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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  New Car Owner - 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Frances - September 28 - 10:20 pm

  Ive just had my new Pathfinder for about a month now. It rides great and plenty of storage room. It does well on long road trips.

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  At this Price Point -Its an indisputable Winner - 2015 Nissan Pathfinder
  By Siva Yel - September 28 - 8:45 pm

  Pros: AWD, Leather Seats, Seat Heating in 2nd Row, Spacious 3rd Row, Best in Class design (Super Innovation) for access to 3rd Row, Excellent interiors, Fabulous sensors for Traction, Knob shifts between AWD and 2WD, Traction Locks for SNOW stuck, Intelligent use of Cargo bins, 12 V power, One touch Lift gate, BlindSpot, Rear Traffic, Parking Sensors, Sporty Design with steel bumpers and chrome plates, 5000lb Towing capacity, 27-29 Highway MPG (City 18+ MPG) , Great dealership support, Excellent Cargo space if you fold away all seats, Fog Lights, Innovative Cruise Control Button set up ( Set, On , Off) LOWEST PRICE POINT in comparison to Highlander, Pilot Cons: No AUX port (How could they ?), BlueTooth Audio is not standard (though telephone is) even in SL version, Entertainment buttons (basic switches to change radio channels- they jump in multiples of 5.. so you have to use the knob). The panel switches if you are not buying the 2.5K Tech package are ancient and unacceptable when you are spending 35k+ on a car.

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  go ahead pay twice as much for a label - 2014 Nissan Rogue
  By jaceak - September 27 - 8:27 pm

  this vehicle has a luxury vibe, even without leather seats. great interior, with pano roof. very smooth operator overall. gas mileage is never what they advertise, except on my altima, which is at least 32 overall. bottom line, technology and manufacturing methods have trickled down to the point where lower priced cars are just as good. had 11 lexus cars and this rogue rides as good as any of them...enjoy!

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  Gas Mileage - 2002 Nissan Pathfinder
  By NissanDriver - September 27 - 6:53 am

  This is a great SUV. Unlike some of its counterparts, you can this truck loaded out, i.e. heated front seats and mirrors, memory seats, in-dash 6 disc changer, etc. The only problem I have with it so far is the gas mileage..it does not get 15/18. Its more like an average of 10 to 12 miles per gallon!

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  Nice ride. - 2011 Nissan Frontier
  By Moe - September 26 - 7:19 am

  Turning radius is horrible. Fuel mileage leaves much to be desired. Could have more ground clearance but a 3" lift is very cheap allowing for 32" tires. That being said those are my only three gripes. Has lots of power for a V6. Warms up fast on cold days. Lots of handy storage compartments. Superior lighting was a must for me since I work at night hence I do a lot of night driving. The headlights are very bright without using high beams. The interior lights are also bright and encompass the entire cab. The rear seats fold down or up allowing for storage space for large objects you dont want in the bed of the truck.

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  Love my 2015 Rogue - 2015 Nissan Rogue
  By inowner - September 26 - 6:36 am

  I have owned the 2015 Rogue SV AWD for 4 mo. I had a remote start installed through the dealership. Also had the dealership install a hitch for my bike rack. I love the features, navi, lane assist, blind spot warning, surround camera. power lift gate. My car has not disappointed! I plan to drive this car for a long time. Love the cargo area and that I can divide to help carry more cargo. Great for separating groceries.

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  Happy but some issues - 2005 Nissan Armada
  By HappyG - September 25 - 9:56 pm

  Had some problems with the brakes, had to take it for service 2 times. Fuel economy could be much much better but for a big V8 should be expected. Some noise in the back but once again SUV, should be expected. Overall I would say a good solid SUV. Ton of room for a large family. Navigation is great. Cargo room is very convinient. Power liftgate helps. SVT is a great feature to have, keeps the truck on the ground. Had the truck since February, goes through snow like knife through butter.

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  Maybe should have stuck with 4runner - 2008 Nissan Pathfinder
  By 4runner? - September 25 - 2:43 am

  I read lots of reviews and felt comfortable with this truck, but my transmission does the same thing as some of the others here. I wish I would have dug further. The left passenger door handle is broken (Ive had the truck less than two weeks) and there are several interior squeaks and rattles. I was spoiled with a 97 4runner that was bulletproof (not a squeak), but the current generation is late in its design cycle, so I steered away. I also had a great experience with my 01 Maxima, which led me to stay with Nissan. I have my doubts about the longevity of this Pathfinder, and I hope theres a recall soon for the transmission. Time will only tell if I made a mistake straying from the 4runner.

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  Not too bad - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By bosoxer - September 24 - 8:33 pm

  This was my first Nissan and although Ive had some problems with it, I still really enjoy it. For some reason, my drive train was "falling off," so that was fixed. Had problems with my heating system, which still was completely fixed, and a few little things like an emissions sensor, and windows power unit. Im a bit nervous about how much has gone wrong in 3 years, as my truck only has 35,000 miles on it, and I do not ride it off- road. The power is tremendous in this truck. It really gets up and moves. The turning radius is horrible. The ride is smooth however. Keeping my fingers crossed on future repairs as my warranty ended this month. Would still recommend this truck.

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  Beware of problems - 2004 Nissan Maxima
  By stevek - September 24 - 10:00 am

  Picked this car up as a dealer locate, the selling dealer would not order me one. Unfortunately sometime before me it sustained damage to the right front axle boot which ruined the axle. 30 days and still wating for parts, Nissan says I will just have to wait, they dont even call me. Also some vibration in shifter in 1st, they say its normal. My 00 was a great car, so far this one falls far short. Cant bekieve how poor customer service is, maybe its the French connection.