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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  scrap car ..nightmare - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By dardouri - September 29 - 12:49 pm

  I really dont want this vehicle any more, I see all kind of the problem with this scrap . I bought this car from a dealer Metro nissan in Montreal with 44kkm and guarantee for 4years, after 2 months of driving, I had 2 much problems..., I would have given it back after a month or two!but unfortunately too late 2 change it

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  Its a darn good car - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By elray - September 29 - 11:20 am

  I recommend the 5-speed. I hear the automatic transmission performance stinks. Its an exceptionally smooth manual tranny.

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  New Pathfinder too Noisy - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By jogt - September 29 - 8:33 am

  I bought a new Pathfinder in November 2004. I had a 2001 Pathfinder which was too small so I was happy to upgrade to the new Pathfinder. I loved the spaciousness and exterior and the test drive was good. However now it makes more noise than my old station wagon. Whenever I accelerate past 20 miles I hear a rattling noise from the transmission. I spoke to my neighbor down the street who also has a Pathfinder and she is experiencing the same problem - noise during acceleration. I am extremely dissatisfied. I will never buy a Pathfinder again.

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  Integrity Of 2005 Nissan Murano is JUNK!!! - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By mj312 - September 29 - 7:55 am

  I bought our 2005 Murano new July 2005 and have had nothing but problems. The drivers visor drop into your face, the driver’s seat is twisted when it goes up or down, the phone charger in the dash has been repaired 4 times to recall and still falls out of the dash, upholstery on the inside of the driver’s seat at the site of stitching split and has continued to tear and pull away from the fabric leaving a tear in my leather seat! The interior integrity of the vehicle is very BAD! We have replaced 2 alternators and two batteries between 11/2/2012 and 7/9/2013.

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  not happy - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By je - September 29 - 12:24 am

  bought this nissan rouge SL 2015 at gerard nissan ct. first 2 months of driving, i notice that voice recognition doesnt work right. been bringing the vehicle to the dealer but never resolve the problem its been 1 half year already. this year air condition issue, 96 degree outside with my son driving the vehicle, AC not cooling only blowing warm air. or most of the time the cooling is on and off. who ever owned the nissan rouge SL 2015 check your voice recognition say "point of interest and the location" very frustrating!

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  A long term love - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By lovin_the_maxima - September 28 - 10:46 pm

  I owned this car for 5 years and put about 100,000 miles on it. I absolutely loved this car. It has a cute exterior, and the performance is spectacular. The inside is roomy enough to fit 4 large adults comfortably, and the trunk had plenty of space for all of my camping gear. The 02 sensor was replaced and the tires cost a small fortune, but other than those expenses and regular maintenance (brake replacement, oil changes, etc.), this car was dependable. I commute a long way to work and owned this car for a long time and I never got tired of driving it.

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  my 04 murano - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By paul la roche - September 28 - 10:10 pm

  In purchasing this vehicle I was always impress by its looks, after 7 months of driving experience, the roomyness, the cvt tranmission, the sound of the howling engine, and head turning effect. I will say that Im very pleased. thanks for making a vehicle that seats a 275 lb man just perfect.

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  Last 350ZR is the best - 2008 Nissan 350Z
  By bigp - September 28 - 8:06 pm

  This is my first Z and Im pleased to say that everything about the Z legend is true. The newest VQ35HR engine has legendary horsepower and torque, mated with the 5sp Automatic for legendary reliability, the sound of the exhaust is addictive, the design is an instant classic. Very respectable MPG for a little monster car like this. And cool tuned suspension/ride for the balance between road handling and comfort. Everything I was hoping for and a lot more.

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  I would not recommend this car!!!! - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Brittany - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive taken my car to the dealership more times than I care to count. This car has A LOT of problems. It wont start. It dead stopped on railroad tracks, dealer said they fixed it, got the car back and four hours later it stopped in the middle of the road again!!! I had my cruise control on for 45 min. on the interstate and all of the sudden it started accelerating. My feet were no where near the pedals. I had to turn of cruise control to get it to stop. Nissan customer service really sucks and they wont help you at all!!! Ive had major recalls on this car and honestly fear for my life when I drive it. God only knows what it will do nex

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  Fun car to Drive - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By DWL2 - September 28 - 10:00 am

  No doubt about it, this car is a blast to driver, great power and pick-up, and a big car.