Japanese carmakers are known for building affordable and reliable cars. Several models have proven themselves by running hundreds of thousands of trouble-free miles, requiring nothing more than regular servicing.
That being said, not all Japanese vehicles are created equal, and even the best car manufacturer will occasionally make a mistake. Today, we’ll check out some Japanese cars that don’t live up to expectations and, in most cases, are best avoided entirely.
Mazda RX-8
The Mazda RX-8 was introduced as a replacement for the legendary RX-7. At first, it seemed like a worthy successor; after all, the Mazda RX-8 offers 50/50 weight distribution and perfect handling, and it has a screaming rotary engine.
The rotary engine would be the RX-8’s downfall. It soon turned out to have a severe drinking problem, chugging gasoline like it’s going out of style, and it also uses a lot of oil. The worst part is that it’s unreliable and requires a complete rebuild every 50,000 miles. The RX-8 is a sports car to avoid.
Subaru XT
The Subaru XT first saw the light of day in February 1985 in the United States. Some people like its design, but most don’t, so that’s one reason not to buy one. However, the XT may have more severe issues than its looks that you should worry about.
The XT suffered from turbocharger failure due to oil starvation. It also featured a lot of tech for a car from that era, and that is guaranteed to cause trouble these days.
Honda CRX Del-Sol
Honda’s Del Sol had a tough act to follow, as it was the successor of the venerable CRX. Sadly, the Del Sol sports car suffered from a few too many problems to achieve the same success and greatness.
The interior looked and felt cheap, and there was also a lot of road noise. However, its worst problem was the leaky roof. Even using brand-new OEM parts isn’t a long-term solution. Besides that, it’s a fun car with many aftermarket parts available.
Suzuki X-90
No one really knows what category the Suzuki X-90 belongs to. Is it an SUV? A Sedan? Sports car? Your guess is as good as ours. One thing everyone seemed to agree on was that it was ugly.
The X-90 was also lacking in the performance department, as its 1.6-liter 16-valve engine only produced 95 horsepower. Like its predecessor, the Samurai, the X-90 also had a penchant for rolling over in sharp corners. We definitely want to avoid this Japanese car!
Scion iQ
The Scion iQ was supposed to be a fun city car aimed at a younger audience. Unfortunately, the competitors offered more spacious and affordable models, so it was eventually discontinued.
Many owners and former owners on various forums report that their iQs suffer from excessive oil consumption. Some had it fixed under warranty, but it seems to be a temporary fix. Various rattles and noises are also a common issue.
Toyota Paseo
When Toyota brought out the Paseo, they had the gall to market it as a sport-styled car. They even built a convertible version that was available for the Paseo’s second and final generation.
The Paseo looked okay in the early 1990s but didn’t age well. It’s also not sporty at all and certainly not fast. Toyota only gave this sport-styled coupe an 84-horsepower engine. An engine that soon developed problems with excessive oil consumption, and the radiators began to leak.
Acura RSX
The Acura RSX was launched in 2002, one year after the first Fast & Furious movie convinced teenagers to put loud exhausts and wild body kits on their Hondas. The Acura is technically a Honda, and it was sold as an Integra in Europe, so it had a lot to live up to.
At first, the RSX seemed like a solid car, but gearbox issues would soon rear their ugly head. It would pop out of gear and grind when putting it into gear, and it seems to affect most cars that have been driven hard.
Mazda Capella
The Mazda Capella, sold as the Mazda 626 in some markets, successfully ran for six generations. You should avoid cars with an automatic transmission, though.
The automatics are known to develop various problems, starting with clunky gearshifts. This will eventually grow into random upshifts and downshifts, and sometimes, the transmission will seize up. Being an old car, reliability will be questionable due to age-related issues.
First-Gen Honda Insight
The first generation Honda Insight arrived in 1999 and lasted until 2006. You can’t compare it to the modern models in any way. Its design was weird, but it may not be a dealbreaker if you are okay with people pointing and laughing.
The Insight only produced a meager 96 horsepower, and it handled like a bag full of spanners. Honda thought they could sell 45,000 of these cars – during the seven-year production run, they only sold 17,000.
Nissan 350Z
Wait! We’re not saying the Nissan 350Z is bad, so don’t crucify us yet. Technically speaking, the problem with the 350Z is its owners. It’s a great sports car with lots of power and rear-wheel drive, which also means it’s unsuitable for inexperienced drivers.
The Nissan 350Z was the deadliest car in the US, and from 2005 to 2008, it was involved in 148 fatal accidents. If this isn’t your first rodeo, and you’ve spent some time behind the wheel of fast and powerful cars before, you’ll also be fine in the 350Z. Those with less experience should find a more forgiving vehicle to drive.
Infiniti QX56
Nissan decided to go head-to-head with Range Rover, so they created the Infiniti QX56. Apparently, that meant building a vehicle almost as unreliable as a Range Rover, too.
Actually, it’s not very unreliable, but it does eat its brakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. According to Consumer Reports, the QX56 can warp its rotors in a couple of weeks, and the brakes are often worn out by 2,500 to 3,000 miles. Owners would have to replace the brakes every time the car is serviced! Luckily, newer models have improved vastly.
Mazda Rotary Truck
We love small trucks and rotary engines even more, but the two aren’t a good mix. Pickup trucks must be practical, as they’re used for hauling stuff around. That means they need torque.
