Konnichiwa, amigos!
It's safe to say that Japanese cars have conquered not just our roads, but also our hearts. Indeed, in the automotive industry, Japan ranks as the most powerful country in terms of production value. It's also the country that's gifted us some of the best-quality car brands.
And given how many other car brands there are out there, that's saying something. You probably know about the big Japanese car brands like Toyota, Mazda and Nissan, but some you might not have heard of. Well, that's where we good folks at LeaseLoco come in. We're here to keep you informed, so consider this the all-you-can-eat, definitive guide to Japanese car manufacturers.
You never know, maybe you might end up considering a Honda or a Toyota for your next lease car!
Why So Popular?
It's got to be their reliability. Japanese cars have come a long way. The first one ever was manufactured by a certain Komatsunosuke Uchiyama (have a go at pronouncing that!) in 1902, using gasoline engines brought back from the United States.
We wouldn't recommend taking that one out for a spin today, but the reason why modern Japanese cars are so popular is due to their reliability and affordable cost. Then there's the sheer fact there's so many of them, and you're laughing. They tend to be more affordable than their flashier German car counterparts (think Audi and BMW), without sacrificing too much on the quality side of things.
Just think about your Hondas, your Toyotas, and your Mazdas. With the exception of a few select models, nobody expects them to make you stand out, but nobody expects them to break down on you either. Plus they're not exactly bad-looking, either.
And with so many Japanese car companies continuing to churn out a range of vehicles that fill just about every market, you're going to find yourself massively spoilt for choice. Whether that's to hire, buy, or dare we say it . . . lease!
Daihatsu
We'll start with one of the least-known (or maybe just because it's the first alphabetically . . .).
Daihatsu Automobiles Co. Ltd is actually one of Japan's oldest auto-makers, known mainly for its small models and off-road vehicles. First officially known as 'Hatsudoki Seizo', the company was renamed in 1951 as Daihatsu. A few years after this, Daihatsu then signed an agreement with the Toyota Motor Corporation, which now owns 51% of the company’s shares.
The Daihatsu Hijet, Tanto, and Mira vehicles are some of the brand's most popular models. Unfortunately, it's just a sad fact that you're not going to be seeing many about the streets.
Honda
That's not the case with Honda.
Named after Japanese industrialist Soichiro Honda, this well-known Japanese carmaker started out as a 2-cycle motorbike engine producer, only to go on to become a universally-renowned automobile manufacturer. Unlike the company's motorcycle history, auto-vehicle production is of relatively recent interest to Honda, beginning in 1969.
CR-V
Practical, reliable, well-equipped. This fifth-generation SUV model was launched in 2018 and really raises the bar for the Honda CR-V range, with improved looks, economy and styling, plus the option of seven seats for the first time – five seats at the front, and two additional seats in a third row. The Honda CR-V shares rivalries with other SUVs like the Subaru Forester and the Toyota RAV4.
Jazz
The car with the groovy name. The Honda Jazz has been a staple in the Honda range since its inception in 2001, and the 2020 version is very much a known quantity. Now in its third generation, this latest Honda Jazz comes as a hybrid, giving you the best of both worlds in terms of electric and petrol or diesel power. A relatively small hatch with a higher roofline for extra storage and easily accessible, the interior space is abundant and the boot has a capacity of 335-litres.
Lexus
You might not know it, but Lexus is actually the luxury vehicle brand of Toyota. With a design philosophy bearing almost no resemblance to its mother company, Lexus has managed to impose itself among the global luxury car market. First introduced in 1989 in the USA, the Lexus marque is now marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, ranking among the ten largest Japanese global brands in terms of market value.
Mazda
Named after 'Ahura Mazda', the Zoroastrian creator god, Mazda burst fairly early onto the scene, starting life as a cork manufacturer (and then a machine tool producer shortly after) in Hiroshima in 1920. Mazda is Japan's third major manufacturer, the majority of its vehicles being produced at home and the remainder from several other plants across the world. It's risen to regularly feature among the world's top ten car manufacturers.
Mazda 2
A worthy rival to the Ford Fiesta, the five-door Mazda 2 is going to take you from A to B, and beyond. With 280-litres of storage available, the boot isn't the largest, but it isn't the smallest in this car class either. Gaining access to the rear of the car is super convenient, and ideal for families with a child's seat.
Mazda 6
The fourth-generation Mazda 6 is a very good product in the medium range estate segment, especially in Tourer estate form. The problem for the Japanese brand was that it now competes against some other particularly good estates in this class, so it needed a bit extra to stand out. In short, this is a vehicle that's ideally suited to transporting people or other bulky goods, and one that's also suited for professionals travelling frequent distances.
MX-5
Low, nimble and contained, the Mazda MX-5 roadster may be a poor choice of wheels if you regularly find yourself having to transport a family of seven, but it's great otherwise and makes for an ideal weekend car. Plus, driving with the roof down is never not fun.
