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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  Fun & Roomy - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By donnasaurus - February 8 - 10:00 am

  Weve only had the car a few weeks, but both my husband and I enjoy the Maxima very much. Great acceleration with 265 HP. But has some nice to haves, like telescoping steering wheel, 2 driver memory, and tons of on board storage. You feel like you are in a much bigger car. Rear seat passengers say how roomy it is. Also, the split back seats are another plus. So far so good, no defects found.

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  Just Test Drive It !! - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By baller - February 8 - 10:00 am

  This car i awesome. I test drove the Camry XLE V6 and then went to the Nissan dealer and drove the 05 Altima 3.5 SE w/Nav. No contest. If you want a powerful V6 with style and loaded with features this is the car. This car performs as good as it looks. Comfortable heated leather seats in front and a rommy backseat. Cost me $28k for a loaded 3.5 SE w/Nav & TCS/Side Airbags.

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  Better than I thought !! - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Cowtown - February 8 - 9:53 am

  I had a 99.5 Pathfinder which I loved ( until the rad hose blew & it was going to cost $800 to fix !!)It had 120000 km on it , so I traded up to a Murano. What a difference. I no longer work on drilling rigs, so this baby should get me where I want to go - which is mainly skiing and camping.

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  Nissan Pathfinder 2005 - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Jatinder - February 8 - 3:56 am

  I just love its performance and smooth drive. Lots of power (270 HP), roomy, completely new stealth design,fully loaded (Navigation + DVD ) is just awesome. Costs less as compared to Lexus, Acura MDX, BMW.

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  Moving up from a buick - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Janny - February 7 - 5:46 pm

  I didnt really know what to expect from this Sentra. I was pretty worried because i need to drive a lot (I commute to and from school 3 days/wk and go to work 7 days/wk). Knowing that I need to drive so much to and from school, friends, and work, I needed a reliable car. This is the first 4 cyl car and the gas mileage is almost the same as my 6cyl Century which is a disappointment. I have 5k miles on it and no problems. I got the base model with wheel locks because I plan to get rims for it next year. I wouldnt recommend the black, which I have. Too hard to keep clean but the car is great and so quiet! A must have.

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  I love it/I hate it - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Chayce - February 7 - 6:30 am

  This a very fun car to drive and my wife and I both enjoy the balance of comfort and performance. However, the navigation package is practically useless because many of the features are not usable while the car is moving. It drives me crazy. So, either dont buy the navi and get a Garmin or buy a car that has a functional navigation system.

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  NISMO Believer - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By GR - February 6 - 12:26 am

  Love this truck. Solidly built with great performance. This engine is sweet - climbs the steepest hills in 5th gear like a champ!! Test drove the Tacoma but liked this better. The cabin is more spacious and laid out more sensibly. The sightlines and front window much better than the Toyota. 4 WD works great on ice and snow. Nice and stable. Getting just over 18 mpg with mixed driving. Glad the salesman talked me into the Rockford-Fosgate 6 changer CD. This stereo is a MUST for your truck.

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  So good I had to get another one!!! - 2002 Nissan Quest
  By salseroboricua - February 5 - 10:00 am

  I had a 1995 Nissan Quest with 125,000 on it. Not once did I took it to the shop in the time that I had it. It was such a great vehicle that I decided to get another one and so far I am loving it!!!!

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  Gangsta - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By Jiggy323 - February 5 - 10:00 am

  I wasnt sure if i shuld wait for the new Honda accord or get the maxima. But after the test drive....the choice was clear. Also the exterior of the maxima was soo much more appealing than the honda. IT was also more spacious. The ride can get rough sometimes in the SE.

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  Better than an Accord or Camry - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Ron - February 5 - 12:43 am

  Look forward to driving this car every time I get into it. Sweet engine with lots of power. Bose radio display on dash hard to read while driving. Very roomy interior. Same platform as Maxima. Large trunk space. Style of tail lights takes getting used to. Only looked at Altima, Camry & Accord because of reliability history in this class. My wife loves to drive this car much more so than our previous Subaru Outback. Needs dual climate control for driver & front passenger. Outside temp. display should be mounted where other than just the driver can see it. SL model should have 17" wheels like SE model. Rear wheel road noise does enter cabin area, needs improvement. Ive listed all nit-picky.