Honda vs Nissan: Founders, CEOs and History
Honda was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa and is led by Toshihiro Mibe. Nissan was founded in 1933 by Yoshisuke Aikawa, William Gorham, Masujiro Hashimoto and is led by Ivan Espinosa.
Company facts
Founders
Honda
Soichiro Honda
Soichiro Honda was an absolutely legendary Japanese engineer, fiercely brilliant industrialist, and the profoundly influential founding patriarch fundamentally responsible for the incredible engineering dominance of the massive Honda Motor Company.
Takeo Fujisawa
Takeo Fujisawa was a highly visionary Japanese business executive and the profoundly influential co-founder fundamentally responsible for the incredibly brilliant commercial and financial architecture of the massive Honda Motor Company.
Nissan
Yoshisuke Aikawa
Yoshisuke Aikawa was an absolutely brilliant Japanese industrialist, fiercely visionary corporate architect, and the profoundly influential founding patriarch fundamentally responsible for creating the massive Nissan Motor Corporation.
William Gorham
William R. Gorham was a highly brilliant American-born automotive engineer and the profoundly influential technical co-founder fundamentally responsible for the absolute earliest mechanical architecture of the massive Nissan Motor Corporation.
Masujiro Hashimoto
Masujiro Hashimoto was a fiercely pioneering Japanese mechanical engineer and the profoundly influential historical founder fundamentally responsible for establishing the Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works, an absolute foundational predecessor to the massive Nissan M…
Rokuro Aoyama
Rokuro Aoyama was a highly astute Japanese financier and the profoundly influential commercial co-founder fundamentally responsible for providing the incredibly critical early capital that birthed the 'DAT' car, a massive predecessor to the Nissan Motor Corpor…
CEOs and their tenures
Honda
- Takahiro Hachigo2015–2021
Former President and CEO
Hachigo trimmed excess capacity and refocused Honda on hybrids, motorcycles and its core models, which improved profitability before the EV investment cycle began.
Source - Toshihiro Mibe2021–present
Director, President and Representative Executive Officer (CEO)
Mibe's tenure has been defined by the push into electrification and its costly reset. The EV charges produced Honda's first annual loss since listing, but the shift toward hybrids and motorcycles was followed by a record first-quarter profit in FY2027.
Source
Nissan
- Katsuji Kawamata1957–1973
President & Chairman
Transformed Nissan from a domestic Japanese producer into an international export leader.
Source - Carlos Ghosn1999–2017
Executive Officer & CEO
Rescued Nissan from imminent bankruptcy and built the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi global alliance.
Source - Makoto Uchida2019–2025
Representative Executive Officer, President & CEO
Returned Nissan to profit after the pandemic, but stepped down in March 2025 after results collapsed in FY2024 and merger talks with Honda failed.
Source - Ivan Espinosa2025–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mexican-born former chief planning officer who succeeded Makoto Uchida as CEO on April 1, 2025. Launched the Re:Nissan cost and restructuring plan and led Nissan back to a quarterly operating profit in Q1 FY2026.
Source
Timeline: Honda and Nissan side by side
1914Nissan
Creation of the DAT Car: Masujiro Hashimoto creates the DAT passenger car at Kaishinsha in Tokyo, establishing the engineering roots of Datsun and Nissan.
1933Nissan
Founding of Jidosha Seizo in Yokohama: Yoshisuke Aikawa establishes Jidosha Seizo Co., Ltd. in Yokohama, renamed Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. in 1934.
1948Honda
Honda Motor Founded
Soichiro Honda establishes Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan.
1958Nissan
Mobilgas Round Australia Trial Victory: Datsun 1000 captures class honors in the 10,000-mile endurance trial, launching Nissan's international export offensive.
1959Honda
American Honda Opens
Honda enters the US market, initially building awareness through motorcycles.
1963Honda
Honda Enters Automobiles
Honda expands from motorcycles and engines into automobile production.
1966Nissan
Merger with Prince Motor Company: Nissan absorbs Prince Motor Company, acquiring top aeronautical engineering talent, royal coachbuilding prestige, and the well-known Skyline and Gloria nameplates.
1969Nissan
Launch of Datsun 240Z and Skyline GT-R: Nissan releases the affordable inline-six Datsun 240Z sports coupe in the US and the dual-overhead-cam Skyline 2000GT-R in Japan, shattering European performanc…
1972Honda
Civic Launch
The Civic becomes a defining global nameplate for Honda's fuel-efficient automobile strategy.
1989Nissan
Infiniti Luxury Division & R32 GT-R Debut: Nissan launches Infiniti in North America with the Q45 flagship sedan and revives the R32 Skyline GT-R featuring ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive.
1999Nissan
Formation of Renault-Nissan Alliance: Facing $20B in corporate debt, Nissan forms an equity alliance with Renault S.A.; Carlos Ghosn launches the Nissan Revival Plan to rescue the company.
2010Nissan
Commercialization of 100% Electric Nissan Leaf: Nissan releases the Leaf, creating the modern mass-market electric vehicle segment and selling over 650,000 units globally.
2016Nissan
Acquisition of 34% Controlling Stake in Mitsubishi Motors: Nissan invests $2.2 billion to purchase a controlling 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, creating the three-way Alliance.
2020Nissan
Unveiling of Nissan NEXT Turnaround Plan: then-CEO Makoto Uchida unveils Nissan NEXT, rationalizing global capacity by 20% and focusing core investments on e-POWER and EVs.
2021Honda
Toshihiro Mibe Becomes CEO
Mibe becomes CEO as Honda increases focus on electrification, software, and new mobility.
2024Nissan
Historic EV Collaboration with Honda: Nissan and Honda sign a strategic partnership to co-develop electric vehicle drive platforms, standardized core components, and automotive software OS.
2025Nissan
Honda merger talks end in February; Ivan Espinosa becomes CEO on April 1; Re:Nissan recovery plan announced in May.
2026Honda
FY2026 Loss and EV Reset
Honda reports ~$146 billion (JPY 21.797 trillion) in sales revenue and a ~$2.84 billion (JPY 423.9 billion) loss attributable to owners after EV write-downs, then posts a record ~$3.56 billion (JPY 530.7 billion) Q1 FY2027 operating profit in August.
2026Nissan
FY2025 results show ~$80.4 billion (¥12.0 trillion) revenue and a ~$3.57 billion (¥533.1 billion) net loss; Q1 FY2026 operating profit returns to ~$522 million (¥77.9 billion).
Acquisitions
Nissan
- Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (34% Controlling Stake)2016$2.2B
- Prince Motor Company1966Undisclosed
Questions about Honda vs Nissan
Who is the CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is led by Toshihiro Mibe and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is led by Ivan Espinosa. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Honda Motor Co., Ltd. founded vs Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.?
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. was founded in 1933 — 15 years before Honda Motor Co., Ltd., which was founded in 1948. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Honda Motor Co., Ltd..
How many employees does Honda Motor Co., Ltd. have compared to Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. employs approximately 195,109 people, while Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. employs approximately 120,079. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has the larger workforce at 195,109 employees, compared to Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.'s 120,079. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. headquartered?
Both Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. are headquartered in Japan, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. was founded by Yoshisuke Aikawa, William Gorham, Masujiro Hashimoto, Rokuro Aoyama.
Which company has a longer operating history — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. or Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.?
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has been operating for approximately 93 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has been in operation for around 78 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Honda vs Nissan overview