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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  Ok for the money - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By Dawson1 - November 19 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle is ok. It tends to drink a lot of gas, and thn engine is not that large. The windows sometimes radle when the car hits rough spots. I also wish the tank was larger, that would cut down on the requent fill ups. All a round it is an ok vehicle.

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  Really Good Car - 2002 Nissan Altima
  By bmcc - November 19 - 10:00 am

  The Altima is a really good all-around car. Its huge and has lots of space, has a really big trunk, has one of the best car stereos ever (BOSE system), and possesses an insane motor. Rear seat room rivals that of larger cars. The only problem is build quality. ThereÂ’s no denying the fact that it is bad. Wood texture on dash is so hideous that I had it removed. There is a massive amount of noise in the interior. If you drive on a wet road, it sounds like you are driving in a swimming pool. The car pings. To solve this problem, I drive really fast and accelerate a lot so that the noise of the engine cancels out the interior squeaks ;-)

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  The real truth about it...... - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By Batesville CSC 8078 - November 19 - 10:00 am

  Beautiful vehicle. I purchased the Sheer Silver with every option except for the wood grain. The only things that I have added is a color keyed grill & had the original rims chromed. In doing so, that made the vehicle for me! It rides semi smooth for the most part but when the road gets bumpy, youll know it. Fantastic handling & mileage! Interior quality is maybe just avergae. An annoying thump in the right front shock has been a problem though. Everything else has been great! Really will surprise you on how quick it is. Older MUSTANG 5.0S BEWARE!

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  We love it - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Cdnbum - November 19 - 10:00 am

  This is a fun car with a lot of power. It definately is a head-turner. It is nice not to see tooo many on the road, so it still seems to have its aura. This is my first Nissan (Black on Black), We turned in our leased BMW 328 and this car is very comparable in my opinion on all levels.

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  Proud Nissan Owner - 2009 Nissan Frontier
  By Bert - November 18 - 8:33 pm

  Ive only owned this truck for a month but extremely satisfied. Fun to drive, attractive, and roomy for 4 average size people. Fuel economy 16 around town, 21 highway. After thorough research, glad I choose the Frontier over Tacoma. Pros & Cons below.

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  Nissan Max base model is fine - 2005 Nissan Maxima
  By ye Stevens - November 17 - 11:23 pm

  Ive read the other reviews and compared to them my experience has been good. I never had to take it back during the warranty period. I can related to comments about occasional rotten egg smell, and very bad turning radius. But its fun to drive and feels solid. Tires very pricey (I ruined one).

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  good bang for the buck - 2012 Nissan Altima
  By dmihailescu - November 17 - 9:35 pm

  responsive and fun to drive. The interior looks a little outdated nowadays. Easy to use controls. Good deal if you get the end of year rebates.

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  Excellent car - even at 11 years old! - 1999 Nissan Altima
  By McCallister - November 17 - 12:10 pm

  I have a 1999 GXE 5 speed manual. Its currently at 97,500 miles. Its been extremely reliable. Im meticulous about maintenance and appearance. Outside of one CV joint and speakers, no other repairs. Just regular maintenance expenses like oil/ manual tranny fluid/coolant/brake pad changes, etc. I replaced the struts and springs at 92,000 which helped to restore the cars ride quality to "like new". Fuel economy is 23 mpg around town and 28 mpg highway with a/c on. With cruise control at 60-65 mph on long highway trips without A/C Ive gotten as high as 32-33 mpg. I can put at least another 100K miles on this car and plan on giving it to my son in 2 years. Great car!

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  Quality Materials + Smooth Ride = Great SUV - 2016 Nissan Pathfinder
  By MRK20016 - November 17 - 3:44 am

  This is my 3rd Nissan Pathfinder (2002, 2008, 2014) – and this is by far the best of the bunch. Sure it has lost some of its off road mojo, but since off road to me is driving down a dirt path going apple picking or skiing – I am have little to complain about. First off the truck looks great. Beautiful lines, striking paint job that totally pops, beautiful leather seats and dark and useful window tinting – really a great job by the designers at Nissan. The controls are all well placed and very functional (electronics work very well with wifi and Siri on an iphone) – and as with all Nissans, the climate control rocks. Very cold AC, very warm heat and strong defrost. Seating is comfortable, third row is easy to access even with a child seat in the second row, and when the third row is down – I have a ton of cargo space. I am not sure what kind of driving some of these people are doing, but with a good mix of 50/50 highway and city, I am getting 20.5 MPG – which is very respectable for a truck this size. Could not be happier with my Pathfinder.

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  Great Car - 2014 Nissan Maxima
  By clh6 - November 16 - 7:58 pm

  I have had my Maxima for a couple months and love it. I have had it on short trips and 3 plus hour drives. The comfort is a welcome relief..even after 3 hrs I am not miserable and back does not hurt. I average 26mpg hwy and city driving, If I had to complain about anything it would be that there is not an audio warning on the back up camera. This car drives like a more expensive make. Friends cannot believe that it was under 35K.