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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  THE BEST - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By LISSETTE VARGAS - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE MY NEW 2004 NISSAN QUEST

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  Fabulous Ride - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By candy8080 - June 7 - 10:00 am

  It is the best car ever and an eye catcher everywhere that I go.

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  super excellente - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By mauritz - June 7 - 10:00 am

  when you want to generate a fans club, you gotta have this one, at least to your car, i get compliment everyday when i drive this car,everyday!, specially with my Radiant Amber color which is rare!, with burnt orange leather seats, man! you got ,to buy it to believe it. one time I play around with chrysler300M on I-65. They just shocked when i passed them at 125mph in few sec. after they passed me at 110mph.

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  150,000 and still going strong! - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By dkb1028 - June 7 - 3:57 am

  I bought my hybrid in June of 2009 and as you can see by my mileage, practically live in it. It is a die hard. I have put on 2 sets of tires, but only one set of brakes and as of six weeks ago Im no where near having to replace what the brakes. I drive in the mountains and on highways, so this car has seen just about everything. The only negative is the gas mileage. The difference between a regular Altima and what I had to pay for the hybrid will never be realized. In addition, oil changes and maintenance are a lot more. Would I buy another hybrid? Probably not. Would I buy another Altima? Yes.

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  Great, except for the headlights - 1998 Nissan Frontier
  By Floyd - June 6 - 11:26 pm

  I bought my Nissan Frontier brand new, on the advice of a Toyota dealer friend of mine. He said, "Toyota trucks are great, but so are the Nissans, and theyre cheaper." After 8 years and 124,000 miles with my Frontier, I couldnt agree with him more. My truck has been great: no major repairs, no recalls, no production defects. Just change the oil every 6,000 miles and enjoy trouble-free performance. Very comfortable driving position. The 4 cyl. motor is a little underpowered, but the gas mileage is great (21.5 to 28.5 mpg). My only complaint is that the headlights burn out every 18 to 24 months, but you can easily replace the bulbs yourself at a cost of about $13.

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  2016 Nissan Altima SV - First Month of Ownership - 2016 Nissan Altima
  By dfwscott - June 6 - 9:57 pm

  I will say up front that I went with a Nissan primarily because I have a cousin who works at a local Nissan dealership, but I havent regretted my decision to buy this car. This is the nicest car Ive ever owned. I think the SV model could be the best value in an Altima since you get some wonderful safety features (including rear-cross traffic alert and blind spot alerts) along with some nice upgrade options like dual-zone climate control and the power drivers seat with lumbar. Mine also has the navigation package and the sunroof. While I do hear some road and engine noise in this car, I feel its quiet enough inside because I can have conversations at normal levels. The front seats are amazingly comfortable. As for acceleration, its a bit slow off the line, but theres plenty of power in the 4-cylinder model for my needs. It feels solidly planted on the road and I feel safe in it. All in all, it looks sharp inside and out -- it has a great Cayenne Red paint job -- and Ive enjoyed my time with it. Plus, the gas mileage is terrific. In the past, Ive gone about 6-7 days on a tank of gas, but I can go up to 10 days on a tank of gas with this car.

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  Great Handling - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By MikeS - June 6 - 2:16 am

  Murano SL with AWD handles great in all weather. I do not agree with the CVT dig on performance. This is a 245 HP engine which has plenty of pickup and go. It is not a sports car, but does feel very sporty. The CVT will prolong the transmission and save fuel cost.

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  A Fun, Dependable, Economical Ride - 2008 Nissan Versa
  By merlin8735 - June 5 - 9:30 pm

  We have owned our Versa for two years and have 29800 miles on it. We have the 1.8SL Hatchback with CVT. This is not a bland econo box. The CVT is seamless at all power levels and makes the car fun to drive, especially in traffic on the interstate. Highest Hwy mileage has been 36, but average is 31. Combined mileage is 29. The car handles snow and ice very well. The car is comfortable with minimal road noise. The only thing about the car we dont like is the ventilation. Even with a new cabin filter. Most of our miles on the car have been on the highway at speeds well over the speed limit. The car is a blast to drive and we would gladly buy another one.

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  Toyota Guy loves this truck! - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By kycarguy - June 5 - 2:01 pm

  Im Toyota. I think the Tacoma is the best gasoline truck ever built. With that being said, the 05-10 Tacoma and 4-runners are too darn expensive. The 07 Nissan Xterra SE was a great compromise. Im 63" and have plenty of room in the front. The transmission could use the extra gear though. It likes fuel but Im pedal to the metal man. My VDC light comes on and stays on from time to time but when I test it, it seems to work properly. Im at 104k. No other issues. Rides smooth. Fairly quiet. Tons of cargo space/hidden compartments. Love how it looks. And it was half the price of a Toyota truck with similar age and miles. I wish it was the off road package but the SE is not a bad trim level.

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  Best truck - 2010 Nissan Titan
  By killgo - June 5 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Titan for 7 months and no regrets. I drove every truck before before purchasing the Pro-x and has been the best truck I have ever owned.