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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  Have Fun! - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Hanna - May 2 - 10:00 am

  A lot of power and fun in for a resonable amont of dollars..

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  Good so far, hope to stay that way. - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By Cappy - May 1 - 11:13 pm

  This van is in great shape! Driving on the highway you dont even realize you are going 80 mph sometimes. My wife agrees that it is a smooth ride. Have 3 kids one on the way and needed the room from the 07 toyota car that we had. So far the kids love the DVD, the skyview roofs above them and the fact that we can get the infant car seat in and get the kids on easily is awesome. Id rather spend the money on a Sports car as it is a buyers market, but as a mini-van dad, this has been a purchase I dont mind running to the ground.

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  Nice 05 quest - 2005 Nissan Quest
  By DallasTexan1 - May 1 - 8:10 am

  I got this SE Quest for 2 months now for a price well below Edmunds TMV price. I bought it at Trophy Nissan in Mesquite Texas for 32200 +TTL. So far, this vehicle performs nicely. Power is definitely better than Toyota Sienna, but is about the same par with Honda Odysee. The exterior and interior are truly stand out. Mine has a sunroof and 4 fixed glass roof for the 2nd and 3rd row seats. There are 2 video screens, lots of reading lights, cup holders, overhead storage. Back seats are very comfortable that you feel like sitting in a 1st class row in airplane. Interior space is huge, you will be able to walk up and down the rows without walking outside.

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  Overjoyed with the car - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By HappyOwner - April 30 - 7:16 am

  Was looking for a 7-pass vehicle but was so impressed I had to get the Murano. Test drove the Tribecka and Veracruz and chose the Murano for its roominess. Gave up 4 MPG but even at $4 a gallon Im in awe. Have all options except Nav and love it. Comfortable leather seats. Great Bose stereo. Hands-free is exceptional. Display is easy to read. Almost too many choices.

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  From Z to Shining Z - 2005 Nissan 350Z
  By Bobby S - April 30 - 2:20 am

  My new 2005 350Z Grand Touring Roadster compared to the 2003 350Z Touring I traded in is going from sweetness to heaven. The original 2003,serial number was in the 3700s, had its obvious opportunities. Nissan Corp handled the tire issue,the window grease issue and a leather seat issue with flawless professionalism. Knowing this, and having experienced the cars performance and style gave me the confidence to go for the Roadster. Black on Black with the Brembo breaks the top down... 1st Class.. Black tie look.

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  Great truck to have fun in!! - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By Steven - April 29 - 9:06 pm

  I bought this truck brand new while stationed at FT. Sill, OK. I used this truck to pull the biggest U-Haul trailer (I think its a 6x12) from there to Kansas City, MO. Thats about 455 miles. It was stuffed to the roof with belongings, including the interior of the truck, and the bed. It pulled it wonderfully at about 70 MPH the whole way. Only got about 7 miles to the gallon, but I was pulling roughly 3,000 lbs. I bought a reciever hitch to pull the trailer. I havent had a single problem with it, 4WD works great in snow and having fun in the muck.

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  Never going to sell my Z. - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By Z Owner - April 29 - 7:53 pm

  Excellent balance of performance and strong good looks, I look forward to many years of driving enjoyment in my Z.

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  Awesome! - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Vrhodes - April 29 - 11:50 am

  Love it! love it! love it! Ive owned mine for two years. The only thing I would change is the cup holders in the back should be larger. they only accommodate a cup the size of a soda can. bummer for the kids. other than that...LOVE IT!

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  I LOVE MY SPEC VIZZLE!!!!! - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Andre S - April 29 - 10:30 am

  It took me about two years of shopping before I bought my Spec. I looked at every car in its class, and the only one that stood above all others was the Spec V. It just felt more natural, the acceleration, braking, comfort, control, stability, style, and handling where just better then the rest.

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  My Sentra is perfect, not one problem - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By clem238 - April 29 - 5:33 am

  I have had my Sentra for two years; not one time have I had to do anything to it (did get new tire only because I ran over a box-knife blade) Love my car; had no problems on ice either. Not sure why other people have had problems. As with any car, something may go wrong, not every car is perfect...well, my Sentra has been so far, tee hee