To date, cars produced since the beginning of 2000 are becoming legal for monthly imports to the US. The 25 import rules include the month in which the vehicle was built, so many vehicles can be imported each month. As the year is inscribed, this rule moved past the great JDM legend of the 1990s and the option to boot the lesser known (cheap!) options. Here we look at some of the best fresh Japanese domestic market cars, along with some of the coolest JDM cars overall.
Toyota Caldina GT-T (T210)
The Caldina GT-T, an upgraded version of the engine from the MR2 turbo, a station wagon with an all-wheel drive system like the Rally homolog Celica GT-Four, packs punches for being relatively unknown. At the top of the Caldina range, the GT-T often comes with a four-speed slash box, but you can find it in a 5-speed manual. Either way, this 256 horsepower Japanese wagon has plenty of boost to continue to enhance both your worthy and interesting alternatives worthy of the Stateside WRX wagon. In a good example, prices vary from about $10,000 to $15,000.
Toyota Caldina GT-T (T210) Specifications
- Engine: 3S-GTE, 2.0 Ritalbo I-4
- Horsepower: 256
- Torque: 239 lb-ft
- Curb weight: 3,175 lbs
- Layout: Front engine, all-wheel drive
- Year of production: 1997 to September 2002
Suzuki Alto Works RS/Z (HA22/HA12)
The previous HA11 generation of this adorable little kei-hatch is the most popular, but the 5th generation Alto production versions often come in at half the price of their trendy ancestors. Like other cars in the era of Japan’s KEI cars regulations, it makes around 63 horsepower and does little to the side. The TurboAWD manual version is wet at 1,630 pounds. Unlike other generations, the HA22SAND HA12 comes in a five-door body style. At least in theory, it makes small vehicles more practical. The HA12 comes with a turbocharged F6A engine, with 59 quoted horsepower, and the HA22 was the same car with the Torquier K6A. It has the ability to exceed 50 mpg and can increase the frequency below $10,000 before import costs, but the Alto afterwards will certainly be an interesting runaway.
Suzuki Alto works with RS/Z (HA22/HA12) specifications
- Engine: K6A, 0.66 Ritalvo I-3
- Horsepower: 63
- Torque: 80 lb-ft
- Curb weight: 1,630 lbs
- Layout: Front engine, front or all-wheel drive
- Year of production: 1998–2005
Subaru WRX Type STI (GC8)
We import cars from Japan to get forbidden fruit, so the factory’s turbocharged first-generation Impreza has historically not been for us. The next Bugeye will eventually be offered here in the state as a turbocharged WRX, while the GC8 generation has acquired a full STI setup in Japan. In addition to the less insect-style appearance compared to the next generation, the WRX STI boasts additional boosts and many gadgets depending on the particular version. Some people had an intercooler sprayer, but the selectable Driver Control Center Differential (DCCD) has tweaked extra tweaks to the dynamics of the AWD system. The prices are above the $15,000 range, but they don’t look crazy considering the frequent listings of modern STIs.
Subaru WRX Type STI (GC8) Specification
- Engine: EJ20, 2.0 Ritalvo H-4
- Horsepower: 276
- Torque: 258 lb-ft
- Curb weight: 2,800 lbs
- Layout: Front engine, all-wheel drive
- Year of production: 1998-1999
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Vi
Imported cars from Japan rarely get better than the legend of this 4G63T equipped rally. Powerful, lightweight, and bursting with characters, this is a vehicle that makes the modern Evo X feel like a minivan. Beyond the much more hardcore production of EVOs exported to the state (starting with VIII), the Evolution VI brings the cool factor of a totally homologged race car. Unfortunately, all this acquired influence puts EVO VIs out of reach, with pre-import prices often exceeding $30,000 to $50,000.
Mitsubishi Lancer’s Evolution VI Specification
- Engine: 4G63T, 2.0 liter turbo I-4
- Horsepower: 276
- Torque: 275 lb-ft
- Curb weight: 2,778 lbs
- Layout: Front engine, all-wheel drive
- Year of production: 1999–2001
Honda Accord Wagoncer (CL2/CH9)
All-wheel drive Honda wagons are becoming more and more common in the aftermarket scene, but if you go to JDM you’ll get something much more refined from Honda itself. Built in a relatively small number shortly after the turn of the century, this incredibly classy wagon is just beginning to become available for imports. Unlike many imported cars from Japan, the CL2 wagon can be taken for less than $5,000 before import. Certainly, this is a more cruising vehicle (at least in stock form) than destroying the competition, but its H23A engine stands on a pile of Honda 4-cylinders at the factory.
