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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  actually a decent car (2.5 s) - 2015 Nissan Altima
  By ray - November 30 - 12:24 am

  This car isnt so bad actually. CVT is nice and efficient. Gives the car much better pick up that most compeitors. Amazing milage well over 30 mpg. Super comfortable seats. More than enough room in front and back for almost any size adult. Great sound system on the base. Nice quite ride despite what critics say about CVT noise. Its only noisy if you rev the engine up to 4000 rpm or so. Handling is above average at best but very smooth effortless power steering. Only complaints are some weird noises this car makes. You can hear the gas slosh around the gas tank if you break hard. And the power steering pump constantly hums. Just pet peeves that dont really affect the cars drive ability. Overall its every bit as good as a camry or sonata. Just depends on what you prefer. For me it was the money I got mine brand new for just under $19k.

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  2005 Nissan Pathfinder Rocks! - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Roger - November 29 - 7:40 pm

  EDGY looks, FUN to drive, POWERFUL V6. Love the looks and 17 inch wheels. The ride is very comfortable. The LE has most of the bells and whistles I wanted for a competitive price. Didnt need the 4X4 cuz I stay on paved roads and dont like to waste $ on gas. I do appreciate the option of using unleaded 87 octane. The only complaints I have are: No cargo cover, no power side view mirrors (the Maxima has power mirrors...what gives?), and no indicator on your instrument panel when your headlights are on. Outside of these small issues this SUV gives you the most bang for the buck! I could easily have bought the RX330 or MDX, but know I made the right choice with the 2005 Pathfinder.

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  great perfomer with one annoying problem - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By D. A. Parry - November 29 - 4:06 am

  The Maxima is well designed, fun to drive and overall it performs well. It has some giddyap, looks great and gets good mileage. The biggest problem is the turning radius. Its a complete joke. I cant believe that Nissan engineers could not have corrected this problem. Youll find tractor trailers that have a better turning radius. Also, beware if you get the vehicle in black - the low to the ground Maxima attracts road gravel, stones, etc., that mar up the front grill finish - very noticeable. The dealer quoted me $800 to repaint. Get the bra. Also, the location of the charger outlet is in an awkward position and the cheap plastic cover breaks easily.

• 

  Reliable SUV - 1999 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Derek - November 28 - 6:10 pm

  This has been a reliable SUV for us. Poor gas mileage has made us trade in our other car to get one with higher gas mileage. The Pathfinder drives more like a truck due to the noise of the motor and low HP. The only two problems we have had are as follows: O2 sensor went out, and the gas tank door broke. Other than that it has been a reliable car. The leather isnt that nice and the display is kind of dated, but what do you expect from a 1999. We dont like the new Pathfinders, so we will probably trade in for a different SUV.

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  Good, but. . . . - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By feverfive - November 28 - 11:33 am

  Nice car, but not quite up to the hype. Nice thrust/acceleration for a 4 cyl. Could use more noise dampening to block out road noise. The heater/cooling fan is TOO NOISY!!

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  Do not buy a Spec V! Engine problems! - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By Lance O - November 27 - 9:26 pm

  This car has an engine malfunction which is apparent once car warms up. I bought my car new, and this malfunction started once it had 2,000 miles on it. This causes a car that claims to get 29 mpg on the highway, to get 23 mpg highway. This 200 hp car feels closer to 120 hp when the engine is acting up. The dealership and Nissan engineers are saying that it is a characteristic of the car, and thus far have not made a recall. This affects 2007+ sentra spec vs. I would not have bought this car had I had access to the above information prior to my purchase. Please speak with someone who has this car prior to purchase!

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  I just put the first 1000 miles on it today - 2017 Nissan Frontier
  By Allen W - November 27 - 7:49 pm

  The steering and parking are better than my old Dakota. The lights are brighter and the mirrors show more than my last truck. The cruise stays constant - my other truck would slow down on hills and speed up after the climb or descending a hill.

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  New improved Sentra - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Jessie Ramsey - November 27 - 12:03 pm

  This is our 3rd sentra, and by far, the best. We had 2 of the 2001 SE models, 1 with 5 speed, and 1 with automatic. I was leery of the CVT, but it feels great now. I think it will last a long time, especially the way that my wife drives it. Shell baby it. Already the mileage is better than the old cars got at their best. The engine is more fuel efficient, while being bigger by 500 cc. We expect high 30 mpg once broken it. The SE-R has anti-lock 4 wheel disc brakes and stiffer suspension than the car with 2.0 engine. It handles so much better. The car is quiet and road noise is filtered out so well. The stereo system is better as is the AC. So much colder. We love it

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  Better mileage and it would be perfect - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  By boomingemu - November 27 - 6:06 am

  I bought it used with 15,000 miles and have been very pleased with it other than the gas mileage. The CD changer refuses to eject my discs (still need to have that fixed). Another review mentioned an annoying rattle from the defrost vents on the dash, and I have that as well. I also had a clogged a/c drain tube which caused a major water leak on the passenger floor board. Nissan will fix this design problem on 2005+ models, but I had to pay a little to have them clear the drain. Everything else mechanical has been great so far at 55,000 miles. The jack with the vehicle is terrible. I found it unstable and dangerous to use when changing a tire on the side of the highway.

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  crappy transmission - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By mykegee723 - November 26 - 9:46 pm

  when i got this car it was awesome. then all of a sudden going about 30 mph car would shake and my mileage decreased from combined city and highway 25 to 19 mph. i repeatedly took it in and nothing wrong was found. although dealership felt the shaking right away. they couldnt fix it. repeatedly took it in. all of a sudden a service bulliten came out that this is the way the car is supposed to drive. b s. i say. i contacted nissan usa and tried to reason with them. and they told me yea thats the way it is. i am a car audio installer for more than 8 yrs, and i have worked on many nissan altimas like mine. they all drove great.. obviously there is something wrong. i trade piece o crap in.