Japan is one of the top countries in the world when it comes to the automobile industry. Not only does it boast some of the best vehicles out there, but the prices are also relatively low. If you are not sure which vehicles are Japanese, think Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Honda, Nissan, and Toyota.
Japanese vehicles are world famous for remarkable engineering, unique designs, top reliability, and more. This has set a standard for other countries to follow and has led to ever greater innovation in the automobile industry.
Whether it is an SUV, family car, sports model, or racing car, Japanese vehicles have been outperforming those from other countries for a long time already.
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Top Japanese Car Brands
The attention to consumer demands coupled with high-end research and development has kept Japan at the forefront of the automobile industry. Comfort and performance combine with looks to provide superior results that are pleasing to customers and copied by others. In this article we will look at the top Japanese car brands in more detail.
The Start of the Japanese Automobile Market
The beginning of the Japanese automobile’s modern market started in 1980. Japan manufactured 3,200,000 Toyotas and 2,600,000 Nissans. At this time, the American market produced only 1,900,000 Ford vehicles, but stayed at the front of the line with General Motors manufacturing 4,700,000 vehicles. A mere decade after Japan entered the modern market seriously, it had five brands in the top twelve in the world.
The Japanese Domestic Market
The term JDM refers to the Japanese Domestic Market, which denotes vehicles that are sold exclusively in Japan. These vehicles are made to very high standards, with bespoke designs, using the latest technology and top-performing engines. Many people around the world are eager to own one of these Japanese vehicles. Due to the 25-Year Import Rule, however, they can only be imported into the United States once they are 25 years of age or older. These cars hold a great deal of appeal and enthusiasts are keen to purchase Subarus, Nissans and more. There are also many sports and racing cars in this pool to choose from, such as the Nissan Skyline GT-R, Toyota Supra, Honda NSX, and the Mazda RX-7.
Brands in the Mass Market
In the American automobile market, Toyota is the leading brand. Other top brands are Nissan, Subaru, Honda, Ford, and Chevrolet. The majority of these brands are Japanese cars. What makes Toyota so successful is that it answers the consumer need for service and performance excellence, customer satisfaction, innovation, and quality at affordable prices. The same is true of other leading brands.
Luxury Vehicle Brands
The Lexus is heavily marketed in over 70 territories and countries across the globe. Its key marketing feature is its reliability, and this has been indicated by various surveys. The frontrunner markets for the Lexus are China and North America. The latter is its top market, and this is ensured by a development team that is solely dedicated to keeping the product aligned to North America’s preferred designs and core features, as well as ensuring top performance and customer satisfaction.
The Scion Brand
The Scion brand came out in 2003 and is a Toyota brand. Its target market was young consumers who enjoyed the unique styling of the Scion. Branded as a sports compact, it soon found its niche. Sales reached a high of over 173,000 vehicles sold in 2006. However, the brand was hit by the financial crisis and sales fell drastically. In 2016, it was decided that the brand would be discontinued in the following year, as it had become financially unsustainable to keep production going. Scions will be rebranded and sold as Toyotas.
Japanese brands are amongst the most sought-after automobiles in the world.
