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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  My New 2010 Sentra SL - 2010 Nissan Sentra
  By Joey - April 5 - 1:10 am

  Great car! I have had lots of cars in this class including Corolla, Cavalier and Focus. This car by far seems to be more durable and fun to drive without all the loud road noise. Pricing in comparison to Honda and Toyota was much more affordable, Sentras also come with more options for less cash than their competitors. Nissan is offering 1,500 cash back and zero percent financing. Trust me you wont be disappointed I love my new car!

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  Love it! - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By Xterra Guy - April 3 - 10:53 am

  I just bought mine about a month ago, used with 28K on it. Its a fantastic SUV - very comfortable, great road manners, drives awesome. Seats are firm and comfortable, not a rattle in it at all.

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  I LOVE LOVE LOVE MY MURANO - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By Roxie - April 3 - 3:03 am

  Ive owned this vehicle for 9 months now and I love it as much as I did when I first bought it. Love the updated body styling, the comfortable interior, the Bose stereo, the power and handling, and my newest passion is the enjoyment I get driving this in the snow. The AWD provides awesome traction and handling.

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  Love My Murano! - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By piper - April 2 - 5:03 am

  I owned an XTerra previously and traded it in due to fuel mileage. I love the reliability of Nissan and still wanted AWD for Colorado winters. The Murano was a perfect fit! Should have bought one in the first place! Rides amazing (like a luxury car) and so much room in the back seat for my teenage son! Its so quiet also. Very fun to drive. Gas mileage is great for an SUV! We are getting around 26-30 on the hwy compared to 17 in my XTerra! Love it!

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  Great car, simply great - 1997 Nissan Sentra
  By Timothy - April 2 - 2:00 am

  i bought my sentra from a friend of mine and immediately i fell in love with it. it handlres really really well, its well deisgned, and it gets excellent gas mileage

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  Best car for the price! - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By Kim Wakeen - April 2 - 2:00 am

  You will no go wrong with this model Nissan Altima. Its very economical and at the same time very comfortable and powerful with 2.4 Liter engine. I very highly recommend this car to anyone.

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  next generation suv - 2004 Nissan Armada
  By sese23 - April 2 - 2:00 am

  the nissan armada le suv is a very strong and capable truck both on the highway and oof road.. the 305 hp engine is smooth and quiet even in high speeds..the 18 in tires makes it stand alone with the rest of its class.

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  My perfect car - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By I - April 2 - 2:00 am

  I had a Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, but none of them match the performance, design, power and comfort of my new ALtima Extremely reliable, good quality materials, sporty yet elegant Very satisfied

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  Fun to Drive, Great Electronics Too - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By bigstarfan - April 1 - 10:13 am

  I seriously considered (and test-drove) the Toyota Avalon, the Lexus ES330/350 and IS250, and the Maxima was just a better overall vehicle. Its comfortable, stylish, feature-rich, and extremely fun to drive. The CVT transmission is very responsive, the engine has ample power, handles like a sports car, yet has room for 4 people (it has seat belts for 5, but the 5th one had better be a midget). I fell in love with the iPod integration immediately, and the center console computer (I didnt buy the nav) has bucketloads of information if you desire info. I cant say enough about how I enjoy the SmartKey (breaking the habit of taking out a key was easier than I thought). Terrific vehicle!

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  Great car - 2013 Nissan Sentra
  By ANDY MERCADO - March 31 - 10:40 am

  Its a very roomy and spacious interior Im 6ft 270lb guy and I sat in back seat and had leg room. Has sporty road handling and great on mpg