People often think of Japanese cars as rather bland but very reliable and practical. While it’s true that Japanese cars tend to score high in reliability and practicality, they’re not all as dull as dishwater.
Ever since the early days of the Japanese automotive industry, manufacturers there have built great-looking, highly desirable cars that make us tingle in all the right places. While some are heavily inspired by some of Europe’s finest, others are so uniquely Japanese that it’s impossible not to love them.
Here, we’ll look at 24 of the best-looking Japanese cars ever made.
Toyota 2000GT
We don’t see any point in keeping you waiting, so let’s start with the most beautiful Japanese car ever made, the Toyota 2000GT. In fact, it’s consistently ranked among the most beautiful cars in the world, regardless of country.
It’s easy to see that Toyota got some inspiration from the Jaguar E-Type, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The 2000GT fetches over $1 million whenever it pops up at an auction, making it the most expensive Japanese car ever.
Lexus LC500
The Lexus LC500 looks stunning. It’s certainly among the best-looking Japanese cars right now, and its design perfectly balances aggression and elegance.
It’s not all show and no go, either. The Lexus LC500 packs some serious heat in the form of the 5.0-liter 2UR-GSE V8 engine, which churns out 471 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque and has a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.4 seconds.
Nissan Skyline GT-R Hakosuka
In 1969, Nissan introduced what would later become one of the most sought-after JDM classic cars. For years, the Hakosuka Nissan Skyline GT-R was unbeatable on Japan’s racetracks, but it wasn’t all brawn; it also had a lot of beauty.
Its boxy design with gentle curves still looks great today. While the interior was very basic, it was also sporty, with a three-spoke steering wheel, wood inserts, aluminum pedals, and bucket seats.
MkIV Toyota Supra
Toyota’s fourth-generation Supra is the stuff of legend, and buying a good one today requires a serious stack of cash. Whereas the third-gen Supra looked like Toyota designed it with nothing but a ruler, the fourth-gen had a smooth, flowing design and a massive rear wing.
The Supra also packed a serious punch thanks to its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six 2JZ engine that produced 320 horsepower. No wonder it’s one of the best cars from the JDM golden era.
Hino Contessa Coupe PD1300
Today, Hino is mainly known for its large commercial vehicles, but the Japanese company made regular cars for a few years. First, Hino acquired a license to produce a locally adapted version of the Renault 4CV. It didn’t look good, so Hino had Giovanni Michelotti re-design it.
The second-generation Contessa 1300 PD sedan looked great, but the sportier two-door coupe that followed it looked even better. Toyota bought Hino and shut down production of the Contessa Coupe after they had built 3,868 cars.
Lexus LFA
Lexus built the LFA to be the ultimate flagship car, and while it never got the warm welcome it deserved, people are willing to pay big bucks for one today. Lexus took too long to develop it, so it was too expensive by the time it was ready, and cheaper cars matched its performance.
However, whereas the LFA aged like fine wine, some of its competitors aged more like milk. Its stunning exterior, combined with the howling V10 engine, makes it one of our favorite supercars of all time.
Nissan Skyline GT-R Nismo Z-Tune
Nissan’s Skyline GT-R NISMO Z-Tune is the ultimate R34 model, and it just happens to be the rarest, too. NISMO built it to celebrate the R34’s legacy, and the 20 cars were based on lightly used models rather than brand-new ones.
It obviously has all the expected suspension, brakes, and engine upgrades. Our favorite part is the exterior, as the carbon fiber body has an aggressive aero kit and a mean-looking vented hood.
Nissan Z
Practically every Z car could be on this list – even the 280ZX and 300ZX versions. So we decided to go with the latest one. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there are some good reasons why it deserves a spot here.
If not the best-looking Z car, most people will still agree that the new Nissan Z looks excellent. It features some retro elements from its predecessors and an overall shape that harkens back to the original 240Z. Its long hood hides a 400-horsepower twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine, making it even more attractive.
Datsun Fairlady Roadster
The 240Z wasn’t the first time Datsun built a car with the Fairlady moniker. In 1963, Datsun launched the Fairlady 1500 convertible, which looked just as stylish as the British sports cars from MG and Triumph.
The little Datsun Roadster gained more power as time passed, culminating in the Fairlady 2000 model with a 135-horsepower 2.0-liter engine. There was even an optional performance kit that took it to 150 wild stallions.
Mazda Cosmo
The Mazda RX-7 may be the most famous rotary-powered car, but it wasn’t the first. Mazda began experimenting with the Wankel engine design long before the RX-7, and in the 1960s, it launched its Cosmo flagship car.
The Cosmo looked like it was going fast even when standing still, and Mazda was clearly inspired by the ongoing space race, both regarding the Cosmo’s name and the design.
Toyota MR2
Toyota’s second-generation MR2 is often called “a poor man’s Ferrari,” and if you squint, it does kind of look like a Ferrari. It also packed a mid-mounted 2.0-liter engine, which was turbocharged in the top-of-the-line version.
With its sleek bodywork, air intakes, pop-up headlights, and targa-style roof, the MR2 included some of the best design features from the 1990s.
Mk5 Toyota Supra
Some say the latest Supra is nothing but a BMW Z4 playing dress-up. Well, we don’t care about that, and even if we did, that doesn’t take anything away from how it looks. A clean and simple design is often the best, but the Supra looks busy from every angle, yet somehow Toyota made it work.
The best part is that it has the power to back up its mean looks. Even the base model’s 2.0-liter engine packs a decent punch, while the 3.0-liter version has as much as 382 horsepower.
Toyota Celica Liftback
Toyota has made many variations of the Celica over the years, but the 1976 Liftback may just be the best-looking Celica ever. It was conceived during the 1970s oil crisis, and the automotive world was firmly planted in the malaise era.
High-performance cars were pretty much a thing of the past now, so the Celica’s 96 horsepower was actually pretty decent. It looked like a small Ford Mustang, and that’s more than we can say about the Mustang II of the time.
Datsun 510
The Datsun 510 started life as a humble little family car, available in two-, four-, and five-door body styles. Since then, its cute design has earned millions of fans worldwide, becoming one of the most iconic Japanese cars ever.
We love the two-door coupe. With the 96-horsepower 1.6-liter engine, its looks and power were on par with the small European coupes of its era.
Mazda RX-7 FD
Mazda only sold the third-gen RX-7 in the States from 1992 to 1995, and while many gearheads didn’t appreciate it back then, it’s certainly sought-after now. It’s garnered a cult-like following, and prices have skyrocketed. Part of that can be attributed to its performance, but how it looks also plays a part.
It’s easily one of the most stylish sports cars of the 1990s, right up there with some of the best-looking European models.
Toyota GR86
The Toyota GR86 is a stylish 2+2 fastback coupé that offers near-perfect weight balance. It was inspired by another iconic Toyota, the AE86 Corolla, and has proven to be a fierce contender in multiple racing series.
The GR86 has a rounder yet more aggressive design than its GT86 predecessor. Its front end wouldn’t look out of place on a European sports coupe.
Honda S2000
Honda built its first S-series sports car in 1962, and we could’ve gone with one of the models they released before the S2000. However, we chose the S2000 because it’s just as good-looking as its predecessors but has much more power.
It’s hard to believe that the Honda S2000 has been around since 1999. Its styling has aged well and doesn’t look out of place when parked next to a modern roadster.
Toyota Celica GT-FOUR
The name Celica derives from the Latin word coelica, which means heavenly or celestial. When we look at the ST205 GT-FOUR, we can’t think of a better name for it.
Toyota introduced the Celica GT-FOUR as a homologation special, built to demolish the competition on the world’s rally stages. This generation of the Celica incorporated some design elements of the Supra but with quad headlights, and we like it—a lot.
Honda NSX
When Honda brought out the NSX, it immediately changed the entire supercar game. It’s just as beautiful as the European supercars from that era; in fact, JDM enthusiasts will tell you the NSX aged better than most of them – especially the Ferrari 348.
In addition, the NSX was as easy to drive as a Honda Accord, which put the final nail in Ferrari’s coffin and forced the Italians to return to the drawing board.
Isuzu 117 Coupe
Nowadays, Isuzu is known for making pickup trucks, but they’ve also built some impressive sports cars in the past. The Isuzu 117 Coupe is a Japanese car with a very distinct European design—because the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro designed it.
The Isuzu 117 Coupe’s 118-horsepower 1.6-liter engine provided decent performance. It reached 60 mph in 10.2 seconds and topped out at 120 mph.
Nissan R390
In the late 90s, Nissan wanted to take on Le Mans legends such as Porsche and Ferrari, so they needed a GT1 race car. According to the homologation rules, manufacturers had to build at least one road-going example. So Nissan did just that.
The only R390 ever made lives in the Nissan Heritage Collection in Zama, Japan, where approved visitors can admire its beauty.
Infiniti G35 Coupe
The Infiniti G35 Coupe is built on the same platform as the Nissan 350Z, and it uses the same VQ35 engine. It has a front-midship platform, where the engine is moved as far back as possible in the engine bay to improve balance.
The G35 Coupe is essentially a fancier version of the 350Z, with more creature comforts and high-end materials. Design-wise, the two have a lot in common, but the G35 looks more exclusive.
Mazda Miata NA
The NA Miata combined all the best aspects of classic British sports cars with legendary Japanese reliability in one of the cutest packages we’ve ever seen. It was a massive success, and the Miata is now the world’s best-selling two-seater roadster.
While it didn’t offer much power, the affordable Miata still managed to put a smile on the driver’s face. It also enjoys an absolutely mahoosive selection of aftermarket parts, allowing owners to turn it into something unique.
Aspark Owl
In 2017, it was possible to hear the sound of jaws dropping when the all-electric Aspark Owl was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It looks outrageous but in a good way. The carbon fiber body’s styling is gorgeous, and the dihedral doors and huge rear wing will draw in looks from afar.
Aspark ensured that the Owl’s performance met its exterior’s promises. The quad-motor setup produces 1,984 horsepower, and the Owl accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 1.69 seconds.
