The 100 Greatest Japanese Cars of All Time | Edmunds.com

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The 100 Greatest Japanese Cars of All Time | Edmunds.com

We choose the 100 Greatest Japanese Cars of All Time

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dfelix70

A "greatest Japanese car" list that doesn't include the Honda S2000 is just invalid.

kshankar

Dfelix70, You are right! In fact I was looking for the S2K and noticed it to be absent from the list!

laurasdada

Look at #51...

darthbimmer

The S2000 is at entry #51.

bankerdanny

I have owned 3 of the cars on this list: '71 Celica (GT rather than ST), 1991 Sentra SE-R, and '71 Civic (non CVCC hatch). I also owned a 1990 CRX, but a mid level slushbox (city car), not the Si. I have also been fortunately to drive many others from the '83 Prelude, to the 300ZX Turbo, to the 240SX (former Nissan Salesman) and the Q45.

I think you have too many Miata's. I don't think there has been enough differentiation between the models to warrant separate inclusion for so many, they feel like filler to get you to 100. I also don't understand the difference between #'s 92 and 93, which seem to be the same car but the Japanese vs American versions. or else the descriptions just aren't well written.

I think the original Q45 should be higher on this list. It's hard to picture now with Lexus dominating the Japanese luxury car business, but when the Q came out it absolutely took the luxury sports sedan fight right to BMW's door then kicked it down and beat the crap out of the 7 series, and it did it for thousands less dollars the same way that the LS400 did to the Mercedes S class.

The Legend (both the original and larger gen 2 cars) was a great car and really beautiful (and a great name, what a waste on the part of Honda), but with FWD was never going to get much respect from BMW buyers.

The 323 GTX is a forgotten gem.

I would replace one of the Miata's with the 1989 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo (gen 3). I test drove one when they were new (I had also tested the previous version in 1988 and almost bought one) and it was an absolute ball to drive but even then Mitsu was still an afterthought in the US and it never got the credit it deserved in the hot hatch market. The Corolla FX16 GTS. Another hot hatch with a small, high rev DOHC16V engine when these were still very rare at this price point.

kshankar

Actually number 51 is the S2000.

Mr_Shiftright

I wouldn't call the '58 Toyopet a "great car" by any stretch. It was a pretty dismal failure.

lions208487

One on the list is the 2003 G35, the other I didn't see that was always on my wish list was a black 1986 Toyota 4x4 sr5 Xtra cab.

subatomic

Several versions of the Honda Prelude are included on the list. It would have been nice to see the Prelude SH (Super Handling) included also. Its innovative Active Torque Transfer System (ATTS) was specifically designed to enable the Prelude to exhibit neutral handling like a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe.

bankerdanny

OK, now that I have looked at the list a couple more times: why in the world did you use a picture of a JDM 300ZX 2+2? You didn't feel comfortable using one of the thousands of pictures of the US 300ZX Turbo that are available on line? And where is the 300's contemporary the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4? Twin turbo, 320 HP, 4 wheel steering and AWD in 1992? Surely that deserves a place.

desmolicious

No Honda Civic Del Sol?
Where's the outrage?

swicked6

Forget that Prius, What about the New Nissan GTR R35 or the Evo 8????

zimtheinvader

woohoo! Driving #5 to work tomorrow. (well, not a 70 but still a 240)

dpacsart

Where is the Mitsubishi 3000GT!! what is wrong with the person responsible for making this list???? Ohh right the kind of person who thinks a Prius belongs on the top spot.

se_riously

Delete some Miatas.
Add 3000GT VR-4 for obvious reasons.
Add 1993 Nissan Altima. Sold 1000's of them. Feature laden for its time and DOHC 2.4 bullet proof truck based motor.
Add 1986 Generation 3 Honda Accord with the flip up lights, and no brainer compared to the Buick Century / Pontiac 6000 / Chevy Celebriy / Olds Cutlass Ciera.
Add 2004 Subaru Forester XT. Self explanatory.

kyfdx

I would add the '88-'91 Camry.. They were beating the Accord to the punch, and that car was virtually bullet-proof.

dfelix70

laurasdada said:

Look at #51...

OK. I know I am not crazy. I looked up and down this list on 10/19, AT LEAST 5 or 6 times and that S2000 was nowhere to be found. I saw the NSX at #52 several times so I KNOW my eyes were in that area. God, please, don't let me be going crazy..haha. But, I'm glad it's on there....now

tourian

Only one Evo makes the list, and just the first one and not the more dominate versions that followed?

janmfranklin

Missing from the list: Evo's 8 and 10, Mazda RX-8, 3000GT VR-4, R35 GT-R. Oh, and you guys should be slapped for putting the Prius #1.

stever

I don't know about number one but the Prius did create a whole new segment, just as Chrysler did with the minivan in the 80s.

AntLive_21

What happened to the 83-84 85-88 89-92 Toyota Cressida? 91-92 Toyota Supra? 00-03 Lexus GS300/400?

berri

I know the Prius was an innovation that has moved the market, but I'm thinking the Corolla was Toyota's VW Bug that exploded their market share and name recognition.

KG_Schimmel

The 1976 Honda Accord at #41! Are you kidding me! That car is easily number 1. John Pearley Huffman you obviously do not know your history. This is the car that made the US market begin to take Japanese cars seriously. And the fact that you put the 1992 Toyota Camry at #16 makes me wonder just how much time you put into this list. Debate the list or not, your ignorance is monumental!

KG_Schimmel

kyfdx said:

I would add the '88-'91 Camry.. They were beating the Accord to the punch, and that car was virtually bullet-proof.

This is incorrect. Camry wasn't even close to the Accord at that time. It wasn't until much later that the Camry only out sold the Accord. It is highly questionable that the boring camry ever beat the Accord to the punch. For that matter Honda has always been out front of conservative old toyota

houdini1

First 4 door Honda Accord 1980

antipriuslord

Why is everyone forgetting that the PRIUS is at the top?! The car is no where close to any Skyline (GTS,GTR,ext), Supra(MK3,MK4,andMK5), or the Mitsubishi 3000GT, or maybe the 180SX/250SX(pop up headlights), OR MAYBE THE SILVIA NOT THE PRIUS!!