The Land of the Rising Sun has given us some of the sickest performance cars in the world. There's the stunningly gorgeous Toyota 2000 GT from the 1960s, different generations of the Nissan GT-R and Z-cars, Mazda's rotary-powered beasts, the list of automotive gems from Japan doesn't seem to end.
Updated April 2021: This list has been updated to make it more accurate and better reflect the current Japanese classic car market. In some cases, prices have increased drastically, but there are still plenty of bargains out there for enthusiasts who are willing to spend some time searching the classifieds. There's certainly no better time to buy one of these cars than right now as prices are expected to increase even more.
For whatever reason, Japanese classics never fetched as much as their European or American counterparts, at least not until recently. Nowadays, JDM icons such as the MKIV Toyota Supra are already crossing the auction block well into 6-figure price ranges, way out of reach for the average car enthusiast.
However, there are still some diamonds in the rough, just waiting for their time to shine. That means it's time to go dig through the couch for some pocket change and hit up your local classifieds for one of these future JDM classics.
10 Honda Prelude 3rd Generation
Honda’s sports coupe never really enjoyed particularly strong sales during its 23 years on the market. It was somewhat popular, but few people realized what a gem it really was. The reason might be down to its increased price and lower practicality, making it overshadowed by some of Honda’s other offerings, such as the Accord Coupe. But Honda’s loss can now be your gain.
The Prelude – in particular the 3rd Generation Model – is almost like a baby NSX design-wise. A mere fistful of dollars will get you a sleek wedge design, popup headlights, and body-hugging bucket seats in a car with a sporty personality – it even has the handling to match! The 4-wheel-steering equipped Si models even outshone Ferraris and Corvettes of the era in slalom tests.
9 Toyota Celica GT-S 7th Generation
After a whole 36 years on the market, Toyota said goodbye to its affordable sports coupe with this 7th and final generation. The 7th-gen GT-S could rev up to 8,300 RPM and made 180 horsepower straight off the showroom floor. But it didn't end there, Toyota Racing Development, or TRD for short, offered a number of bolt-on upgrades, including a performance exhaust, short shifter, lowering springs, and a more aerodynamic body kit.
TRD even designed a supercharger for the engine, but you’ll have to do some work to make it fit under the Celica’s hood. Speaking of what's under the hood, this engine is such a star, Lotus used it in cars such as the Elise and Exige.
8 Acura RSX Type-S
The Acura Integra was an icon of the 90s and proved front-wheel-drive cars could still hold their own – especially with the incredible Integra Type-R. Good luck finding one of those for sensible money these days though. Honda tried to fill the Integra's big shoes with this – the Acura RSX. However, it never really reached the same cult status as the Integra, but that doesn't mean the RSX Type-S was a bad car.
The 210 horsepower, manual 6-speed transmission-only coupe was bathed in sporty additions, such as bigger brakes, sport-tuned handling, a re-worked engine, and an optional body kit reminiscent of the Type-R, massive wing and all. You'll want to pick one up sooner rather than later.
7 Infiniti G35
This might very well be the cheapest way into Skyline ownership. That’s because, in Japan, the G35 was marketed as a Skyline.
It offers rear-wheel drive, a 6-speed manual transmission, and it's genuinely fun to drive. Plus, it's available in both coupe and sedan configurations. Find yourself a good example, and you might just have a future classic on your hands. Not to mention, you can tell people you drive a Skyline, and you can't put a price tag on that!
6 Mazda Miata NB
This little Mazda is virtually guaranteed to be an appreciating asset at this point. The 1st gen ‘NA’ Miatas have been climbing in price for a few years already, but the NB can still be picked up for reasonable money.
The NB Miata featured a number of updates over its predecessor, most notably the deletion of the popup headlights, which really is a shame. However, the Miata is all about providing its owner with the maximum amount of driving fun with little frills at a low cost. The NC and ND variants seem to have forgotten about the low-cost part. But not this little guy.
5 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
Think of it as a baby Lancer Evolution. The Ralliart bridged the gap between the standard Lancer and the iconic high-performance Evo. It featured the same engine as found in the Evo, albeit in slightly detuned form as it was paired with a smaller turbocharger.
It also had some Evo-style aerodynamics going on, including a new front and rear bumper and the all-important rear spoiler. It's an understated car with lots of potential, and it should be picked up before other enthusiasts start recognizing it for what it is.
4 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Spec. B
Subaru has high performance and sporty covered nicely with the WRX STI and the BRZ coupe. Their flagship car, the Legacy, is noticeably softer, more luxurious, and more comfortable. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for some zoom.
There was indeed a run of high-performance Legacy models. Known as the Spec. B, it featured bigger wheels, stiffer shocks, a 6-speed manual gearbox – all packed in a subtle, almost nondescript package, unlike its STI sibling.
3 Lexus SC 300
Rear-wheel drive, 6-speed manual, 2JZ engine. But it’s not a Supra. The Lexus SC model was a luxury grand touring car that the company finally killed off in 2010. We're most interested in that first-generation base model though. Usually, with luxury cars, people tend to go for a bigger engine and opt for additional features. But with the SC, the entry-level ‘300’ model featured the same iconic inline-6 that made the MKIV Supra so special.
Granted, the Lexus lacked the twin-turbo setup. But just imagine the massive aftermarket support available for this thing. The problem as a buyer these days is that some owners are starting to become very aware of the fact that there's a special engine hiding under the hood of their old Lexus, but bargain hunters can still find examples under $7,000, sometimes even cheaper if you're willing to put in some work to make it roadworthy.
2 Datsun/Nissan 300ZX
The letter Z has quite a reputation to uphold in the Nissan family. You’d be hard-pressed to find a cheap, good condition 240/260/280z these days. But the Z31 and Z32 300ZX might be the next best thing. By all measures, they drive better, handle better, and are more aerodynamic than the famed Z-cars. But they never garnered the same degree of loyalty the old Z’s enjoy – until now, anyway.
The Z32 is arguably one of Nissan’s most famous vehicles, but it’s easy to find examples for well under $10,000, as long as you're satisfied with the naturally aspirated version rather than the twin-turbo model. Meanwhile, the Z31 still hasn't gotten more popular and can easily be had for less than $5,000.
1 Honda Civic
Given that a low mileage Honda Civic Si sold for $50,000 at auction, it might not be a bad idea to track down a pristine classic example yourself. You can still find affordable examples of Honda’s bestselling compact around and if this trend continues, you could be sitting on a fuel-efficient goldmine – if it’s not been abused or rusted through yet.
The sixth-generation and older Civics are all getting more expensive as we speak, especially the performance versions. Civics from 2001 and newer are still bargains, and arguably better cars than their older siblings, if not as iconic.