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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  Fun to Drive!! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By jason - March 24 - 4:00 am

  It’s almost a month since I have this car and I love it! I’m a father to a 5 month old baby girl and whenever we go out she goes to sleep. The suspensions are awesome, excellent ride, very good acceleration! Mid-sized sedan with a character of a sports car!

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  The Z of suvs - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By TM - March 24 - 1:26 am

  Just bought this after driving a 97 Maxima for 11 years. The Maxima was the best car Id ever owned. The Murano seems like it may be just as good. Solid feel, great road view, excellent quality interior materials, great VQ engine power and unbelievable handling. Nissan calls it the Smooth- UV. I agree.

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  Nissans Corvair - 2006 Nissan Armada
  By seejanerun - March 23 - 5:23 pm

  I bought this vehicle used without doing the proper research on this particular model. I basically went on Nissans great reputation as time was not in my favor. This is the worst vehicle I have ever owned, so bad that I wont consider another Nissan in the future. I have had ABS failure which is common in the Armada but which Nissan refuses to recall - be sure to Google and you will find more info than you ever want! I have also had problems with the engine shutting off while driving down the road - also another widespread Armada problem. There have been tons of consumer complaints on this Armada and probably why 2010 is last production year as Nissan knows this product is crap!

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  Couldnt be happier - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By GBrown - March 23 - 4:56 pm

  Test drove every full sized truck available and the Titan stood out from the rest. Great features, controls logically placed and comfortable made it the clear choice for me. After 6 months with zero problems if find myself liking it even more as time goes on.

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  luxurious vehicle - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By Ronald mcCray - March 23 - 4:20 pm

  Wonderful car to drive fun full of power. If there was one thin I could change would be the removal of the cassette player, then add a 6 disc cd player instead.other then that we love the car.

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  Nissan - get with the times! - 2009 Nissan Versa
  By Monica - March 23 - 11:50 am

  This is a cute car but I do not understand why Nissan does not make the aux port on the radio (for mp3 players) standard on all vehicles, especially the Versa which is priced for the younger crowd. The standard radio has a six CD changer, but who listens to CDs anymore? Seriously. Also, there is no armrest in the center for the right arm, which is mildly annoying, and there are no map lights which is pretty dumb. Im not looking for luxury, but it would be nice if Nissan would be ahead of the curve on the cultural zeitgeist. Other vehicles in this category come with the aux port standard. When I asked how to upgrade the radio they said I couldnt do it.

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  Great but must like big things - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By hapieone1 - March 23 - 7:13 am

  We purchased this suv in July and traded in my Acura TL since it was too small for our growing family. My only conflict with this Armada is that it is not the Acura. I miss my car, but it is a great SUV !

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  Its Special - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Dodge Peters - March 23 - 6:30 am

  I was looking at the Dodge Charger or the Murano, everytime I saw the Murano on the road I glanced and took a second look. I didnt see many chargers on the road but I like it just as much. I went to test drive the Murano and simply felt like this was the car/truck for me. High seating, responsive handling and comfort sold this deal for me. Coming from a Dodge Intrepid I needed something just as big as the Intrepid or I just didnt feel good driving.

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  Still crazy after all these years! - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By Valenti - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Ordered from factory for(rare) 5 speed. (Replaced my 1988 Legend 5 speed.) Reliability has been rock solid. Finally put front brakes at 120k, still has original clutch! Only mechanical problem has been check engine light issue--common to this model. Still drives like its brand new. Guess thats why Im still crazy about it...

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  Problem Free - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By jeffh - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car new in 1999. Drive 100 miles a day to work and back. Absolutely no problems at all. Cruises nicely at expressway speed (or slightly higher.) Comfortable ride that seems to get better as you add more passengers. At 6-4, Im definitely at the upper limit of who the cars was designed for. Engine has been great! With 112,000 mi, Ive replaced the front brakes once, the tires once, the serpentine belt, and a $.99 hose clamp. Not bad. Interior is the epitome of conservative, which is nice because I havent gotten sick of looking at it.