One of the best car buying decisions you would ever make is getting a Japanese car - they're generally considered the most reliable and durable automobiles in the world and at a reasonable price. Culturally, the Japanese take pride in the quality of their car companies and products.
The competition of which is the finest Japanese automobile brand has never been as serious and overwhelming as today. Among these brands that have become legendary and have managed to place themselves at the top are Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and Mazda.
They have a continuous flow of newly produced vehicles, which are exported all over the world. Thanks to the abundant worldwide supply, Japanese cars’ spare parts are available almost anywhere, and maintenance costs are also cheap.
Currently, there are also lots of Japanese sports cars in the market that deliver precise handling, excellent performance, and high driver engagement, but the following are some of the best of all time.
15 Toyota AE86
The Toyota AE86 coupe won the hearts of drifters for more than 30 years, thanks to its classic RWD balance and flawless handling. It is also a great inspiration to other modern sports cars. Its 1.6 liters engine is robust enough to spin up to 7,600 revolutions per minute.
14 Toyota 86
The design of the Toyota 86 makes it the perfect choice for those passionate for precise handling cars. The 86 is a small and sporty automobile that produces about 200 horsepower and can dash to 60 miles per hour in seven seconds, thanks to its humble 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine.
13 Nissan Silvia
The original Nissan Silva came out around 1964 with a 1.6 liters engine and a four-speed manual transmission. Nissan had made other generations out of the original model, including S10, S110, Gazelle, 240RS and S12. They all have different specifications to satisfy customer demands. And some even have won in the All-Japan Super GT.
12 Honda S2000
The Honda S2000 was powered by a naturally aspirated engine that has an output of 124 horsepower per liter. Its production ran began in 1999, and unfortunately ended in August 2009. During this period, the Honda S2000 had received several revisions, including upgrades for the interior and exterior design, as well as engine specifications.
11 Mazda MX-5 Miata
The lightweight and spacious Mazda MX-5 Miata, is among the best Japanese sports cars, and is now faster than ever. It has a zero to 60 miles per hour acceleration time of 5.7 seconds. It has been available in the market for three decades now and is still a favorite choice of drivers.
10 Toyota MR2
What makes the Toyota MR2 a notable Japanese car is its practical design elements. This small sporty 2-seater car is also known to be the first Japanese production car to have a mid-engine. Three MR2 generations were exported globally from 1984 to 2007. These are W10, W20 and W30.
9 Honda Integra Type R
Since its debut in 1995, the Honda Integra Type R is generally branded as a leading front-wheel-drive car. Its overall performance is significantly superior to the other Integra models, thanks to its distinctive features. The Integra Type-R has a 197-horsepower 1.8-liter DOHC VTEC 4-cylinder engine.
8 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3
In 2007, Mazda introduced the compact Mazdaspeed3 as the brand’s first sports hatchback since the 1990s BG Familia GT-X. It features a turbocharged 2.3-liter MZR L3-VDT four-cylinder engine, which is the same engine found in Mazdaspeed Atenza. It was awarded several times with various titles until its production ended in 2013.
7 Honda Civic Type R (9th and 10th gen)
The Honda Civic Type-R delivers its own set of thrills, and at the same time, has a dynamic and fun exterior, which makes the car very recognizable even from a distance. This car set the bar high when it came to racing performance, by setting a record time of 7:43:80 around the Nurburgring.
6 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32, R33, and R34)
The legendary and highly successful Nissan Skyline GT-R was a very popular sports car in the local Japanese racing world. Its third-generation (R32) was introduced in 1989, and fourth-generation (R33) in 1995, both with a 2.6 liter twin-turbocharged RB26DETT straight-six engine. Its fifth-generation (R34) came in 1999 and found some fame in 2 Fast 2 Furious.
5 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
Distinguished as one of the most striking and technologically sophisticated production cars, the Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO is engineered precisely to dominate its competitors. This four-wheel-drive car features an aerodynamic system, and is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged DOHC V6 engine that produced a whopping 320 horsepower and 315 lb-ft of torque.
4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
Mitsubishi launched the Lancer Evolution X in October 2007, as the tenth generation of the Lancer Evolution sports sedan. It is powered by a turbocharged 2-liter inline-four engine that produces 291 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque. Its production ran until May 2016, and there were 1,000 models produced for its final edition.
3 Subaru WRX STI
The Subaru WRX STi packs a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that has a power output of 305 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque. What makes it an excellent modern car are its finely enhanced fascia, the fact that the power is transferred to all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, and its fresh 19-in wheels.
2 Toyota Celica GT-4
The GT-4 is more than just an aggressively styled version of the Celica - it's a better performing all-wheel-drive car with a 2-liter four-cylinder engine that creates 250 horsepower. Improved suspension and new lightweight parts made a huge difference as well. This car was actually a top contender in the World Rally Championship.
1 Toyota 2000GT
As a product of the Toyota-Yamaha collaboration in 1965, the Toyota 2000GT was introduced at Tokyo Motor Show as a limited-production car. Since then it was revolutionized to be an innovative and practical vehicle. The 2000GT was so sleek and high performing that it appeared in the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice.