Top 10 Sports Cars - Cheapest Japan-Made Cars
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| Photo: KnowInsiders. |
Japanese carmakers are renowned the world over for the stellar quality of their sports cars. Whether you are a speed aficionado or someone looking for a car that is both practical and fun to drive around, the Land of the Rising Sun has you covered.
Apart from being reliable, the machines produced by Japanese automakers are also famously cost-effective; they are quite the bargain if you are in the market for a pocket-friendly, sturdy, and safe drive.
Here are 10 Japanese sports cars cheaper than anything American:
1. 1996 Toyota Celica ($1,500)
2. 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse ($3,000)
3. 1997 Honda Civic Del Sol ($5,000)
4. 1988 Mazda RX-7 ($5,000)
5. 2009 Mazda RX-8 ($6,000)
6. 2006 Acura RSX Type-S ($6,000)
7. 2013 MazdaSpeed3 ($11,000)
8. 1996 Nissan 240SX ($15,000)
9. 1991 Toyota Supra ($15,000)
10. 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X ($18,000)
1. 1996 Toyota Celica ($1,500)
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| Photo: Drive |
People will argue until they’re blue in the face about the “best” Toyota Celia generation, but just know that you can’t really go wrong with any of them. Though the tuner-favorite car was discontinued in 2005, it had a long run beginning in 1970, lasting for seven generations.
It has taken on many forms through the years, but the second to fourth generations, and then the sixth generation, are generally considered some of the better ones. You can find a late-stage sixth-gen (1993-1999) for a ridiculous $1,500 or so.
2. 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse ($3,000)
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| Photo: Auto ABC |
The Mitsubishi Eclipse is one of the most popular tuner cars in the world, and you can find old models for ridiculously cheap – like $3,000 for a turn-of-the-century model. And believe us, that’s the generation you want (or at least near the year 2000), because modern Eclipses are slower, uglier, and don’t have nearly as much character. If you want to look like you’re in a Fast & Furious movie or a Gran Turismo game, this is the car to get.
3. 1997 Honda Civic Del Sol ($5,000)
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| Photo: Skyway Classics |
Back in the 1990s, all major Japanese manufacturers were making fun, zippy coupes that each had their own unique selling point. The Civic del Sol (or CR-X) had two: first, it had a screaming 1.6-liter VTEC engine that was all the craze, capable of 170 hp inVTi trim. And secondly, it had “TransTop,” which was a metal folding hardtop that’s now seen on various coupe-cabriolet European hatchbacks. But the del Sol is the original, and you can get one for $5,000 or less these days.
4. 1988 Mazda RX-7 ($5,000)
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| Photo: Bring a Trailer |
We’re really going back in time with this one, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the Mazda RX-7, the precursor and better version of the RX-8. A tuner’s dream car, the RX-7 is incredibly fast thanks to the roaring rotary engine, it's awesome looking, and they can be yours for not a lot of money. A late ‘80s version might run you about $5,000, which isn’t a whole lot for the amount of sports car you’re getting here.
5. 2009 Mazda RX-8 ($6,000)
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| Photo: Car and Driver |
The Mazda RX-8 might not be as fun to drive as the RX-7 (though some people might dispute that), but it’s still commonly listed on top 10 Japanese cars lists, for the simple fact that its coupe-like design, unique style, and strong rotary engine are great options if you’re looking for something non-American. Also, even though they’re rare to find, you can get 10-year-old models for around $6,000, which is a steal!
Check out: Top 20 Cars - Most Expensive In The World Of All Time!
6. 2006 Acura RSX Type-S ($6,000)
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| Photo: Autoblog |
When the fourth-generation Acura Integra was released, it was rebranded and dubbed the RSX in the United States. Nonetheless, the RSX is an Integra, and even though it might be 13 years old or more, it has many of the creature comforts of modern cars.
The plus side is that you can find a higher trim Type-S model for very cheap, like around $6,000, and that comes with a 200-bhp engine, leather seats, and a six-speed manual gearbox to have fun with.
7. 2013 MazdaSpeed3 ($11,000)
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| Photo: Autoblog |
The MazdaSpeed3 is powered by a 2.3-liter turbo four-cylinder engine that’s good for 263 bhp through its six-speed manual gearbox. This is a fun, zippy, awesome car that was sadly discontinued in 2013.
Scoring a perfect 5/5 from Edmunds, the Speed3 can be tuned, detuned, and upgraded just how you want it. It can also be yours for $11,000 or so, which is pretty ridiculous for a seven-year-old car of this caliber.
Read More: Top 10 Production Cars - Cheapest Ever Sold In the US
8. 1996 Nissan 240SX ($15,000)
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| Photo: Bring a Trailer |
The Nissan 240SX is one of those cars that still looks cooler than basically anything on the market. The ‘90s and ‘80s were great for Japanese cars with fresh styles, and people loved this one. Average drivers liked it because it was fast, tuners loved it because of its aftermarket capabilities, and even though finding a stock 240 is difficult, it’s not impossible.
Stay away from heavily modified and track versions of the 240SX, and you can still find some for around $15,000.
9. 1991 Toyota Supra ($15,000)
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| Photo: Car and Classic |
Although we’ve recently been introduced to the new 2020 Supra, that monstrous car is $50,000, and early generation Supras have their own charm and are really just as cool, but cost less than a third of the price.
You can get a fourth-gen Supra (1993-2002) for a little more than $10,000, which is the favored generation, or a third-gen for similar prices. There’s a reason this car still costs as much as it does – almost 30 years later – because it’s an awesome ride with tons of capability.
10. 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X ($18,000)
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| Photo: Autoblog |
Another insanely popular car in the wider tuning world is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, which comes in various generations. Everyone has their favorite generation, but for the sake of simplicity, we’re listing the newest “X” model.
A five-year-old Evo can be yours for less than $20,000, and it’s a much faster, more fun, and stylish car than almost any American equivalent. In fact, the Evo doesn’t really even have an American equivalent.
Bonus: 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT ($5,000)!!!
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| Photo: The Things |
Moving away from new cars, and delving into the widely-shopped used market for JDM cars, you can’t go wrong with a late-generation Mitsubishi 3000GT. In production from 1990 to 1999, the 3000GT is a modder’s dream car – a small, sporty, front-wheel-drive coupe that has an optional manual transmission and a peppy engine.
You can find great, relatively low-mileage versions of the 3000GT all over the place, easily for around $5,000, like this one here.
| Japanese cars have always been known for their reliability and durability. They’re also often less expensive than American cars but built twice as well. The same can be said about sports cars in the JDM industry. Through the ‘90s and ‘00s, Japanese car brands such as Honda, Mitsubishi, and Mazda were making fun, sporty coupes that could be easily tuned and raced, thus creating a used aftermarket industry now worth billions a year. Many of those older JDM sports cars are still available for pennies on the dollar, while other, newer sports cars from Japan are also eerily cheaper than American cars. But, again, that has no bearing on the cars’ quality, because these cars will outclass most cheap American models on every front. There’s a reason the Honda Accord and Civic, and Toyota Camry and Corolla are so popular. |
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