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 car, need a better mileage - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By drsayani - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Great interior space, excellent power and pick-up, although could use a better fuel economy. Interior designing could have been a little better, although not bad at all. Response to acceleration is too sudden, and with some delay. Steer handling, superb. Overall, very satisfied!

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  Better than the Tacoma - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Robert - October 8 - 4:00 am

  Narrowed the Frontier down between the Tacoma and the big brother Titan. This is a 3rd (multi-purpose) vehicle for us to tow our 21 Proline boat and to make those frequent trips to Home Depot. I was not impressed with the Tacoma at all. Lots of road noise, underpowered engine, and way too much $$$ for it with little room for negotiation. I took the Frontier home for the day and easily put two child seats in back plus room for third teen. I then tested out the towing ability and it pulled my boat with little effort. I loved the Titan and if I really wanted a full- size truck, the Titan would be for me but since the Frontier achieved my purposes, it became mine for $22,539 (MSRP $25,380)

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  I love my Maxima - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By KRIS - October 8 - 12:00 am

  Well my husband bought me a Maxima on Jan. 2nd. It was not really a planned purchase, but I am very pleased with this car. Going from a ford SUV to this car is like a dream come true. Its comfortable and beautiful. I love the bluetooth, iPod doc and nav system. My mom has a 08 cadillac cts and she says she wished she had saved some money and bought the maxima. The car is beautiful, handles well, and I will enjoy driving it for years to come.

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  Love it ! - 2006 Nissan Maxima
  By Luxurious Car - October 7 - 9:33 pm

  I love my car. Its reliable, handles well and fast. The MPG is great. It is sporty and very luxurious. I love my new Maxima. Way to go Nissan.

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  Spaceship - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By TommasoAS1 - October 7 - 5:33 pm

  I couldnt be more pleased after several months of ownership of my Quest Van 3.5 SL, I am glad I went for the SL. Didnt want leather or skyroof so the SL with Running boards and Roof Rack was perfect, not to mention the 5- SP auto Transmission. Talk about power and room, not to mention all the drivers eyeing my Quest and saying"he really knows how to pick a secret weapon in the large Mini van class. It takes some getting use to because of the beautiful long and wide wheel base, but it is well worth geting use too. My gear plus my full size Lab hound love this van.

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  Great car - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By rdeneen - October 6 - 5:40 pm

  Ive put 18000 miles per year on my 2002 and have had NO problems. Replaced the breaks and put new tires on it...thats it besides oil changes. Great, reliable vehicle with plenty of zip.

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  After 3000 miles - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By John - October 6 - 3:26 am

  Traded in 2004 Altima for 2007 with SL and electronics package. Recent road trip easily yielded 34-36 MPG @ 60-65 MPH with A/C. 70-75 MPH drops mileage by about 3 MPG. City MPG so far is about 22 MPG, lower than the rating but about 10% better than my 2004 Nissan with the same engine. Mileage should be even better after adequate break-in. Interior design overall is very good. Seat bottoms are a little firm. Ride is excellent, some road noise on bad surfaces but generally very low noise factor. Exterior design is an eye catcher, have received several unsolicited compliments. Integrated bluetooth phone generally works well, some trouble with voice commands but still learning.

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  Uber-excited Driving Machine - 2010 Nissan Altima
  By Kryptonyc - October 6 - 2:20 am

  I have to say I never saw myself driving a Nissan I was in a market for a Toyota Camry and/or Ford Fusion after test driving the Toyota & Fusion. I decided to test drive a Nissan after the Toyotas woes. And I was hook from the start, love the SL package, the Bose Audio, the gas saving its awesome, the space inside etc. and the peace of mind.

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  2003 Nissan Murano SL AWD - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By David - October 5 - 11:50 pm

  This has got to be the best car for performance, utility, exterior styling, interior styling, quality build, and just plain "you just want to drive the thing". I got it in 2003 and still think its the best midsize SUV on the market. All of my kids friends want to be seen in it. Yes, I love the car.

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  great delivery car - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By R.Rushing - October 5 - 4:50 pm

  This is a great car. The handling is really good, not what you expect when looking at it. U-turns can be a problem. Has great power concerning the 2.4 4 cylinder engine. Roomy on the inside & Im 64. Everything is in a good place to reach. The outside is nice, only the back doesnt look right without the spoiler. The sound is great with standard cd & tape players. Very good on gas. Ive been a delivery driver since 05 & put well over 100,000 miles on it. Besides the normal (tiers, brakes, oil) i only spent about $700 on a fuel pump. I only paid $500 for the car but would have paid 4x that.