Hands Down the Best Japanese Domestic Cars
Hannah DeWitt
· 4 min read
One of the best things about traveling overseas is seeing all the different
car brands
and models that are not available in the U.S. Germany and Italy do have a well-deserved reputation for building exciting and impressive vehicles, but don't let that fact distract you from the innovations coming out of Japan. We think it's high time that the land of the rising sun gets some praise for their often overlooked automotive contributions. With that in mind, here's our take on some of the best JDM vehicles.
What is a JDM vehicle?
Some of you may be wondering about what, exactly, a JDM is. Fair enough. According to
HotCars
, JDM is an abbreviation for "Japanese Domestic Market." Officially, a JDM is a car that is only available in Japan. However, the term has evolved to sometimes include Japanese-made cars that have been exported overseas. Making a JDM available overseas can be more difficult than you may think. Both the U.S. and E.U. have different car regulations than Japan. There is a lot more to it than simply shipping a car across the ocean. Most JDM vehicles need to be redesigned to be legal in foreign markets.
With that red tape out of the way, here's a closer look at some of our favorite JDM cars.
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Our favorite JDM cars
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Subaru's WRX holds a special place in our hearts. More than just a sports car, the WRX was designed to be extremely competitive in rally racing. This made it a fantastic car to have for both the racetrack and off-roading. It took 10 years for this JDM to become available in the U.S.
The most influential JDM car would have to be the Honda Civic. The original Civic didn't have a showy design, but boy was it impressive on the racetrack. This affordable sports car could be tweaked to be competitive with far more expensive speed demons. Today, the
Civic Type R
can produce 306 horsepower with its supercharged 4-cylinder engine. Historic JDM cars
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Of course, there are some JDM vehicles that are no longer being produced, but hold a special spot in automotive history. Many gearheads of a certain age have fond memories of the Toyota MR2.
The MR2, often pronounced as "Mister 2," was a true speed demon that came roaring out of the ‘80s. Originally a normal coupe, Toyota decided to equip the MR2 with a turbocharged engine in its second generation. The MR2 was an excellent sports car with a reasonable price.
However, nothing quite compares to the Nissan Pulsar GTI-R. While this car never found its way to the U.S., it did start a new trend known as "hot hatches," slang for high-performance hatchbacks. The GTI-R was a surprise competitor at the World Rally Championship, and engineers at Ford and Toyota decided they needed their own hot hatches to sell in America. In Japan, the GTI-R earned the much-deserved nickname of "Baby Godzilla."
Insuring your JDM
Whether you drive a JDM hot hatch or a domestic truck,
Jerry
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