Rotary engines don’t produce much torque, so the Mazda rotary truck was useless for any truck duties. However, if you just want a cool and quirky vehicle, it will undoubtedly turn a few heads at the local Cars & Coffee.
Mitsuoka Orochi
The Mitsuoka Orochi got its name from a mythical eight-headed Japanese dragon. Unfortunately, while it does have a mid-engined configuration, the Orochi is not the fire-breathing kind of dragon.
It uses a V6 engine from the Toyota Camry, so it’s not particularly powerful – it should be very reliable, though. Unfortunately, most people can’t look past its fish-like styling. The Orochi is among the ugliest cars ever, and don’t buy one if you can’t handle people making fun of you.
Subaru SVX
Subaru introduced the SVX as the XT’s replacement. Those who didn’t love the XT’s styling wouldn’t be interested in the SVX, as it looks even weirder.
Much like its older sibling, the SVX came with some issues. The transmission is known to give up the ghost, as are the wheel bearings, and the brake rotors tend to warp. There’s a reason why Subaru gave up on these cars.
Nissan Titan
The Nissan Titan exploded onto the scene and immediately challenged established American pickup trucks, such as the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and Chevy Silverado. The Titan can be great or troublesome, depending on the model year.
Older models from 2004 to 2006 are probably the worst and should be avoided. There are more than 2,200 registered complaints on Titans from those years. Problems include faulty engine control modules, seat belts, broken shift levers, etc. Newer vehicles are much better, so go for one of those instead.
Honda Prelude
Honda is known for its reliable vehicles, yet they’ve suffered from quality issues occasionally. The last-generation Honda Prelude is one of their models that can cause owners headaches.
The four-speed automatic transmission should be avoided, as it’s known to fail, and some owners report that their Prelude’s engine has idling problems and won’t run right. The Prelude is a somewhat luxurious sports coupe, and running costs will be higher than an everyday model.
Mitsubishi Outlander
Mitsubishi introduced the Outlander in 2003, and the seven-seater SUV has never beat the competition. The models built from 2014 to 2018 have a particularly sketchy reputation.
The third-gen Outlander from those years only gets a 71 out of 100 reliability score. It has several engine problems, including reduced power, stalling, and overheating. The automatic transmission is also known to fail. We’d steer clear of this one.
Suzuki Ignis
The Suzuki Ignis’ looks are undoubtedly divisive, but there are other problems with this small crossover SUV. We can even live with the fact that it’s severely underpowered due to its tiny 1.2-liter engine.
Its reliability score of 58 out of 100 is the leading cause for concern. It also had a faulty roll bar, and it was recalled due to fire risks caused by fuel leaks. There are more reliable cars out there for the same money.
Toyota Sera
The Toyota Sera may be the weirdest and quirkiest Toyota from the early ’90s, and that’s cool. We also love the fancy doors, which would later be the inspiration for the McLaren F1’s doors.
Toyota styled the Sera to look like a sports car, but it’s not very sporty at all. Imagine getting into a car with fancy butterfly doors, only for it to pack a measly 110 horsepower. That’s not even the worst part. The Toyota Sera suffers from rust issues, the engine leaks oil, it has a timing belt issue, and the transmission is known to act up.
Mazda RX-7
The Mazda RX-7 is much more reliable than the RX-8 we mentioned earlier, but it still had its fair share of problems. Yes, we know the RX-7 is a highly sought-after JDM classic now, but that doesn’t mean it’s trouble-free.
If you know how to hold a wrench, these problems will be manageable. The 3rd-gen RX-7’s catalytic converters are known to fail, and the turbo manifold will sometimes crack. The biggest issue is its rotary engine, so it will require occasional rebuilding and will be expensive to run due to its appetite for premium fuel and high-quality oil.
Mitsubishi Mirage
The Mitsubishi Mirage is best known for being the cheapest new car sold in the States. Cutting costs to the bone means the vehicle will be as basic as it gets. The Mirage truly is a no-thrills and no-frills machine.
Even if you’re okay with the most basic of cars and only need something to get you from Point A to Point B, you should know that it may also be unsafe. The US Fatality Analysis Reporting System suggests that the Mitsubishi Mirage could be the most dangerous car currently sold in the United States.
Mazda Tribute
Mazda really marketed its Tribute model as the Miata of SUVs, which was true in some ways. Owners agreed that it was fun to drive, giving its handling abilities two thumbs up. Unfortunately, that honeymoon phase soon ended.
As it turned out, the Mazda Tribute had severe rust issues. It was also recalled due to faulty fuel delivery modules that leaked gasoline onto hot surfaces. Then, there was another problem where the power steering suddenly disappeared. Ultimately, it received an appalling reliability rating of 57 out of 100.
Mitsuoka Le-Seyde
Mitsuoka, the company behind the Orochi we mentioned earlier, clearly has a different taste and style than most people. The Le-Seyde could’ve been great – it’s even based on the S13 Nissan Silvia, so it should be fun to drive.
The Mitsuoka Le-Seyde is just hideous to look at, and we wouldn’t want to be seen behind the wheel of one. Its retro design is supposed to be a tribute to classic sports cars, but there’s just too much going on here. Hard pass!
Mazda MX-3
Mazda built the excellent Miata, and the fantastic RX-7, and even their small hatchbacks are tons of fun and look good. So, how did the MX-3 slip through the cracks?
It looks like Mazda styled it after a bar of soap, and the engine was weak and uninspiring. In true Mazda fashion, it offered a decent driving experience on the right roads, but we’d rather buy a Miata.
