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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  A great Car for the money - 2003 Nissan Maxima
  By rsudarsa - October 8 - 10:00 am

  My SE is about only two weeks old. I find that the car performs extremely well and handling is superb: power on demand, especially when merging with traffic in the highways. Performance is inversely proportional to mileage. Xenon lamps are great and the audio system is decent too. Opening the windows with a remote is an ideal feature. A good performance car in all respects.

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  SpecV The car I wanted - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Daytona - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Got it 2 wks ago. Good car. Probably paid to much though. Fun to drive. Watch out shifting from 4 to 5. Gas milage seems okay. Very noisy on concrete roads. Not many on the road, this is good.

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  Nissan Sentra 2003 GXE - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By epjohnso - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Ive put 9000 miles so far in the first 3 months(expected). I have one problem where the engine idled rough, and was hard to start, and the "Service Engine Soon" light came on. I scheduled an appoint to take to dealer, but the light went off by the time I did, and service dept. didnt find a problem - been fine since then. I bought this car for the fuel economy. The sticker had 29Cty and 35Hiwy, but only 31.5 to 32 MPG. However, it has increased steadily from 28 to now at 32.+. Maybe by 6 months I might hit the 34-35 mpg range? Overall, it appears to be a solid, well built little car.

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  New Pathfinder Owner - First Impressions - 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
  By NH William - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Since the deals are so good out there right now, I looked into buying a new SUV to replace my 1996 Ford Explorer. I test drove the Highlander, Explorer, Tribute, 4 Runner and Xterra before deciding on the 2003 Pathfinder. This vehicle isnt perfect, but its a very nice combination of reliability, price, styling, handling and features. It rode better than any vehicle except perhaps the Highlander, but I found it more comfortable (no captains chairs arms) and with many more small nice features such as lighted vanity mirrors, fog lights, compass and opening rear window. My model is loaded, mainly due to the Nissan packages required to get side airbags.

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  Cool car at hot time - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Michael Bi - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV you can dream of it. I bought this car at great low price that you cant beat. Driving very smooth and comfort. Great car!

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  Great car, need a better mileage - 2003 Nissan Altima
  By drsayani - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Great interior space, excellent power and pick-up, although could use a better fuel economy. Interior designing could have been a little better, although not bad at all. Response to acceleration is too sudden, and with some delay. Steer handling, superb. Overall, very satisfied!

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  To the Max - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By Lenny B - October 8 - 10:00 am

  After five years in a Volvo, its a true pleasure to be back in a Maxima. Everywhere I go someone is looking at and complementing this car. I continue to be suprised at the available performance when I need to use the accelerator. After driving the SE model and the Infinity G35 sedan I selected the SL for its quietluxurious ride and standard features. With the 320 w Bose audio system playing my favorite CD I become lost in the spacious cabin and the idea of "Road Rage" is a thing of the past. Several switches located on the dash and in the center console could be relocated to allow the operator to see them.

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  LUV MY VERSA - 2012 Nissan Versa
  By luvmyversa - October 8 - 5:58 am

  This car should be a "top ten pick" for an entry level car. My 2012 Versa Hatchback is a "bang for the buck" with CVT (smooth shifting), Bluetooth & Navigation, 16" wheels, ample trunk space w/fold down seats. Thus far, I recorded 28-29+ mph. I do a moderate amount of around town driving. It has ample pickup & power on freeway. Seat height makes getting in and out easy. Cons - rt knee patella can hit drver side dash (however, my 5 10" husband is fine w it) - passenger dash is lower decreasing vertical leg room. A happy ex-Murano owner (Nissan makes good cars) I have no regrets buying this car (almost bought an Outback Subaru). Bought 2010 Versa Sedan for my 86 yr old Auntie. She loves it!

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  Better than the Tacoma - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By Robert - October 8 - 4:00 am

  Narrowed the Frontier down between the Tacoma and the big brother Titan. This is a 3rd (multi-purpose) vehicle for us to tow our 21 Proline boat and to make those frequent trips to Home Depot. I was not impressed with the Tacoma at all. Lots of road noise, underpowered engine, and way too much $$$ for it with little room for negotiation. I took the Frontier home for the day and easily put two child seats in back plus room for third teen. I then tested out the towing ability and it pulled my boat with little effort. I loved the Titan and if I really wanted a full- size truck, the Titan would be for me but since the Frontier achieved my purposes, it became mine for $22,539 (MSRP $25,380)

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  I love my Maxima - 2009 Nissan Maxima
  By KRIS - October 8 - 12:00 am

  Well my husband bought me a Maxima on Jan. 2nd. It was not really a planned purchase, but I am very pleased with this car. Going from a ford SUV to this car is like a dream come true. Its comfortable and beautiful. I love the bluetooth, iPod doc and nav system. My mom has a 08 cadillac cts and she says she wished she had saved some money and bought the maxima. The car is beautiful, handles well, and I will enjoy driving it for years to come.