Nissan
Part of the Renault-Nissan alliance since 1999, the Nissan brand is well-placed among the world’s top auto manufacturers (reaching 6th in 2012), with its cars marketed all over the world. Due to mergers with Russian Technologies and the Dongfeng Motor Corporation, its main market lies in China and Russia.
It's fair to say that Nissan has been living it up in recent decades and has given us some of the most iconic vehicles around. Its focus on innovation and customer experience keeps it right up there with the very best.
Juke
The previous generation Juke was a solid performer, with driver confidence built into its very looks. Its successor builds upon that trend, adding more efficiency along the way, not to mention brand new tech. Perfect for the family driver, this Juke also boasts a bigger 422-litre boot.
Leaf
Nissan helped usher in the electric age with the release of the Leaf in 2010 – the world's first 100% electric car for the mass market. The current generation builds on its predecessor's success by offering a larger scope and better tech. The smaller 40kWh battery is good for 168 miles and is therefore suited to drivers with shorter commutes, whereas the larger 62kWh is tailored towards regular, longer trips.
Qashqai
Ranking among the very best Japanese cars, the success of Nissan's Qashqai has been huge, and that's because it's an affordable family SUV with electric car technology, and one that's brimming to the rim with some of the latest tech. And here's the thing: despite being an affordable car, the inside of the Qashqai is still very much a nice place to spend time in, with all the quality materials complementing the spacious cabin layout. Also, from 2018 all Qashqai models received air-conditioning and a smart infotainment system as standard, while smartphone apps such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can be found on higher-spec cars.
Subaru
Subaru is more niche, known mainly for its production of rally cars, even offering turbocharged versions of their popular passenger cars, including the Legacy 2.5 GT and the Impreza. The brand is actually the automobile manufacturing division of the larger transportation conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries). Subaru is also known for introducing the boxer engine layout and symmetrical all-wheel drive technology. One of the most promising new additions to Subaru's lineup is the Solterra
Suzuki
A top ten auto producer globally, Suzuki Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation specialising in motor vehicle parts, motorcycles, ATVs, and outboard engines. Initially famous for its motorcycles, this Japanese car manufacturer managed to reach 10th place among automakers worldwide in 2011. Suzuki now produces in 33 countries, with 134 distributors in 192 countries.
Swift
An affordable supermini that's supremely well-built and fun to drive, the Suzuki Swift has always been fun to drive. If you fancy a reliable supermini with some old-school character, this car's a sure bet. If this Japanese car doesn't make you smile, we don't know what will!
Toyota
One of the top makers of Japanese cars, Toyota Group sits quite comfortably at the top of the list. It remains among the world's best car manufacturers, renowned for the quality of its vehicles and the safety of its products. It is also the world's first automobile manufacturer to produce more than 10 million vehicles in a single year. And in recent years, Toyota has stepped up its production and sale of hybrid and electric vehicles, making it a top player in the electric car market.
Aygo
As far as city cars go, you simply can't go wrong with the Toyota Aygo, which is a sister car to the Citroën C1 and Peugeot 108. Building on from its 2005 predecessor, the second-generation Toyota Aygo sure looks like a lot of fun, and one that's more suited to the town than the motorway. Its main rivals are the Peugeot 108 and the Citroen C1, but out of the three, the Aygo is arguably the most youthful. It boasts a more modern interior than the first-generation model, featuring a clever x-touch infotainment system. Also available as the Aygo X.
Prius
Now entering its fourth generation, the Toyota Prius hybrid car is a terrific option for the environmentally-friendly motorist. The closely related Toyota Corolla hybrid may come close in terms of quality and refinement, but the larger Prius acts more like a family car and certainly looks the part. And like all new Toyota models, it comes with a very generous three-year warranty (or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first). There's also a plug-in hybrid version (Petrol PHEV) with a range of 34 miles from a single charge.
RAV4
Toyota were really on to something when in 1994 they unveiled a car-derived, high-riding mid-size SUV which we today call a 'Crossover'. A fifth-generation SUV, the five-seater Toyota RAV 4 5dr CVT is among the leading compact crossovers, with impressive fuel economy and a reputation for being cheap to run. That coupled with its rugged practicality makes it an easy car to get along with and one that's suited to just about any lifestyle. Gold Winner of Reliability and Build Quality in the Driver Power 2017 New Car Survey, you can be sure that it's reliable and well-built too.
Go Japanese With LeaseLoco
As you've probably learned, the world really is your oyster when it comes to Japanese cars and Japanese car brands. There's just so much choice available from so many different brands.
Again, why do they rate so highly, you may ask? Well, they might not be the flashiest, but Japanese car companies have managed to build up a more than healthy relationship with their customers (i.e. you), all whilst maintaining a strong commitment to delivering the very best quality.
Affordable, reliable, efficient – and at the end of the day, that's about the best that anyone can ask for.
Sayonara!