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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  Reliable Ride - 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
  By extreme_rnd - July 2 - 10:00 am

  This is the 4th new vehicle Ive had, and it has been the best! I agree that you can get a lemon from any make, I have leased a Nissan Quest which turned out to be a lemon (promptly returned). This car has seen a wrench only once in 7 years (brake pads), and has aged gracefully despite my harsh pounding.

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  Very,Very Good - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By goodmax - July 2 - 10:00 am

  All Nissans are the best, Mostly my whole family drives Nissans and I wouldnt want them to drive anything else.

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  IEATHONDAS - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By LCK - July 2 - 10:00 am

  Despite its appearance, this car is fantastic!! With the performance mods I have added, thanks to Stillen motors and Flowmaster, I readily devour Hondas, Mitsus, and other wannabes with my sleeper. Very easy to enhance and am now getting 190+hp (on the way to 220hp). Not any problems with this car, except that I may need to put a racing clutch in soon! Recommended it as a first timer, college, or performance mod car. Great engine.

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  Comments on Maxima GLE - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By mickeyandme - July 2 - 10:00 am

  Owning this car has been a generally satisfying experience. I am VERY impressed with my dealers response to warranty situations. Things to fix iclude: Fix SLIPPERY steering wheel on GLE model ... dangerous!!! Needs more comfortable drivers seat with more secure hip gripping ... tendency to slide around on turns with leather upholstery. Less jouncy suspension option.

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  Beautiful car! - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By jdavis - July 2 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely LOVE this car! We got the SE with cloth interior and a sunroof. It is a fun car to drive and Im the idiot driving around smiling all the time! The powerful engine is magnificent and it handles really well. This is my first NEW car and first time Maxima owner. I dont think I will ever get another type of vehicle again!

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  You Guys Are Crazy! - 2002 Nissan Frontier
  By Rocket88 - July 2 - 10:00 am

  This is absolutely the best truck available on the market today. I have never driven anything like this machine. I had always been a Ford lover, but I fell in love with this vehicle the minute that I saw it. It was five thousand dollars cheaper than anything comparable to it. Plus, it has more power than any truck in its class. I get 15 to 18 miles per gallon even when I punch the supercharger frequently. I plan on keeping this truck forever. I have experienced no problems with it and I am confident that I will not because it was built by hard-working Americans.

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  Best used Car ever - 1995 Nissan 200SX
  By Alex - June 30 - 8:50 pm

  Mine is stick and punches when I use the gas pedal, fun to drive excellent car for work, handling is very good and easy to maneuver. If you want more power look for the se-r model big power for a little car. Very fun to drive .

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  Great Car - 1996 Nissan Maxima
  By snow0221 - June 30 - 1:06 pm

  I recently bought a Maxima SE in a stick shift, very hard to find! It has about 75,000 miles but runs perfect. The acceleration is great, the mechanics are flawless, and the fuel economy is amazing.

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  best car Ive ever owned - 1995 Nissan Maxima
  By jason green - June 30 - 3:30 am

  This has been an amazing car. Ive had for ten years and all Ive done is change the oil & buy new OE tires. With 140k miles its still quick and alot of fun to drive.

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  Fun car but not like they used to be - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By Maxima lover - June 29 - 11:33 pm

  This car is fast, fun, and sexy. Gets great mileage for 222 hp, great in the curves, quiet ride. They didnt build this as well as the maximas of old though. Had to replace clutch at 50K, paint chips and scratches easily, airflow meter ($500) went out at 60K, tranny should be more solid for this engine. A big downside lately is that the engine is designed to run on 91 octane, which bankrupts you at $3.40/gallon! Otherwise trouble-free car, does great in the snow, does 60- 100 faster than 0-60, goes 60-0 in under 4 seconds (Ive checked) great low end to power up hills, doesnt notice a full load. Worth buying but set aside money for drivetrain repairs later--I know thats coming up for me