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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  Good design - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By u2head8 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Good design and fairly fun to drive

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  rides like butta - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Nassin - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Next to the Honda Civic this is the best car for your dollar. You get an excellent & very comfortable city and highway ride. Excellent feedback in steering and handling. Top notch sound system w/ Boise. Eye turning exterior style. A very heavy a-la-carte package yet resonable base balances it out.

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  Nissan Altima - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By JojoN - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I love the cars looks, especially the rear view. We had aftermarket leather seats installed, but am happy with the other interior. I traded a Buick Century for this and am most disappointed in the Altimas ride. I even lowered the tire pressure to try to help. Also, my Century V6 use to get about 32mpg on the road and Altima 4cyl only gets about 28mpg.

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  x-terra - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By kirvin - September 26 - 10:00 am

  It is a great SUV. It rides really smooth and gives you a lot of neat features...but it still feels sporty.

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  Great Car - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By marie - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This was my first new car that I bought and I love it. It handles awesome especially in the winter, and its factory rack is great to hall your skis on the top!!

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  it mine and i like it - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By antonio - September 26 - 10:00 am

  this vehicle is much better than the xttera and handles better and a very noticible improved fuel friendly system than the xttera and its mine and i like it.

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  Happy with this Decision - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Laurie Winkler - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I am very happy with this one

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  Nissan Murano FWD - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By thommmasss - September 26 - 10:00 am

  We were prepared to buy a small sedan but my wife likes the visibility from this higher than normal vehicle. Its a quick and capable performer.

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  As fun to drive as my 65 GTO was! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Don Recore - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Vehicle is a favorite of mine. I have had many cars and this is a very fun car to drive. Excellent performance!

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  From a T-Bird to a SUV - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By MR. PUTZ - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Just delivered. Already have 3000 miles. Very impressed overall. Little choppy on uneven roads.