Nissan hasn't had a rudder since the Ghosn palace coup, and the series of failed execs who followed him.
Toyota can stand on its reputation for durable appliances, and championing technologies like hybrids. It has a seat at the fancy table with Lexus.
Honda can lean on its engineering reputation, and racing spirit, even if it never figured out what it really wants Acura to be, other than a slightly nicer Honda.
Mazda knows its place as a smaller fish, and has shifted aim to giving its vehicles near-luxury traits, and the verve of its sporty icons, as its identity, and set itself apart.
Subaru? Durable utility, solid in build and value, even if they look better inside the box they came in, and could be questioned for not hiring designers, or just the ones who graduated design school with C's. Even Volvo, their Swedish predecessors who attracted the same audience, figured that part out, as did the Koreans.
What does Nissan currently stand for? Certainly not the aggressive, but money-losing engineering-lead company that needed to be rescued by Ghosn. Trying to help blaze the path with the Leaf, which Ghosn admitted was a bold, but reluctant bet, and loss-leader? What makes it, or the neglected, stale Infiniti stand out as a brand and inspire shoppers to consider them?
Perhaps they are akin to the Japanese Chrysler, which has had some bright spots and good times, but of late mostly relies on business relationships to help it maintain criticial mass, and stay relevant, if not afloat, in the competitive seas filled with mega OEMs.