27
Documented brands
Daihatsu · 1907
Oldest marque
Aspark · 2005
Newest marque
The birthplace of just-in-time manufacturing and the reliability revolution.
Filter by category
All Japan car brands
Acura
Japan · 1986
AFEELA
Japan
AIM
Japan · 1998
Aspark
Japan · 2005
Autobacs
Japan · 1948
Daihatsu
Japan · 1907
Datsun
Japan · 1931
Hino
Japan · 1942
Honda
Japan · 1948
Infiniti
Japan · 1989
Isuzu
Japan · 1916
Lexus
Japan · 1989
Mazda
Japan · 1920
Mitsubishi
Japan · 1970
Mitsuoka
Japan · 1968
Nissan
Japan · 1933
Nissan GT-R
Japan · 1969
Nissan Nismo
Japan · 1984
Shiji
Japan
Subaru
Japan · 1953
Suzuki
Japan · 1909
Toyota
Japan · 1937
Toyota Alphard
Japan · 2002
Toyota Century
Japan · 1967
Toyota Crown
Japan · 1955
UD
Japan · 1935
WALD
Japan · 1990
Frequently asked questions
- Why are Japanese cars known for reliability?
- Japanese manufacturers pioneered quality-control philosophies such as the Toyota Production System and kaizen (continuous improvement). Decades of refining these processes made durability and low running costs a defining trait of the country's brands.
- What are the luxury divisions of Japanese car brands?
- Several Japanese makers launched dedicated premium marques for export markets — most notably Lexus, Acura and Infiniti — to compete with established European luxury brands while retaining Japanese engineering underneath.
- Which Japanese car brand is the oldest?
- The earliest Japanese marques documented here date to the early 20th century, when domestic engineering firms began building passenger vehicles before the industry's explosive post-war growth.
