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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  Buy It - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By Ole Miss - December 22 - 4:26 am

  I bought my Nissain Frontier new in November 2003. Ive owned Toyota, Chevy (Luv), Mazda, Ford small pickups. I like to have a small truck. If you need a heavy hauler, get a full size truck. Ive put 65,000 miles on the truck and have not had a single problem. It tows a trailer with ease and goes from city to highway driving with ease. Its quieter on the Highway than my Honda Odyssey. I get 20 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway which is better gas mileage than most get. Only bad I can say the A/C compresser has always had a bone chilling "clang" when it kicks in.

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  Nissan Maxima issues 2007 model - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By mbartk - December 21 - 11:40 pm

  My Nissan Maxima has had a few issues. The battery died at 21,000 miles. The air conditioning goes on any time I try to change the mode on the heating system. The tires at 26,000 miles have to be replaced. The car does a poor job of handling on snow covered roads and because I live in NE Ohio this has been an issue. My previous car was a Chrysler 300 and I did not have any of these issues and the interior leather was of much better quality.

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  BEST CAR EVER!! - 2007 Nissan Maxima
  By Kim Ovelgonne - December 21 - 7:53 pm

  The Maxima SL is luxurious, sporty and fun to drive. This car has power with a smooth ride. The Maxima is roomy and sleek on the inside. The leather is soft yet sturdy. The carpet and mats are plush. When I saw the Maxima I loved the body style. I took it for a test drive and I knew that this was the car for me.

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  From Mercedes ML to Murano - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Cross Creek Dave - December 21 - 12:20 pm

  I traded the ML in for the Murano. The Murano was as well equiped as the Mercedes. I traded the an ML 320 which I had wonderful service from, but the ride was rough. The Murano is very nice gives a better ride than the Mercedes, plus gives better gas mileage and has at least equal or better acceleration. This vehicle is stable in curves, smooth riding and gets plenty of attention. This is my first Nissan, but probably not the last.

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  Good Practical Car - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By Kristi - December 21 - 9:13 am

  Has required no repairs, except a recall and normal maintenance. Good in snow considering weight of car. Road noise can be annoying-put on fave CD! Heat/air at 3+ too noisy. Gas mileage somewhat disappointing. Small & feel am sacrificing some comfort for reliability & longevity, but front seats very adjustable for max personal comfort. Excellent at holding its value if even moderately maintained. I recommend for practical types who want a reliable, low "cost of use" car they can pay off & be free of payments for a least a few years, if not more.

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  Great car - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By java350z - December 21 - 2:00 am

  Even since this car first came out in the car magazines I wanted one. It has been a great and fun car to drive. The steering and pick-up is superb. Its a "head turner".

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  Awesome - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Michael Mcnally - December 21 - 2:00 am

  I have had the Armada for about 6 weeks now and absolutely love it. The drive is smooth the power is there if you need it and the size inside and out is great. The stereo system is great. I recommend the captain chairs for second row we love it. we love everything about it.

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  Fine Auto - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Hart - December 21 - 2:00 am

  After owning Mercedes, Bmws, Porsches and many other makes over the last 30 years, I found the Murano the most car for the dollar Ive ever owned. My Honda was reliable, my Bmw had all the great gadgets and computers, my turbo Saab, Mercedes coupe and Jag XKE turned heads. The Murano has all three of the above traits rolled into one car

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  NISSAN SPACESHIP - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By EDWIN - December 21 - 2:00 am

  I CANT TELL YOU HOW HAPPY I AM WITH MY NEW QUEST. I WAS ORIGINALLY LOOKING FOR A 4 DOOR SEDAN, BUT WHEN I LAID EYES ON THE ALL NEW QUEST, I COULDNT LOOK BACK. WITH IT WELL EQUIPPED FEATURES, ITS MORE THAN A MINIVAN, I CALL IT MY NEW ENTERTAINMENT CENTER. WITH ITS FLIP DOWN LCD SCREEN POWERED BY A DVD PLAYER AND 8 SPEAKER SYSTEM. ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW. FORGET SITTING UPFRONT. I GOT THE BACK SEAT I THIS RIDE!

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  2004 Nissan Frontier - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By dougiefresh321 - December 21 - 2:00 am

  I love this truck. It was refreshing to see that a car company did not drop their design team on their heads like with the American car designers. Buy American? Dont think so. Buy Nissan and be happy.