These Are The Best Japanese Cars Of The '70s

Japanese cars are a hot hit among car fans who enjoy speed and not spending a fortune. Over the decades, Japanese manufacturers like Honda and Datsun have made some pretty epic fast, fun, and affordable rides.

Although not every great car is one that is fast and of a good price, Japanese brands are great at it. Especially in the 1970s, Japanese cars were extraordinarily popular in the worldwide market.

On that note, here are the best Japanese cars of the '70s.

Honda Accord

Honda is a Japanese manufacturer known for its plethora of compact and affordable rides. The 1978 Accord was a hot hit from the brand. It is one of the first subcompact Japanese cars to feature great styling. The combination of mechanical excellence and looks made this one of the best 1970s cars.

The 1976 model of the Accord is the first generation of the Accord model. The original is a three-door hatchback with a 1.6-liter inline-four engine, which could offer a maximum of 68-hp. Although the horsepower of the Accord was shy in comparison to its rivals, such as the Nissan Z, it was still enough for the everyday driver.

Later models of the Honda Accord in the 1970s were in production until 1981. The later models saw an upgrade to a four-door instead of a three-door and a 1.8-liter engine was also available, which could offer up to 75-hp.

What makes the Honda Accord so great is its reliability and an incredible price. Even now the Accord from the '70s is affordable to buy, at around $5,000 to $10,000 depending on the mileage and condition. They are fun cars to drive and really take you back to feeling like you are driving over five decades ago. The time capsule was a huge hit in the '70s market for its reliability too,

Datsun 510

The Datsun brand is popular for its 510 models. Although the brand is now under the ownership of Nissan, they were popular at Datsun back in the 1970s. The 510 was their most famous model for its design. The Datsun 510 designer at the time, Teruo Uchino, took inspiration from the European sedan market, particularly the 1966 BMW 1600-2. The build saw the incorporation of a SOHC engine, MacPherson strut suspension in front, and independent, semi-trailing arms in the back.

Although first made in 1967, the later models hit the US market in 1974. These saw even better styling and a bigger engine. The last model of the 510 offers a 2.0-liter engine, which could boast 96-hp.

The 510 model was a huge hit in Japan as well as around the world, which verifies its stance as being one of the best Japanese cars of the 1970s.

The average price of a Datsun 510 model from the '70s would be around $25,000 in today's market.

Datsun Nissan Z

Another ride from Datsun was their Nissan Z, which also took the name Nissan S30 or Datsun 240Z. This was a design by Yoshihiko Matsuo, the figure behind Nissan’s Sports Car Styling Studio. Datsun's 240Z helped to usher in a new image of Japan’s prominent car makers, thanks to a well-received release and staggering reviews following its import.

The Nissan Z models transpire over seven generations, with the first in production in 1969. Thus, it became a highly popular sports car throughout the 1970s.

Different trims and variations were available depending on the country of importation. For instance, for the Japanese market, the Nissan Z offers a 2.0-liter SOHC L20A straight-six engine producing 130-hp. Whereas for the US market, the ride offers a 2.4-liter L24 inline-6 with twin Hitachi SU-type carburetors, which produce 151-hp.

Not only could these engines offer powerful performance, but a beautiful noise too, which certainly manages to turn heads. Likewise, the car turns heads for its unique design. Other Datsun models had a more cubic exterior, whereas the Nissan Z models were much smoother and more luxurious in appearance. Thanks to these good looks, it sold over 45,000 units through the '71 model year and over 50,000 and 40,000 in 1972 and 1973, respectively.

For anyone looking to add such a sought-after car from Datsun to their collection of cool 1970s rides, the starting price in today's market for a Datsun Nissan Z is around $20,000 or more.

Overall, Japanese manufacturers sure knew what they were doing in the 1970s. They made some impressive cars, mostly sports cars, which were reliable and affordable. The most common are from Honda and Datsun, seeing as they knew what the Japanese market was looking for as well as the global market. These cars were all a huge hit after release in the global market.