What cars are Japanese made?
Japanese car brands · parent groups · built in Japan vs. abroad
Plenty of familiar brands are Japanese — and a few you might not expect share the same parents. Here's the full list of Japanese car makers, plus an important nuance about what "Japanese made" really means.
Quick answer
The major Japanese car brands are Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Daihatsu, and Isuzu, plus the premium marques Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti. They're all owned by Japanese automakers, though many of their cars are built in factories around the world.
The list
Japanese car brands
| Brand | Group | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota | Toyota | Mainstream reliability, huge global range |
| Lexus | Toyota | Toyota's luxury division |
| Daihatsu | Toyota | Kei cars and small vehicles |
| Honda | Honda | Efficient engines, VTEC performance |
| Acura | Honda | Honda's luxury division |
| Nissan | Nissan | Sports cars to trucks and EVs |
| Infiniti | Nissan | Nissan's luxury division |
| Mazda | Mazda | Driving dynamics, the rotary engine |
| Subaru | Subaru | Boxer engines, symmetrical AWD |
| Mitsubishi | Mitsubishi | Rally heritage, rugged workhorses |
| Suzuki | Suzuki | Kei cars, small 4x4s like the Jimny |
| Isuzu | Isuzu | Diesel engines, trucks, commercial vehicles |
The nuance
Japanese brand vs. built in Japan
"Japanese made" can mean two different things. A car can be a Japanese brand (owned by a Japanese automaker) without being built in Japan — for example, many Toyotas and Hondas sold in the US are assembled in American plants.
That distinction matters if you care about a genuine Japan-built car. The versions actually made in and for Japan are the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) cars — and those are a different thing from a Japanese-brand car assembled abroad for the local market.
Japan-only
Kei cars and trucks
Japan also has an entire class of tiny vehicles you won't find as new US models: kei cars and kei trucks. Built to Japan's strict size and engine limits, models like the Honda Acty, Suzuki Carry, and Daihatsu Hijet are quintessentially Japanese made — and increasingly popular US imports.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- What are the Japanese car brands?
- Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Daihatsu, and Isuzu, plus the luxury brands Lexus (Toyota), Acura (Honda), and Infiniti (Nissan).
- Is Lexus a Japanese brand?
- Yes. Lexus is the luxury division of Toyota, a Japanese automaker. Acura is Honda's luxury brand and Infiniti is Nissan's — all three are Japanese.
- Are all Japanese-brand cars made in Japan?
- No. Many Japanese-brand cars sold in the US are assembled in North American plants. A car built specifically for and in Japan is a JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) car, which is a distinct thing from a Japanese brand built abroad.
- Is Mitsubishi Japanese?
- Yes. Mitsubishi Motors is a Japanese automaker, known for its rally heritage and rugged kei-class and commercial vehicles.
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