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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  Smooth Vehicle - 1999 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Spraq - September 20 - 10:00 am

  We really enjoy this SUV. It is not as powerful as others, but it has enough power. The build quality is unmatched by anything Ive ever owned, driven, or ridden in. Outstanding quality, better to drive than the brand new Trailblazer we test-drove. And we bought it with 49k miles. The interior is as nice as my parents Mercedes SUV. Not as many gadgets, but as well constructed. My dad owned a Bravada with the same amount of miles a couple of years ago, and there is no comparison in quality. The Pathfinder may cost a little more, but well worth it. A++

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  5 Months and still the best! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By crashl82 - September 20 - 10:00 am

  At this point I am still telling everyone that my Murano has to be the best vehicle out there for your money. Mine is blk with blk leather interior with all the bells and whistles and I love everything about it. Everything functions perfectly and I even enjoy relaxing in the rear seats which recline. Why spend the extra $20 grand for names like infinity or BMW when you get a superior vehicle with everything and anything you could possibly want in a vehicle. I have driven other vehicles(Range Rovers, Hummer H2s) and they have nothing on this. Buy this car you will never regret it!

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  no FX35 but pretty nice anyway - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By higby - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Love this car...traded Audi A6 quattro wagon for it....the interior quality is not close to audi quality but Ill bet it turns out to be more reliable than the audi.....obsessed over FX35 for a long time which exceeds Murano in interior quality as well but it was 4 to 5 grand more....anyway Murano is fast,quiet,smooth,handles beautifully,and looks pretty good.Also has more room than audi which we needed.Wouldnt hesitate to recommend this car to anyone!!

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  Special Edition Nissan Sentra - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By jack mcgrail - September 19 - 12:53 pm

  This is a neat small car, with lots of extras for little extra money, e.g. Rockford Fosgate 9 speaker stereo, upgraded interior, fog lights, etc. It handles crisply with the new tires and wheels, and has decent acceleration. So far fuel econony has been great. My son has a Dakota Magnum and a Harley, yet still loves to drive the Sentra. Dealer support has also been excellent.

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  Atima is a mix of the 350Z and a Sedan - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Carl S. - September 18 - 10:06 pm

  I love my 2006 Altima I only wish they offered it with a CVT (Constant Velocity Transmission), turbo/Supercharger,all wheel drive as options and a gauge system like the SE-R on all the Altima models. But Hey its close to a 10 now and I love my 2006 Altima SE 3.5 V6.

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  Kids love it, so of course parents do - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By TREDN - September 18 - 3:33 pm

  Had for 6 weeks now and have over 2400 miles. Live in Canada and is great for winters. Kids love it as we got the top of the line with DVD player and they love to watch movies. Keeps them quiet on long trips. We love the Navigation system as it helps us from having to use a map and it tells you exactly where to go and how to get there. Used it several times already and it is dead-on. Just be careful, little towns or out of the way places do not have the streets listed, only main throughfares. As well, newer streets and points of interest are not included until upgrade.

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  2009 Murano Lease - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Steve M - September 17 - 11:16 pm

  Although Nissan recommends premium fuel, we have always used regular and still get excellent acceleration and as stated on the sticker gas mileage. The computer seems to adjust for the different fuel grade very well. I would have rated interior comfort a 10, but the seats need some fine tuning. Coming from an Altima, the seats feel awkward. The CVT transmission seems flawless. Its so nice not to have annoying shift points!

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  Long lasting low maintenance - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Goxy - September 15 - 11:02 pm

  In 2004 bought 2005 model and during these 11 years and 195,000 miles did one tune-up, changed oil, filter, tires, breaks, and battery. In addition, I own 2010 Maxima and 2011 Altima. Comparing to my friends cars, Nissan is a way better than any other one.

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  2nd Murano - Just got the 2009 Version - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By nocbtuba1 - September 15 - 4:10 pm

  I just took ownership of a 2009 Murano- SL AWD. This is my second Murano previous one was a 2006 SL FWD. At first drive, I actually like this Murano better than the 2006. Though I will miss the adjustable pedals. I like the new dash, a little more traditional than the 2006. quality is excellent! The Bose system is better in the 2009 than the 2006. THis is very important to me, Im in the profession.THe 2009 is way less muddy sounding, crisper highs. Driving feels even better, and I loved the 2006. I never had mechanical issues with the first, I hope the second is just as good, if not better. Great job, Nissan.

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  Still Like It - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By TX Driver - September 15 - 1:16 pm

  I got my Pathfinder brand new and drive it 30 miles every day to and from work. My husband and I also wind up driving it on the weekends instead of his 2003 Chevrolet Pickup. We call it the "grocery wagon" because its so easy to access the back to put in shopping bags. It seems like it can haul just about as much as a full-sized pickup when we fold the seats down. Its sturdy, airtight, and has plenty of pickup on the road. I was looking for another SUV, but the new ones dont have much more to offer than my 2002 model.