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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  great little big truack - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By Paul - July 8 - 9:50 am

  I was amazed the 2006 was so much bigger and better made than my old 2004. Although the truck is bigger phyiscally it gets better gas mileage than the 2004. I love the shifter on the console better than on the column. Plus this model has cruise control the 2004 did not. Interior is about 4 inches wider and longer and very roomy. 2 jump seats with the rear doors make this vehicle great to carry extra people when needed. Nissan rethought the concept of how a truck should be.

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  Quite good - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By VS - July 8 - 2:20 am

  Have had the car for 6 months now. A good family workhorse, with a style.

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  Update - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By Zeek - July 7 - 7:03 pm

  Thought I would update my review a few months after the purchase. The truck is running great, and weve used it much more as a truck than I ever expected. I have the v6 6spd manual, and get roughly 18 mpg in mixed driving, weighted to city/traffic. An unexpected problem: my wife LOVES the truck, so occasionally I go outside to go somewhere, and I see our old Tiberon instead of the Frontier.

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  One Year In - 2008 Nissan Quest
  By Tony - July 7 - 6:43 am

  Lots of space. Got a good deal on it, so it was a great value. Drives very much like a big car. Good power and pretty decent gas mileage (18 city - 24 to 25 highway). Agree with others that the body structure is a little loose.

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  Its my third pathfinder and i love them - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Connie Ehrke - July 7 - 1:00 am

  Weve been a Nissan family since 1993 (that was our first Pathfinder) they are so reliable and fun to drive. We just traded in our 2002 for 2005 (we leased) and Im loving it just like the last two! It has the third row of seats (which well probably never use) and they fold down so flat which is great and has more room then our 2002

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  My Frontier - 1999 Nissan Frontier
  By frontman - July 6 - 9:56 pm

  My Nissan Frontier is a great vehicle. It has a solid ride, carries a load and is very good off-road. My only complaints are its fuel milage and fuel capacity. Its gas mileage is poor for its size and the gas tank is too small. This adds up to many stops at gas stations. As with all Nissan products, it is very reliable. They just dont break down.

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  Rave review. - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Mike - July 6 - 8:16 pm

  Wonderful truck; fun to drive. Handles everything I thorw at it, and I play hard.

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  Masterpiece.. Best in its class.. - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By DoN RaB - July 6 - 8:06 pm

  I bought this car with 55,000 miles in 2004. I now have 112,000 in 2008. Rock solid performance from this vehicle. No major mechanical problems to date. I will take this Maxima to its grave. This car will take better care of you than your own mama! Get the fully loaded model and drive it as far as you can. I do regret not getting the leather, sunroof, woodgrain, and digital ac. But those upgrades are all optional.

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  Great car. - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By Sean - July 6 - 4:43 am

  My wife bought her Sentra Sedan SE brand new in 1999 and outside of two major trips to the shop since the purchase, this car has been a workhorse. Weve driven it up and down the eastern seaboard with nary a problem. The engine is quick and quiet, steering is a little tight, but meaty which is good. The car did have some kind of degenerative wheel problem that almost ruined the car, but it has since been fixed and is as good as new. Problems are trite: the trunk wont open with a key, only the latch will open it. The car lacks headroom for taller drivers, and the cupholders are downright putrid. The car also needs a better center console and glove box. But other than that, great car!

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  New Maxima SE - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By rmf - July 5 - 6:10 am

  My new Maxima SE is a great car. The new engine offers tons of power, the ride on the SE was a little harsher than I had expected. In all this is a great car, if you are looking for a comfortable ride try the GLE. If sporty handling with great acceleration is what you need try the SE.