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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  Bumpy take off - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Robert - August 23 - 12:23 pm

  Truck runs great, drives great, however I have a "bump start" feel on launch from a stop. Very annoying. Drive shaft already replaced but they are looking at it again this week. Too much grease in the slip yoke causing the drive shaft to "hang" or stick and release when the brakes are released and you accelerate. It feels like the axle moves out from under the truck and then the truck moves. I can only feel it in the seat. You can put the truck in neutral and it wont do it as it takes the pressure off of the shaft and it equalizes.

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  Great Car! - 2008 Nissan Maxima
  By NissanBoy - August 22 - 10:10 am

  This is my third Nissan car within the last 2 yrs. I absolutely love the sportiness of all of their cars. I decided to upgrade to the fully load Maxima 3.5SL, because my 2008 Altima 3.5SE rattled too much. I truly believe that I could not have made a better choice. I test drove the Lexus ES and Lincoln MKZ, none of those vehicles had the character of the Maxima. After testing driving the Max, I was sold!

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  First Thoughts - 2006 Nissan 350Z
  By Tom - August 22 - 2:56 am

  I have had this car only 3 months, but have taken it on a 2800 mile vacation to Nova Scotia. I found the performance to be great and have been pleasantly surprised by the fuel economy. The car was very comfortable throughout long drives and it sounds great. My only critisism (which I consider minor) is that the car should have an 8 way adjustable drivers power seat instead of the provided 4 way seat.

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  Great car, excellent interior quality - 2015 Nissan Pathfinder
  By markecon - August 21 - 6:23 pm

  I have owned my SL with Tech Package for two months, and I could not be more pleased. The car has a quality feel, the seats are very comfortable, and the features are terrific. I think it has the look, feel, and features of a more expensive car.

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  Happy Sentra Owner - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By ajent - August 21 - 4:43 pm

  This has been a great little car! I have had very little to repair. I have had to replace the starter, and fix a sticking left hand turn signal. I have almost 120,000 miles on the car. All other parts are original and I just got another compliment from the shop after my latest 30,000 mile auto maintenance. In addition, the gas mileage is quite good...hasnt lowered at all since the car was new! An added plus is the interior.....no rattles, and the upholstery looks great!

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  My 2004 Nissan Armada - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By Robert Normandin - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought new Jan 2004, have had NO problems whatsoever, handles surprising well for its size, parks easy. Very powerful, decent fuel economy, would buy another without a doubt.

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  george - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By dlodge - August 21 - 10:00 am

  I have driven SUVs in the past 15 years and I did not think I would like a car but this car has the get up and go that I like and it is great to drive. I dont know if I will go back to an SUV. Rahalchevybuick.com is where I bought mine in Marianna,Fl and they are great people. I got black interior is the only complaint that I have so far. 3.5 SE Altima with Sports pkg. Black interior shows every little speck or lint.

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  love it - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By matrixinaustin - August 21 - 10:00 am

  great performance from the 5.6 engine. smooth ride with no wind noise. goes into turns sharp for a pickup. If you get the 4x4 get the off road package. The only thing negative is the plastic parts on the interior ie. the large hvac knobs i hope they hold up. Got my se king cab 4x2 with off road package,utility package, and preferred power package(radio controls on steering, power adj pedals) for 24,800 the tt&l.

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  Its a keeper! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By BossHogg - August 21 - 10:00 am

  It is hard to get a 10 out of me, but not reflected is overall satisfaction. I rate it a 10. I have 1200 miles on it now, and aside from a few quality control issues - what a great truck. Nissan really put some thought into engineering this truck. It is a far cry from the "modular" world of the domestics; where picking and pulling parts from the shelves that do not work well together has become the standard. The engine, oh, the engine... Ladies, it tightens my pants when I hit the accelerator. It is hard for anything to turn 33 inch tires, but this thing will melt both of them down on dry pavement. Relatively smooth ride for such a rigid frame. A+

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  this car is bomb - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By jpmsfo - August 21 - 10:00 am

  no other car like it