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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  altima issues - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By islander12 - March 27 - 12:45 pm

  Any issues that I have have with my 2009 Altima i just had to google and found them very quickly online. Three issues, Push start, transmission and leak in the moon roof all were listed as a problem. Nissan covered all repairs except for the moonroof. Disappointing because only had 36000 miles as of 2012 and bought the car based on consumer reports.

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  VERY GOOD TRUCK! - 2003 Nissan Frontier
  By Mr. Mustard - March 27 - 10:00 am

  The 2003 Nissan Frontier my wife and I purchased is quite a value. It is very solidly built, quiet inside, and has the feeling of a much larger truck while driving it. I have been a Toyota fanatic for years, but the Frontier is by far a much improved truck than before and is a greater value than the Tacoma.

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  Best deal yet - 2003 Nissan 350Z
  By daytona350 - March 27 - 10:00 am

  I have had many cars but none compare to a 350Z. The style/performance to dollar amount is better than any other car on the market. The local cruise night was a blast. With this car you can turn heads and have the engine to back it up.

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  Just great - 2002 Nissan Maxima
  By dfsgfdfsdrgr3er - March 27 - 10:00 am

  It is a great car. You have to love the VQ35DE. Its smooth, and if you squint, you can hear a V12!

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  Murano Observations after One Month - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By oswald - March 27 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely love it. Replaced the trusty 1997 Toy RAV4 with this and never looked back. Great handling. Good hwy power. Lots of room. Great sound system. Would recommend it to anyone, especially in the Pearl White color.I have a BMW X5 and the Murano handles very similar, has about the same power and has much more creature comforts than the X5 for $10,000 less!!

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  Great Dealer - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By raylesholm - March 27 - 10:00 am

  The car is fantastic, rides great and gets good gas mileage.

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  Sophisticated and productive - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By DR - March 26 - 9:00 pm

  We purchased our Pathfinder a few months ago now, we have 4700 miles on it and Im affraid were gonna rack up the miles on this baby quick! Its fun to drive, our 4 yr old loves the roomy seats and 3rd row, there is more cargo space than most SUVs with 3rd row and it has great power. This SUV has been very functional when traveling and is great on gas. Only bothersome fact is the wind noise, but its not as bad as most people say it is. Wish they had polished wheels.

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  2008 Armada LE 4x4 - 2008 Nissan Armada
  By makosdad - March 26 - 1:36 pm

  I just purchased a loaded 08 4x4 turning in a 05 Pathfinder. I bought this vehicle on the last day of the month and netted over 10,000 off sticker with the 4500 rebate. We love the truck so far, the navigation works great as does the vehicles voice command. Wish the sound system had an integrated iPod adapter but I can live with this. Drive is smooth and quiet and the handling is super. Exterior looks hot with the 20" wheels and the new interior is far superior to the prior years.

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  xmas2004 - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By mjbk - March 26 - 4:06 am

  This is my third Pathfinder. I leased two and purchase this new one! Love the reliability of this product. I like the larger size...more powerful engine.

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  "Dont Believe The Hype" - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By will - March 26 - 3:00 am

  Just wanted anyone that wants to know that this is by far the worst vehicle that you could buy. This truck has been one problem after another. The first major problem (the shifter locking up so that it wont shift past neutral and or out of park into drive) showed up 16 hours after I picked it up from the dealership; and by the way 7 months later it is still not fixed. Their has been a problem at least once a month. And dont even think of Nissan being any help either to you or the dealership. Half the time I called them and left messages about my file with customer service, they would even call me back. Two days ago I contacted the Better Business Bureau. PLEASE SPEND YOUR MONEY ELSEWHERE!