Honda Accord Wagoncer (CL2/CH9) Specifications
- Engine: H23A, 2.3 Ritalvo I-4
- Horsepower: 187 (AWD), 197 (FWD)
- Torque: 162 lb-ft
- Curb weight: 3,307 lbs
- Layout: Front engine, all-wheel drive
- Year of production: 2000–2001
Toyota Century G50
Sitting on a Lexus, the Toyota century has long been the most elite Japanese high-ranking means. Aside from the Imperial Halo effect, these modest cars are comically inexpensive to the luxurious and buttery smooth V-12 engine that sprints through the roll. Examples of the late model G50 generation produced between 1997 and 2017 can often be consumed for less than $20,000. In many ways, this century is the top of the JDM luxury car ladder, but few people in the US recognize it when they drive.
Toyota Century G50 Specification
- Engine: 1GZ-FE, 5.0-Lter V-12
- Horsepower: 276
- Torque: 340 lb-ft
- Curb weight: 4,520 lbs
- Layout: Front engine, rear wheel drive
- Year of production: 1997-2017
Nissan Silvia Spec R (S15)
Finally, in the line of the legendary S-Chassis drift machine, the S15’s Silvia production is still 180SX/240SX. Equipped with either a naturally aspirated or turbocharged SR20 engine, the S15 is a JDM geek poster car, and the sub-community is born for countless applicable builds and use cases. Someone did it in the S15 whether they pursue greatness with grip, drift or anything like that. Unfortunately, its influence, and the tendency of street castaways to leave at the bottom of the valley, means that prices are often high. Expect to pay more than $20,000 for a decent example of the Spec-R turbocharged model.
Nissan Silvia SPEC-R (S15) Specifications
- Engine: SR20DET, 2.0 liter turbo I-4
- Horsepower: 247
- Torque: 203 lb-ft
- Curb weight: 2,700 lbs
- Layout: Front engine, rear wheel drive
- Year of production: 1999–2002
Nissan Skyline R34
The Silvia is a poster car, but the Nissan Skyline R34 generation is the ultimate JDM poster car. This is especially true in the top-spec GT-R format, where the R34 continues to have a racing advantage like Skyline’s main character-like racing advantage on circuits around the world, as well as a role defining childhood in the media. Grand sightseeing and 2 Fast 2 Furious. Like the biggest and worst factory versions of classic American cars such as the “Cuda and Chevelle,” the R34 GT-RS is generally a dream-smashing rate auction. That said, for those who tend to drive the skyline more than trailers at car shows, the low-trim R34 is easy to get for under $25,000 before import. These include coupes and sedans with or without all-wheel drive, with a smaller, adjustable engine. All of these can be built on the GT-R spec or later in Aftermarket. The GT-R has become a unique model for the R35 generation, allowing the full width of the Skyline GT-R to be imported into the US.
Nissan Skyline R34 Specification
- Engine: RB series, I-6
- Horsepower: 152–493
- Torque: 137–398 lb-ft
- Curb weight: 2,933–3,484 pounds
- Layout: Front engine, rear or all-wheel drive
- Year of production: 1998–2002
Toyota Chaser 2500t X100
The highly underrated and commonly underrated JDM tuner icon, The Chaser and its fancy Cresta Sibling are frequently the street demon dads. Often, the chasers, equipped with a chassis that makes driving the factory 1JZ engine and Maleficent easier, use vehicles that are closer to Hoodrat Activities. Since Nishihara soared sideways in the visuydrift competition, Chaser and his platform mates have been used by Japanese grassroots drivers for almost all kinds of competition. Blowing the Bayshore route, sliding the mountains, and even notched times in the circuit are common examples. It’s all from a comfortable sedan with a reputation for reliability and a method of general asking price under $10,000 before import.
Toyota Chaser 2500T X100 specification
- Engine: 1JZ-GTE, 2.5 liter turbo I-6
- Horsepower: 276
- Torque: 275lb-ft
- Curb weight: 3,241 lbs
- Layout: Front engine, rear or all-wheel drive
- Year of production: 1996–2001
I have a car AZ-1
It is equipped with an engine, turbocharged, combined body panels and gullwing doors. These are not the attributes you would expect from a $30,000 car. The catch is that with the Autozam AZ-1, not many cars will turn. It has an engine that looks like what you’ll find on a snowmobile, replacing two-thirds of a liter. This vehicle is about two-thirds of the size of a Miata. Drivers under 6 feet fit well, but expect to stack passengers and elbows. The most exotic and expensive of the “ABC” Kay sports cars of the 1990s (AZ-1, Honda Beat, Suzuki Cappuccino), Little Cars’ fame has unfortunately doubled along with prices over the past few years. However, with handling similar to the SW20 MR2 on steroids and easy to upgrade power, it’s hard to say no to such a cute JDM face.
Autozam AZ-1 Specification
- Engine: F6A, 0.66 liter turbo I-3
- Horsepower: 63
- Torque: 62 lb-ft
- Curb weight: 1,587 lbs
- Layout: Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
- Year of production: 1992-1994
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