New Logo for Nissan done In-house

Established in 1933, Nissan is a Japanese, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan, with operations in 112 markets globally, making it the sixth biggest automobile manufacturer in the world and, at least in 2018, it was the largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer with its Nissan Leaf leading the way.

The old logo wasn’t special in the same way as the VW or BMW logos are (or were)… it just existed within the realm of badge-like car logos. Sure, it’s somewhat recognizable — more to do with the name than the logo — and that’s what the new logo is betting on, that you recognize the old logo enough to realize that the new logo represents the highlights of the full shield and if that doesn’t work, then seeing the logo in situ, on the car, the general shape of the previous shield remains but, the parts that light up, that is the new logo. In the context of the car, with the shield around it, we find the logo quite great but when the lit parts exist on their own the logo seems quite weak and awkward.

Let's grant that the sense of airiness achieved in the new logo is welcome, especially in contrast to the more typical big bold chrome logos — which seem to be going away — and that the liberated wordmark looks pretty good but the half circles with the spurs shooting off to the sides are somehow irrelevant.

We do appreciate how the new logo lives on the car, its newfound simplicity, and how effectively it signals a new era for Nissan.