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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  Rogue review - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Dean Spicher - July 10 - 11:32 am

  Purchased this SUV to replace a Frontier pickup which was only 7 months old when it was in a total loss crash (BAD). Decided to purchase a small SUV instead of a pickup as a replacement. So far the Rogue has been a pleasant choice. It is solid, quiet and comfortable to drive. It has been doing well with fuel mileage, better than the Jeep Patriot I had before the Frontier. The surround camera system is great for parking and the Bose system is great. Overall I am happy, with the only complaint that the 2.5 is a little rough compared to other 4s in this class, but the acceleration and highway manners more than make up for the rougher than average idle. I looked at Ford, and Jeep comps and went with the Nissan. Overall I think its the better choice for me (GOOD).

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  Best third row, best infotainment and best combination of features, - 2015 Nissan Pathfinder
  By theooutback - July 10 - 8:46 am

  Lets start with the context, Ive gotten a new car almost every year for several years now. Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited(s) (14 and 15), two Camry XLEs, Grand Caravan, Sienna (04, 09, 11)... The 2015 Pathfinder Platinum is outstanding. It may be the car I just keep. I cross shopped the Highlander XLE/Limited and the third row is so much better. The reviews will tell you its got more passenger space than a Tahoe! The third row is the best out there. Its got two real seats and headroom - adults can use it! Which is good because teens and adults are the same size. The infotainment is MUCH better than the Jeep GC Ltd and that is supposed to be cutting edge. 13 speaker Bose is very good.

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  Love it! - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Chris S - July 10 - 5:46 am

  Was evaluating the Tacoma vs. Frontier. Liked both, but Nissan offered more luxury features at a better price, and the drive on the Frontier felt a bit smoother and acceleration was more responsive. So far I am very happy with my decision. I love the styling and handling of the truck, and enjoy the versatility (this is my first truck). Gas mileage is about 18 mpg. Not great with the rising prices, but better than I expected. No doubt I made the right choice. This is a great truck!

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  The new Nissan - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Terry - July 9 - 1:46 pm

  very good car just hard to install low beam headlights. But other than that it is a good all around car and i would recommend it for anyone

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  Love This Car - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By romegirl - July 9 - 12:26 pm

  This is my second Altima. I had an 1998 and it was a great car. I love my new 2008 Altima. Beautiful styling and handles great. Very good gas mileage and comfortable since I commute 120 miles round-trip. Highly recommend. I finally got the color of car that I wanted (Sonoma Sunset - Ruby Red), heated leather seats, and sunroof!

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  2006 NISSAN SE4.0 - 2006 Nissan Frontier
  By jerry - July 9 - 4:43 am

  So far so good, ride a little rough in town, power is great. Seating is firm but support is good. Very good gas mileage,16-18 in town and not broke in yet. Have not made any long trips but hoping for 22-23mpg.

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  Nissan strikes again - 2007 Nissan Frontier
  By RezMan - July 9 - 3:16 am

  Bought a Hardbody new in 87...best purchase I ever made. Bought the Frontier last weekend; great truck. Looking forward to a lot of miles with this one, too. Avalanche color with Steel cloth interior. Alloys. 6 bed. Nice ride. Smooth, quick motor. Seamless cruise engagement. More rear leg-room than the 98 F-150 cab-and-a- half LWB I traded in. Ive read comments about the large turning radius, but its more maneuverable that the Ford. Shopped for seven weeks before settling on this one...definitely worth the wait.

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  Best Vehicle on the Market! - 2008 Nissan Altima
  By alventura160 - July 8 - 3:06 am

  My wife and I needed to trade in her 2001 Nissan Xterra that had 95K+ miles on it. We were looking to purchase a 2008 Pontiac G6, but decided first test-drive the Altima before purchasing the G6. We both loved the Altima so much after our test drive that we purchased the vehicle that same day. We also own a 2007 GMC Envoy, but the Nissan is a much better ride. I was fairly sure that the next car I was going to purchase was going to be a General Motors vehicle, but Nissan makes too superior of a vehicle. I encourage anyone that is shopping for a safe and comfortable car to test drive the Altima. You will not be disappointed.

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  Best-In-Class, No Doubt - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By OffRoadinFrontier - July 6 - 5:43 am

  Traded in my Nissan Armada (fell apart on me!) for a 4x4 Nismo CC with all options. The ride is excellent, the fun- factor is higher than any other truck test-drove (of course, I stayed away from the 45k+ "sport" trucks). Ground clearance is excellent for us newbie off-roaders. VDC is excellent, will never get another vehicle without it.

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  Lucked out with a great Jaded SE - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By seanv - July 6 - 5:36 am

  Green Machine has been great since day 1! Am original owner for 8 years and still happy with it as day 1. So far engine still totally reliable. Will drive this until it stops running, which seems to be a long way away! I would be a fool to sell/trade it the way it (and the economy) is going. See below for pros and cons. Overall the cons are minor. No car is problem-free and this was a great graduation gift from PT school from my dad. I could trade it in for something new, but there is no justification for it, esp as it runs too well. May modify it with front fascia and will repaint the top. So far the only mods are tinted windows. Dont know if I lucked out or if they are all this good!