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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  Test Drive One and Youll See - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Joe V. - August 22 - 2:00 am

  Ok, this is my second Sentra and this car sets the standard for the others in many areas. I test drove the Civic and the Corolla, and both of these models were more expensive, but had different weaknesses. The Corolla lacked the zip that I was looking for, the the Civic suspension was even worse than the Sentra in my opinion. The 04 transmission is smoother than in previous years. All in all, a very great car for the price, and a fun driving experience. Drive it yourself and youll see...

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  Average van at high price - 2004 Nissan Quest
  By sunday driver - August 22 - 2:00 am

  We traded in a Silhouette for this. We have been quite disappointed. Wife liked the colr, styling and all the "bells and whistles." Unfortunately, she has been looking to trade it after just 3 months. Depreciated too much and any trade under 6 months voids the warranty to prospective owner. This van and subsequent poor Nissan service is not worth the exhorbitant pricetag.

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  Finally a car my husbands comfortable in - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Joe and Donna - August 22 - 2:00 am

  My husband is 64" and we have looked at tons of cars/suvs and the Murano is by far the best in providing height and comfort for the tall people of the world. We believe we got a great car for "US" its different in its look, fun to drive and has enough of the bells and whistles on it to keep us happy, though if I was buying a car for "Myself" I would have bought the 350z convertible!!! P.S. I just traded in a 3 year old convertible for the Murano, as my husband puts it, "Youre now a married woman". FINDING HIM WAS WORTH GIVING UP THE SPORTS CAR!!!!

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  2004 Nissan SC-6 4D is GREAT - 2004 Nissan Frontier
  By trigger557 - August 22 - 2:00 am

  Great TRUCK and highly recommend it. Crew Cab SC-v6 and Long Bed options are the way to go. Love the purchase.

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  Caution - 2004 Nissan 350Z
  By trmazzucca - August 22 - 2:00 am

  The service tech at Gwinnett Nissan informed me that it was normal to have the front tires wear out,even though I only had 14,000 mls.He told me they did have front end problems & they were not equiped to deal with the problem,I would have to contact Nissan.I inspected the tires by turning the wheel all the way in my driveway. I discovered both tires were totally wore out from the inside & I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON STEELCORDS.With the low profile of the car & the outer treads looking fine I had no idea of the unsafe condition.I called Nissan & Ryan gave me a complete run around. A car rated for 155 mph should not have this type of problem.

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  From 02 Altima to 04 Maxima - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By hh56pkd - August 22 - 2:00 am

  Bought the SL. Got 26.5 mpg on recent trip. Getting 22 in town. Only problem is gas cap is very hard to turn when putting back on. And, heating control settings still confusing when operating manually instead of on Automatic. Now have 2800 miles on it. Especially enjoying the Sirius Satellite Radio (no commercials) Smooth and quiet ride and plenty of power.

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  POTENTIAL - 1998 Nissan Altima
  By McFly4ever - August 21 - 10:00 am

  This car is great, it is very peppy for a 4 cyl sedan, and if you are interested in car performance it has a lot of potential, I am currently pushing 220 hp at the wheels in my 98 altima GLE

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  Nissan Forever - 2001 Nissan Frontier
  By Tweety12 - August 21 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my truck the first week the new body style hit the dealership. Nissan took a chance with this risky design and won by a mile. I owned a Toyota 4x4 before and thought I loved it until I got my Nissan. I have tested the limits of this truck and it has not failed to meet a challenge yet. The only visits have been for routine maitenance and the service dept has been great. I agree it could have more power without the supercharger since I pull a large boat, but as it is, it steps right up to the plate. I have become Nissans best advertisement. If your are considering a Crew Cab Nissan, dont hesitate.

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  I love my SE-R - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By fitz - August 21 - 10:00 am

  This car looks great, runs great, and is fun to drive! looked at the new Corolla, the SE-R Spec V, and the SE-R, and am happy I got the SE-R. handling on country roads and highway is superb. got a 2.5 liter engine and 165 hp (35 more than the corolla and only 10 less than the Spec V.) The SE-R comes with power everything standard, and the standard upgraded 7- speaker sound system is great. 16 inch wheels are cool and the all season tires are great.

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  Awesome - 2000 Nissan Frontier
  By JugHaid - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Awesome fun to drive stylish dependable great loooks ergonomic interior cold ac Smiling and driving excellence