Japan has always brought the most controversial cars to the market. They are synonymous with reliability, practicality, and tuneability. Moreover, They have revolutionized the sports car world with cheap reliable cars that are fun to drive on the road and track without paying the price of the European or American counterparts. With their cheap prices and depreciation, these cars can be snagged for cheap in the used car market for under $15,000.
10 Nissan 350Z
Z cars are one of the best automobiles to come out of Japan. Offering a 2 seat layout in either a coupe or convertible the 350z is a stunner. It's coupled with a 3.5l V6 churning out 306 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque. It blazes to 60 in 5.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 155mph.
The engine is very reliable and can be tuned to tear the track thanks to the huge aftermarket support. It also has excellent handling, making it a great first drift car. It was a sales masterpiece so used examples can be had for under $10,000
9 Mazda MX5
Since 1989, the Mazda MX5 Miata has always been considered to be the answer. With over 30 years in production, the Mazda has sold over 1 million units of the MX5 owing to its success with its great driver engagement and low price. It's powered by a 2L inline-four engine churning out 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque.
It rockets itself to 60 in 6.9seconds and reaches a top speed of 135mph. These aren't radical numbers, but it coupled with great handling. Moreover, they have huge aftermarket support with companies like Flynn Miata creating track monsters from these cars.
8 Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86
The Brz and Gt86 are two of the cheapest rear-wheel-drive cars on the market today. Since their introduction to the market in 2012, they have been an enthusiasts favorite offering a good tuning platform. They're powered by a 2L boxer-four engine churning out 200 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque and takes 6.3 seconds to reach 60.
With its low power, you can't set any lap records, however, with a few modifications it can be made into a track missile. Moreover, it's a great handling car and can be found for under $15,000.
7 Honda Civic EK9
The Honda Civic is a family car for daily driving and doing basic chores. However, to make the ordinary family man stand out, Honda introduced the Type R. It's a performance-oriented version of the Civic with more power and great handling capabilities. The Ek9 was introduced in 1997 as a precursor to the modern Civic, sharing parts with the Acura Integra Type R.
It was powered by a 1.6L inline-four engine churning out 182hp and 118 lb-ft of torque and able to rev to 8000rpm. Moreover, it was lighter than the normal Civic and was fitted with Recaro seats, a Momo steering wheel, and titanium shift nob for its five-speed manual. They have proven to be very reliable and prices range from $4,000 to $15,000.
6 Subaru WRX STI
With many wins under its belt, Subaru decided to create a car with its rally car attributes the aftermath was the WRX STi. It spans many generations with the bug-eye, hawkeye, and the blob eye. It was offered as either a sedan or wagon and was powered by a 2.5l boxer motor churning out 276 bhp and 289 lb-ft of torque.
Power was sent to all four wheels and could rocket itself to 60 in 5.3 seconds. It's a good tuning platform with the boxer engine handling great amounts of boost. Used examples in the market can be snagged for cheap depending on the generation.
5 Mazda RX8
The Wankel rotary engine has been Mazda's masterpiece powering the RX nameplates and the Furai. The RX8 is a track-ready monster with the convenience of a daily driver. It's powered by a 1.3L rotary engine churning out 232 horsepower coupled with a six-speed manual. It rockets itself to 60 in 6.3 seconds and can scream to 9000rpm.
However, they tend to be unreliable and fuel inefficient, but when in good condition, you are rewarded with good handling and great driving experience. Due to this, they can be found for as low as $3000.
4 Honda S2000
In the 90s, Honda brought masterpieces to the market including the NSX, Integra, and S2000. The S2000 is a 2 seater roadster powered by a 2l inline-four engine churning out 247 hp and 161 lb-ft of torque. It rockets itself to 60 in under 6.5 seconds and had a rev limit of 9000rpm.
With the VTEC under the hood, you were rewarded with excellent fuel economy, reliability, and tuneability. Due to this, the S2000 has been an enthusiast's favorite being sought after in the used market. They can be found for $10,000 but prices are rising at an alarming rate.
3 Nissan 240sx
The 240SX is a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car. The 240SX came with a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that made 155 hp and 152 lb·ft of torque. It blazes to 60 in under 8 seconds and could reach a top speed of 125mph. Although that may seem a bit weak, in the early 1990s most compact cars weren’t making that much power and nearly none were rear-wheel drive like the 240SX.
It was a proper introduction to the JDM world for any enthusiast. It had excellent handling and had huge aftermarket support backing it up. Several years on its still sought after for its phenomenal handling and tuneability turning it into track weapons or drift missiles.
2 Nissan 300zx
In the 90s, the Japanese sports car segment was huge and Nissan updated their Z car to keep up with the competition. The 300zx was a coupe with a 2+2 seat configuration and could be had as a hardtop, T-top, or a convertible.
It was powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine that made 300 hp and 283 lb-ft. of torque. It rockets itself to 60 in 6.3 seconds and could reach a top speed of 155 mph. Those numbers are solid even by today's standards and with some little tuning, they can become time attack monsters.
1 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV
Even though it was discontinued, the Evo holds a special place in the hearts of JDM enthusiasts. Spanning 10 generations, The Mitsubishi Evolution brought performance, reliability, and practicality to the market for cheap. It was powered by a transversely mounted 2L inline-four engine churning out 276bhp and 260lb-ft of torque coupled with a five-speed manual gearbox and a rally proven four-wheel-drive system.
It takes 5.1 seconds to reach 60 and could attain a top speed of 155mph. Moreover, the engine is a highly tuneable mill, able to push over 500hp. They are highly sought after, making them a good investment. Used examples go for just over $10,000.