List Of All Japanese Car Brands

Toyota occupies a prominent stance within the global automobile manufacturing sector as one of the four brands under the umbrella of Toyota Motor Corporation. Headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan, the corporation stands as a notable force in the industry, with an annual production of around 10 million vehicles.

The "Toyota" name's roots go back to the founder's family name, Sakichi "Toyoda." Initially, the company's vehicles featured a Toyoda emblem. In 1936, the company held a public competition for a new logo, leading to the change to the current brand name, "Toyota."

Daihatsu is renowned for specializing in compact hatchbacks and micro-cars. Two prime illustrations of this are the Daihatsu Mira and Move. These models exemplify the brand's commitment to producing exceptional vehicles, which was further enhanced following its complete acquisition by Toyota in 2016.

Indeed, Japanese car brands have earned a reputation for being highly reliable in the automotive industry, and Daihatsu is no exception. Furthermore, Daihatsu cars make it convenient to find spare parts since every major and minor component can be effortlessly swapped with its identical Toyota vehicle part.

First introduced in 1989, Lexus is the luxury vehicle brand of Toyota Motor. The brand is marketed in over 90 countries and territories worldwide and stands as Japan's largest-selling make of premium car.

Created at around the same time as rivals Nissan and Honda created their Infinity and Acura luxury divisions respectively, Lexus originated from Toyota's 1983 project, aiming to craft a premium sedan, code-named F1. The endeavor led to the debut of the Lexus LS in 1989.

Toyota Alphard is a minivan produced by Toyota Motor Corporation since 2002. Offering seating for seven or eight, the vehicle comes with both petrol and hybrid engine options. Hybrid models, integrating Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, have also been available since 2003.

While primarily made for the Japanese market, the Alphard is also supplied to multiple Asian countries, including Belarus, Russia, and the Middle East. Comparable to the Camry, it enjoys a reputation as a luxury car in Southeast Asian markets.

The Toyota Century is a lineup of full-size luxury cars and limousines produced primarily for the Japanese market. It holds the prestigious position of being Toyota's foremost flagship vehicle in Japan.

Introduced in 1967, the Toyota Century was launched to commemorate the 100th birthday of the founder of the Toyota Group, Sakichi Toyoda. This luxurious car is often favored by esteemed entities such as the Imperial House of Japan, the Prime Minister of Japan, senior Japanese government leaders, and high-level executive businessmen.

The Toyota Crown, produced by Toyota in Japan since 1955, constitutes a range of mid-sized luxury cars marketed as a premium choice within the Toyota lineup. It holds the distinction of being the first Japanese car to be sold in the North American market in 1958.

Throughout its existence, the Crown has consistently served as the mainstream sedan in the Japanese market, holding the remarkable reputation of being the lengthiest-running passenger-car nameplate ever affixed to a Toyota model.

Honda cars are a familiar presence on our roads, as well as several other roads worldwide. Although Honda is a Japanese company, it has garnered an extensive global fan base for its reliability, solid craftsmanship, and enjoyable driving experience.

From Accord to Ridgeline, the Honda family comprises vehicles all designed to upgrade your drive. Honda offers a broad range of vehicles, spanning from powerful sports cars to spacious minivans. Thanks to their renowned technology and innovation, even their more affordable models exude a sense of luxury.

Acura, launched on March 27, 1986, serves as the luxury and performance division of Japanese automobile manufacturer Honda. Over the years, Acura has evolved into a luxury brand closely associated with Honda's hallmark attributes of quality and reliability.

Acura markets its vehicles in the United States, Canada, Panama, Kuwait, and Mexico. Previously, the company had a presence in Ukraine, Russia, Hong Kong, and China. The present Acura lineup comprises models like the MDX, RDX, Integra, and TLX.

Nissan, a prominent Japanese brand, holds a strong position in markets like Russia, China, and Mexico, with vehicles manufactured by Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. Within the company's lineup, Nissan is one of the two brands under which it sells its vehicles, the other being Infiniti.

Nissan remains committed to enhancing product development and introducing groundbreaking technology. Presently, across diverse nations and regions, the brand is renowned for its reputation for crafting innovative vehicles and service offerings. Among the popular Nissan cars are the Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Navara, Nissan Silvia, and Nissan Micra, among others.

