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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  Great, Love It - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By Cricket - May 27 - 10:40 am

  I loved this car since the day I test drove it. It is awesome for the price. When making such a large investment, thorough inspection is necessary. I love this cars performance, build quality and interior, the gas mileage is great and have not had any problems thus far. This car is not a Lexus, and it does not have the big price tag, but it is still awesome in my opinion! Great value for the money.

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  Love My Nissan - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By lovemynissan - May 27 - 8:16 am

  Well I just bought it a week ago and so far I love everything about the car! It has a wonderful drive and even with a 4 cyl the put up is amazing! Coming from a V6 I was a little worried but the pickup really surprised me. The only thing I can think of that I would change would be the leg room for the driver. Being a very long legged person, after a long drive the leg room falls a little short. Other than that, so far this is by far the best sedan Ive ever owned!

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  Loaded 3.5 SE coupe - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By Loaded 3.5 SE coupe - May 26 - 5:13 pm

  This is a great car. I enjoy driving it very much. I have owned many nissan models for the past 20 years and I was an employee for nissan for a short time. I love the car a lot however I find the interior material fit and finish chip quality. There are some annoying clicking sound comes from? Dashboard area where windshield meets the dashbord. Also time to time I hear cracking sound from the sunroof which is extremely annoying. The headliner on the back has came off a bit and looks like crap.

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  Much better built than my 02 Ford F 150. - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By mike22 - May 26 - 2:00 am

  Awesome power and towing capability. It just seems like it is built better than my 2002 Ford F 150. I really like the 6 disc changer. I would recommend it to anyone.

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  Sweet Car - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By Snagles - May 26 - 2:00 am

  I had this car since the begin of last year and i found that this car is vary good. i would recommand this car to anyone that has money and would take my advise.

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  So far, so good! - 2012 Nissan Leaf
  By early_adopter - May 25 - 8:37 pm

  I just purchased a used, 2011 SL Leaf. Such a bargain; theyve taken a huge hit in depreciation so I was able to get one with only 4,900 miles for around $18,500. [non-permissible content removed]

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  Awesome Car - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By yam - May 25 - 6:00 pm

  I bought the car with 11mi on it and over a 3 day period put 200mi on it, i love the way it handles,and the hp and pick up for a 4 cyc. is awesome,i have a 02 mazda p5 but this car is just fun to drive everyday.Love the styling and convience in it. and the gas mileage is awesome too....24 in city and i have not yet seen how much i can get on highway...

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  Big improvement! - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Bob - May 24 - 12:10 pm

  I traded a 98 Frontier with more than 130,000 miles on it. Dead reliable and relatively economical, but ride was harsh and interior uncomfortable for long trips. Nissan learned their lesson with the new Frontier. Very comfortable, roomier, and the increased torque make this heavier vehicle peppier than its predecessor. I got the plain jane of the line, but am very satisfied with the package. Toyota wouldnt try to find a 4 cylinder Tacoma, but the Nissan dealer was happy to and cut a great deal. Average 22 mpg around town; 24 on the road. Nice job, Nissan!

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  More than I expected - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Got Sake? - May 24 - 10:00 am

  I originally wanted an SE with leather, sunroof, and CD...but my wife wanted the entertainment package for the kids...so I asked the dealer to locate a truck for me...He had in stock the LE with all the extras I wanted, and the navigation system, which I did not want. I researched all the internet sites, including Edmunds and arrived at an invoice price of just over $34,700. I started the negotating of the truck at $32,600.00, because I didnt want the navigation in the truck so I decided split the cost with him on the navigation, because you dont get something for nothing and it was already there. I picked up the truck for $32,200.00

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  HAPPY NISSAN OWNER - 2001 Nissan Pathfinder
  By BIGAL - May 24 - 10:00 am

  THE CAR IS A VERY SMOOTH RIDEING 4X4. THEY SHOULD TRY TO IMPROVE THE FUEL MILEAGE. CAR HAS PLENY OF POWER