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Best Japanese Cars for 2024

4
ISeeCars.com
·5 min read

Modern Japanese cars satisfy the full range of U.S. consumer demand, which includes everything from small, fuel-efficient hatchbacks to large, three-row luxury SUVs and full-fledged supercars. This breadth of product offering allowed Japanese cars to surpass European market share in the U.S., with Japanese brands now making up approximately half of all new car sales in the U.S. This is surprising when one considers Japan’s limited role in U.S. car sales before 1970.

But a combination of factors in the early 1970s, including skyrocketing fuel prices, increased emissions regulations, and growing American demand for higher quality automotive products, combined to catapult demand for Japanese vehicles during the 1970s and ‘80s.

Early Japanese models sold in U.S. showrooms included the practical Toyota Corona and sporty Datsun (Nissan) 240Z. But it was the 1973 oil embargo that sent fuel prices skyrocketing and opened the door for fuel-efficient models like the Honda Accord, Honda Civic, and Toyota Corolla to find favor with U.S. shoppers, eventually becoming top sellers in America.

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Japanese car brands pioneered many automotive technologies over the past 50 years, including the widespread use of front-wheel drive and hatchback body styles to provide maximum interior space in compact cars. Japanese automakers also led the way in developing early turbocharger technology, giving performance cars like the Toyota Supra and Mitsubishi Lancer Evo an appealing balance of acceleration and fuel economy.

The Lancer Evo, along with the Subaru Impreza WRX, took a page from Audi’s playbook, incorporating advanced all-wheel-drive technology to find success in competitive motorsports while establishing an enthusiast U.S. fan base. Additional high-profile Japanese enthusiast models include the Mazda RX-7, with its innovative rotary engine, the Acura Integra Type R, with its high-revving inline four-cylinder featuring variable valve timing, and the Nissan Skyline GT-R. The Skyline was originally a Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) model, but ongoing U.S. interest eventually resulted in a twin-turbo Nissan GT-R landing in U.S. showrooms.

Below you will find the best Japanese cars ranked by their iSeeCars quality score across a number of categories. New and used pricing, fuel efficiency ratings, and cargo space information is also included for each model.

Here are the Best Japanese Vehicles by Category (Ranked by iSeeCars Quality Score), determined by evaluating reliability, value retention, and safety based on extensive data from iSeeCars and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Best Japanese Small Cars

  1. Honda Civic (coupe) – 9.4 / 10

  2. Honda Fit – 9.2 / 10

  3. Toyota Yaris – 9.2 / 10

Best Japanese Luxury Small Cars

  1. Lexus IS 350 – 9.1 / 10

  2. Lexus IS 300 – 8.9 / 10

  3. Acura ILX – 8.6 / 10

Best Japanese Midsize Cars

  1. Honda Accord – 9.3 / 10

  2. Toyota Camry – 8.8 / 10

  3. Mazda Mazda6 – 8.8 / 10

Best Japanese Luxury Midsize Cars

  1. Lexus ES 250 – 9.0 / 10

  2. Lexus ES 350 – 8.7 / 10

  3. Lexus GS 300 – 8.4 / 10

Best Japanese Large Cars

  1. Toyota Avalon – 9.2 / 10

  2. Nissan Maxima – 8.6 / 10

Best Japanese Luxury Large Cars

  1. Acura RLX – 8.3 / 10

  2. Lexus LS 500 – 7.8 / 10

Best Japanese Sports Cars

  1. Subaru BRZ – 8.4 / 10

  2. Nissan 370Z (coupe) – 8.3 / 10

  3. Mazda MX-5 Miata – 8.2 / 10

Best Japanese Luxury Sports Cars

  1. Lexus RC F – 8.0 / 10

  2. Nissan GT-R – 7.9 / 10

  3. INFINITI Q60 – 7.0 / 10

Best Japanese Convertibles

  1. Mazda MX-5 Miata – 8.2 / 10

  2. Nissan 370Z (convertible) – 7.7 / 10

  3. Mazda MX-5 Miata RF – 7.3 / 10

Best Japanese Coupes

  1. Honda Civic (coupe) – 9.4 / 10

  2. Subaru BRZ – 8.4 / 10

  3. Nissan 370Z (coupe) – 8.3 / 10

Best Japanese Hatchbacks

  1. Honda Fit – 9.2 / 10

  2. Mazda Mazda3 Hatchback – 8.8 / 10

  3. Honda Civic (hatchback) – 8.8 / 10

Best Japanese Subcompact Cars

  1. Honda Fit – 9.2 / 10

  2. Toyota Yaris – 9.2 / 10

  3. Nissan Versa – 8.6 / 10

Best Japanese Compact Cars

  1. Honda Civic (coupe) – 9.4 / 10

  2. Toyota Corolla – 9.1 / 10

  3. Honda Civic – 9.0 / 10

Best Japanese Subcompact SUVs

  1. Mazda CX-3 – 8.2 / 10

  2. Honda HR-V – 8.1 / 10

  3. Mitsubishi Outlander Sport – 8.0 / 10

Best Japanese Small SUVs

  1. Honda CR-V – 8.9 / 10

  2. Toyota RAV4 – 8.8 / 10

  3. Subaru Forester – 8.6 / 10

Best Japanese Luxury Small SUVs

  1. Acura RDX – 8.4 / 10

  2. INFINITI QX50 – 8.1 / 10

  3. Lexus NX 300

Best Japanese Luxury Crossover SUVs

  1. Acura MDX – 8.9 / 10

  2. Lexus RX 350 – 8.4 / 10

  3. Acura RDX – 8.4 / 10

Best Japanese Midsize SUVs

  1. Honda Passport – 8.9 / 10

  2. Mazda CX-9 – 8.7 / 10

  3. Toyota 4Runner – 8.7 / 10

Best Japanese Large SUVs

  1. Toyota Land Cruiser – 9.1 / 10

  2. Toyota Sequoia – 8.9 / 10

  3. Nissan Armada – 8.0 / 10

Best Japanese Hybrid Cars

  1. Toyota Prius (hatchback) – 9.2 / 10

  2. Toyota Camry Hybrid – 9.0 / 10

  3. Honda Accord Hybrid – 8.5 / 10

The iSeeCars Best Japanese Cars rankings offer a comprehensive evaluation of the top-performing vehicles across multiple categories. By focusing on reliability, value retention, and safety, these rankings provide valuable insights to help you select a vehicle that not only stands the test of time but also retains its value and prioritizes safety. Whether you're seeking a dependable family car or a long-lasting investment, these vehicles represent the best that Japanese automakers have to offer.

About iSeeCars:

iSeeCars.com is a data-driven car search and research company that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, including the iSeeCars VIN Check report and Best Cars Rankings. iSeeCars has saved users over $421 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.

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This article, Best Japanese Cars for 2024, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com.