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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  Fullsized Midsize - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By mossinit - June 14 - 1:06 pm

  The drive train on this truck is rock solid. The 4.0 begs to be revved but still has surplus power off idle. I optioned the 6 speed manual that came mated to a Dana 44 rear axle, heavy duty stuff for a midsized truck. I have used my truck extensively off road in the Adirondacks and found its size ideal for mountain fire roads.

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  Love the 6-Speed Manual Transmission - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By Jim - June 13 - 8:13 pm

  I purchased this vehicle about two weeks ago and have already made a couple of highway trips. Significant improvement over my last car! Despite frequently traveling 75-80 mph, road and engine noise is very quiet. A great deal of standard features and the upgraded engine over the 2006 model made this vehicle an easy sell.

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  Xterra is a great SUV - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By Caroline - June 13 - 5:10 pm

  Ive had my Xterra rear-ended 3 times in 6 years and have never had any damage done to my car (granted all less than 5 miles an hour) but the same cant be said for the cars that hit me!

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  Awesome car - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By vignesh - June 12 - 6:13 pm

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  Not for the Faint of Heart - 2010 Nissan Titan
  By Dare To Compare - June 12 - 5:33 pm

  This is my second Titan, Just drive one. The Titan started the trend and years later builders are still trying to catch up. Did i mention thousands less. In a thousand words or less i could not even begin to tell you how happy I am with the Nissan Titan.

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  Altima 6 spd - 2007 Nissan Altima
  By sandy - June 12 - 10:00 am

  This car is FAST, drives extremely well, is high quality. If you want a G35 and cant afford it, this is the car for you. Very easy to use nav system, beautiful comfortable leather. I tried the Camry, Accord, Jetta and A4 and this was my top pick. The 6 spd manual is very easy to use with a light clutch, beautiful exterior design, lots of leg room front and rear, beats the competition hands down, from acceleration to interior design. If you want a fast (0-60 MPH 5.9 sec) and high quality (rivals G35 and Lexus), try this car before you make your decision. You will be impressed, drives like a much more expensive car than it is. Great road trip car, comfortable with little road noise.

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  GREAT car - 2000 Nissan Maxima
  By First Max - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Love this car, and pretty much everything about it. Havent had a single problem with it, and would buy another in a heartbeat. Only complaint is fuel economy, but I guess thats what you get with a car thats so quick.

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  So Far So Great - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By Robert12 - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned Toyota pickups in the past, and I come from a family of "American Only" trucks. I have to say that this is by far the most bang for my buck. The towing capacity is terrific, and my daughter fits well in the back seat. My wife, who happens to drive a top of the line Honda Accord V6 completely enjoys this truck.

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  awesome car!! - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By Petunyaone - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Best sports car Ive owned!

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  Great, Economical Buy - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By joowy - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Sentra has many benefits over other cars of its class including Civics, Corollas,& Focus.For the same if not more features the price is much lower. I also havent had to do any major maintenance.It is also much better powered and performs better than the Ford Passing on highways is extremely easy for a car of its size & you can barely hear the engine while acceleating.Shifting is very smooth as is the ride for a car of its size Only two complaints.One,front driving seats are a bit uncomfortable & gas mileage is not as good as Corolla or Civic.Only 28 in the city & 32 on highway.