Infiniti is the luxury vehicle division of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. The official launch of Infiniti took place on November 8, 1989, in North America. The marketing network for Infiniti-branded vehicles encompassed dealerships across more than 50 countries during the 2010s.

According to the company, the Infiniti badge holds a dual significance, representing both a stylized depiction of a road extending into the horizon and Mount Fuji, reflecting the brand's Japanese origin. Infiniti's primary markets include North America, the Middle East, and China.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. Mitsubishi has been one-third owned by Nissan since October 2016 and included in Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

The brand's reliability shines through as the Mitsubishi Lancer earned the title of the most reliable car since 1997 from Warranty Direct in 2012. Some of the most popular Mitsubishi models ever made include Eclipse, 3000GT, Outlander, Diamante, and Colt, among others.

Isuzu Motors Ltd. predominantly focuses on the production, marketing, and sales of Isuzu commercial vehicles and diesel engines. During the late 1990s, Isuzu made the decision to discontinue their cars, including sedans and compact cars, due to a decline in sales.

But, as the era of diesel engines gained momentum, Isuzu brought their cars back into the limelight. At present, Isuzu Motors has successfully diversified their automotive portfolio, encompassing passenger vehicles, SUVs, commercial vehicles, race cars, concept cars, and buses.

Mazda has become one of the most renowned global auto brands, known for its impressive lineup including the Mazda 3, CX-5, CX-9, and MX-5. In Australia, it's consistently the second-best-selling manufacturer with a strong following due to its modern styling, unified range design, and innovative engineering.

Known for its innovative technologies, such as the Wankel engine and the SkyActiv platform, Mazda also has a long history of motorsport involvement, claiming victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991 with the rotary-powered Mazda 787B.

Established in October 2005, Aspark is a Japanese engineering company renowned for the development of Aspark Owl, an electric sports car powered by batteries. The company's primary objective is to craft the fastest-accelerating electric vehicle in existence.

Following the presentation of the pre-production prototype at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the official debut of the production version of the Aspark Owl took place in November 2019 at the Dubai International Motor Show. In 2020, the Italian partner Manifattura Automobili Torino started making the Owl for the Japanese company in Turin.

Mitsuoka Motor is a Japanese automobile company known for building distinctive automobiles with unconventional designs. These range from contemporary styles to mimicking the aesthetic of American, European, and especially British vintage cars from the 1950s and 1960s.

Mitsuoka's core expertise lies in custom design coachbuilding, customizing production cars like the Nissan March, and replacing and modifying various bodywork elements. Additionally, it has ventured into crafting a sports car named the Orochi. Its current lineup includes Viewt, Galue, Himiko/Roadster, Ryugi, and Buddy.

Subaru, part of the Japanese transportation conglomerate Subaru Corporation, stands out for its cars that commonly feature a boxer engine layout in models above 1,500 cc. Additionally, they provide turbocharged editions of their passenger cars like the Legacy, Outback XT, and WRX.

Subaru vehicles have historically garnered a small yet dedicated core of buyers in Western markets. The brand's marketing is tailored towards individuals seeking their signature engine and drive train, all-wheel drive functionality, off-road capabilities, or affordable sports car designs.

Suzuki ranks among the globe's prominent automakers, holding significant recognition in crucial markets like Japan and India. However, the brand no longer offers cars in North America. In 2016, it became the eleventh biggest automaker by production worldwide.

Suzuki entered the Indian automobile market in the 1980s, and presently, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, a subsidiary of Suzuki, has become the brand's largest market outside Japan. They cater to nearly half of India's population, offering a diverse lineup from the Maruti 800 to premium sedans like the Maruti Suzuki Kizashi.

Datsun was a Japanese automobile manufacturer brand owned by Nissan Motor. Its original production run commenced in 1931 and from 1958 to 1986, only vehicles exported by Nissan bore Datsun label. However, in March 1986, the brand was phased out, only to be relaunched in June 2013.

Nissan considered discontinuing the Datsun brand once again in both 2019 and 2020. Eventually, due to ongoing challenges, they had to end the brand for good in April 2022. Several well-known Datsun models include the Datsun Go, Datsun Go+, Datsun Cross, and Datsun redi-Go.