
  By Catie - August 23 - 2:00 am

  Purchased day after I totalled my Sentra, I wanted capability to carry furniture & big boxes & sit higher up off the ground (my 97 sentra was so low). Big differences between the two vehicles are gas mileage & interior space, obviously, but I thought Id have another 2 or 3 mpg rather than the 25 or 26 hwy. A good truck for city driving; not real comfortable for long trips, and I can only carry one other person which is a bummer. Makes an occasional noise like a lid is rattling under the hood, maybe heating manifold cover. Hoping nothing but good things from Nissan. Bought used at 44k miles. Nice, smooth shifting & handling at high rpm.

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  disappointed - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By mudd - August 23 - 2:00 am

  The car has been in the shop 15xs so far..nissan service blames the problem on the driver and takes 2 or 3 tries to fix it..I am already looking to buy the new Mazda6.

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  Disappointed - 2009 Nissan GT-R
  By RevMatt - August 21 - 9:46 pm

  Too heavy, too hyped and too limited. Nicely conceived, poorly executed. Drop 600-700 lbs, lower two inches, get rid of the fancy tranny and eliminate the "warranty voided if you use the launch control" and this car could be a world class sports car! The AWD needs some work to improve driver feedback. I sold my GT-R in favor of a Corvette Z06. Nissan developed some great ideas but missed the mark.

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  Not the best handling SUV on the market. - 2009 Nissan Armada
  By BigDaddy - August 21 - 1:46 am

  Bought the Armada because my unusually tall husband fit into it but we are so disappointed with the way it drives. If you hit a bump in the road the steering wheel practically flies out of your hand and the Armada bounces wherever it wants to go. Scary. Also, for a large vehicle there isnt very much storage so we always seem to be moving things (like the emergency car care kit) all around the vehicle. If you need to use all 3 rows of seats as we frequently do - only a small cargo space remains. Ill drive this one until it dies to get my moneys worth (maybe) but I wont buy another and I would advise you to keep on shopping too.

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  Recall -check out brake fluid - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Thomas - August 20 - 2:46 am

  I have only 1600 miles on my car and already the brake light warning showing on the dashboard. I check the brake fluid level and it was very low. I topped the liquid level myself and after a week the level has dropped again. Be careful and take this urgent. I am taking the vehicle to the service tomorrow for checkup. I am sure the brake fluid is leaking and the master cylinder will need to be replaced.