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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  Smooth Ride - 2005 Nissan Pathfinder
  By FreshSmile - October 18 - 12:03 am

  This is our third pathfinder. All have been virtually bulletproof in reliability. Just came off of a painful Odyssey tranny problem, this will hopefully be a breath of fresh air. First off the truck is tight driving. All components feel very solid and first rate inside and out. Bose 9 speaker system with sub is music to my semi-audiophile ears. Ive had the oportunity to use it in some snow and can hardly get the tires to slip in 2wd with the anti slip system enabled! Havent needed to put it into 4wd yet. The engine is something special. The torque is what impressed me initially, very nice off the line with a deep throaty growl. Most importantly: My wife and kids feel safe.

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  So far so good - 2014 Nissan Pathfinder
  By cshannon - October 17 - 10:14 pm

  I have owned my pathfinder a month and still love it. I have put on 1500 miles so far. I purchased the premium platinum package with the rear DVD system and the biggest problem we have is the kids fighting over which DVD to watch. I went from a GMC Yukon and was worried at first about going to a smaller SUV but I was pleasantly surprised how roomy the interior actually is. I have not had any of the transmission problems that I have read about in the other reviews the pathfinder is really a fun car to drive.

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  Very Happy - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By tincantourist - October 17 - 3:00 pm

  This is probably the best 4X4 truck I have ever owned

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  2013 Pathfinder problems - 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
  By leprechaun3 - October 17 - 12:13 pm

  Purchased on 12 Aug 2013. Took it on a trip last week (30 Oct t0 2 Nov). Experienced power surges when stopped, rpm jumped from 500 to 1000 . Had to keep foot on brake. Vehicle shuddered, once to the point that the whole vehicle shook. Took it to dealer today, 4 Nov, they called and told me that the transmission had to be replaced. The vehicle is 2 1/2 months old and has 2300 miles. They also told me that it was Nissans policy to replace transmissions with remanufactured transmissions. Immediately called Nissan customer Care, told them this was not acceptable. Was told that my complaint would be expedited and that someone form Nissan HQ would call me. Waiting for more info now.

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  Purrs Like a Lion - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By LVMYTRUK - October 17 - 11:43 am

  My Nissan Titan purrs like a lion. Living in the mountains, and commuting to work, I need to feel that my daughter and I are safe and that I am driving a reliable vehicle. My Nissan is everything that I was looking for and more. It is attractive, comfortable, dependable, and safe in most weather conditiond. I am not unhappy with the gas consumption, either. I would recommend this truck to anyone who enjoys driving a powerful vehicle with style!

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  Dont buy a Nissan - 2005 Nissan Altima
  By Richard - October 17 - 8:36 am

  I just leased an Altima fron All- Brands in hackensack njin feb/05. The car had problems with the ignition switch right from the start. I brought it back twice but the dealer didnt fix anything . THEY ACTUALLY LEFT THE CAR OVER NIGHT IN AN UN-FENCED UN- ATTENDED LOT WITH THE KEYS IN THE CAR AN THE DOORS UN-LOCKED and they say theyll need about a week to fix the car.That means that a month old car will have been in their shop for more then a week.They wont give me a loaner and they wont spend the $ to get the needed part fedexd. Talk about a company that only cares about you until they get your $!-Thats NISSAN. THis is my 3rd Nissan but its my last.

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  Best spacious small car in its class - 2007 Nissan Versa
  By Quality Nut - October 17 - 1:03 am

  An excellent car, I love it. For the features, drive, comfort and quality, I felt the Versa is worth more than its price. Before buying the Versa, I test drove both Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris. Actually, I enjoyed driving both cars. But I found the interior and dash board of Versa very convenient than any other car of comparable size and price. Definitely, I recommend the 2007 Versa based on my personal experience.

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  2000 Nissan Altima - 2006 Nissan Altima
  By Larry - October 16 - 8:54 pm

  You know that a car will only last as long as you have followed the proper maintenance schedule for the car. I bought this car in 2013 and the previous owner did NOT take care of it. Just dumped it as soon as things started to go wrong. I checked all the oils, fluids and filters and they looked horrible...But the good news is that my son is now driving the same car to college three years later and it continues to performs PAST my expectations. The Altima is now 16 years old and he plans on driving it another two years.

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  Excellent truck, thats right... truck - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By 3rd Nissan owner - October 16 - 7:10 pm

  Ive had 2 other Nissan trucks, and I knew the Pathfinder was a good buy, but I was initially set on a 4- runner. I was caught by the sleek exterior styling, but we couldnt seem to find any with the 3rd row seating, which was the main purpose of us buying a Pathfinder. I was glad to see a body-on-frame construction for this truck; Ive been turned off by the uni-body design of the past pathfinders, and most/all others. My fiance and I fight over who gets to drive it to work, we already have almost 3k miles and weve only had it for about a month and a half. When this body style came out, I thought they just looked too narrow. Once you look at it from other angles, this isnt the case.

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  Nihon Love (Datsun) - 2007 Nissan Sentra
  By RaShad V - October 16 - 8:16 am

  I bought my car in 2007 and I love it. I am a true fan of Honda, but I am so glad I chose my Nissan Sentra over the Honda Civic, but my girlfriend will get the 09 civic. I chose my car for reliability and horsepower. This car is great for long distance driving and In-city driving. Honda(s) usually sits low, also many are complaining about a rattling noise on some of the Honda (s). I have a 94 Toyota Corolla 5speed and it is great on gas, so I look at the Nissan like it could burn gas a little slower. I get 45mpg in my Corolla because it is a 1.6L. My Nissan is a 2.0L, but it is better in the city. The Nissan Sentra is a great car to drive overall.