Nissan

Nissan is a mass-market carmaker, and its best work has always been in ordinary cars that need to start every morning, carry a family or commute without fuss. By our assessment, that is where it still earns attention: sensible packaging, a wide lineup and enough mainstream models to make it familiar on many roads. The weakness is just as plain, because the brand’s image has often sat in the middle rather than at the top of the pack, so its cars rarely feel special in the same way a sharper rival might. In practice, Nissan usually means no drama, familiar controls and a focus on getting the basic job done, which is not a bad thing in a car. Against Toyota and Honda it can look a little less polished at the top end, but also less expensive in its ambitions. It suits buyers who want normal transport more than a status object, and the Japanese origin shows in that practical, everyday approach.