10 Most Reliable Japanese Cars Ever Made

The success of Japanese cars goes back to the early 1970s when Japanese automakers decided the best way to compete against popular American brands was to make better cars. They engineered dependable vehicles that were fuel efficient. It turned out to be a profitable strategy, and marketing these cars as “reliable” helped get Japanese cars into the garages of Americans.

Advertising their cars as reliable was not a marketing ploy. These cars were made well the first time. It was accomplished by making the assembly line more precise and more efficient to optimize the manufacturing process. Each prototype was built by hand to perfection, before assembly. This, as opposed to American manufacturing at the time, made Japanese imports more dependable. The ubiquitous phrase, “close attention to detail” was seemingly invented by Japanese engineering. It costs more to make reliable cars, but profit is reaped by not having to rebuild faulty examples and not being burdened by recalls. It’s called over-engineering.

UPDATE: 2024/02/10 15:31 EST BY RON FP

How we made our model selections:
HotCars analyzed Japanese car models and their J.D. Power Quality & Reliability ratings for the past two decades. Additional data was included, such as annual maintenance costs (from RepairPal), 10-year maintenance costs (from CarEdge), and recall information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For further insights, consumer reviews from KBB and Edmunds were also included. Used car prices were sourced from KBB.

The following models were sorted from lowest to highest according to their respective J.D. Power quality and reliability scores.

10 2009 Honda Civic: 83/100

2009 Honda Civic Maintenance And Reliability

• Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $368
• Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $5,245
• Total Recalls: 8
• J.D. Power Quality And Reliability Score: 83/100
• KBB Consumer Rating: 4.5/5
• Edmunds Consumer Rating: 4.5/5

The Civic Is Popular Among Families And Tuning Enthusiasts Alike

Since its debut in 1972, the humble little Civic has grown into one of the Japanese brand’s most popular models. Aside from being a reliable compact family sedan, the Civic has also captured the hearts of many JDM enthusiasts due to its affordability, aftermarket tuning potential, and overall reliability. If you’re a Civic fan, you may want to check out this list of the best Civic models of all time.

The 2009 Civic received a few exterior updates, and the hybrid Civic trim came with electronic stability control as a standard feature. Aside from having a hybrid system, the standard 2009 Civic variants also offered two gas-powered powerplants, namely a base 1.8-liter 4-cylinder VTEC (140 hp, 128 lb-ft) and a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder VTEC (190 hp, 139 lb-ft).

9 2010 Mazda Mazda3: 83/100

2010 Mazda3 Maintenance And Reliability

• Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $433
• Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $5,409
• Total Recalls: 3
• J.D. Power Quality And Reliability Score: 83/100
• KBB Consumer Rating: 4.6/5
• Edmunds Rating: 4.7/5

The Mazda3 Has The Jinba Ittai Spirit Of The Miata

The 2010 Mazda3 pioneered the Japanese nameplate’s second generation, and it was part of a lineup that had the “happy face” front grille and fascia design. For 2010, the Mazda3 came in sedan and hatchback formats and used either a 2.0-liter I4 engine (148 hp, 135 lb-ft) or a 2.5-liter powerplant (167 hp, 168 lb-ft). There are several reasons why the Mazda3 deserves respect, among them the fact that Mazda gave the Mazda3 the same “Jinba Ittai” philosophy – or the oneness between the driver and the car – as it did with the fantastic Mazda MX-5 Miata.

8 2017 Mazda Mazda6: 84/100

2017 Mazda6 Maintenance And Reliability

• Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $396
• Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $5,507
• Total Recalls: 1
• J.D. Power Quality And Reliability Score: 84/100
• KBB Consumer Rating: 4.4/5
• Edmunds Rating: 4.6/5

The Mazda6 Is Poised To Bring Mazda Into Premium Territory

To compete against market powerhouses like the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord in the midsize sedan class, Mazda developed the Mazda6 as a successor to the 626. Among the things we love about the Mazda6 is that it offers premium practicality along with its premium interior and exterior styling. For the 2017 model year, the Mazda6 offered a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system as a standard feature. However, the more impressive technological improvement was the G-Vectoring Control – a feature that regulates the engine’s output according to the driver’s steering movements.

The 2017 Mazda6 came with a 2.5-liter engine that produces 184 hp and 185 lb-ft of twist. Although its power output may not be impressive for many street racing fans, the Mazda6 did impress more conservative drivers with its combined fuel economy rating of 31 MPG – pretty close to what many compact cars can squeeze out.

7 2016 Honda Accord: 84/100

2016 Honda Accord Maintenance And Reliability

• Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $400
• Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $5,412
• Total Recalls: 2
• J.D. Power Quality And Reliability Score: 84/100
• KBB Consumer Rating: 4.4/5
• Edmunds Rating: 4.3/5

The Accord Is Now In Its Eleventh Generation

After its 1976 debut as a 68-hp, three-door hatchback, the Honda Accord has evolved for eleven generations and counting. From its compact car roots, the Accord eventually moved to the midsize class and included sedan, coupe, and wagon variants. Today, the Honda Accord also comes with hybrid and plug-in hybrid engine options.

Because of the car’s comfort, convenience, and reliability which people can get for a relatively affordable price, the Honda Accord became one of the longest-running car models in America.

6 2017 Honda Fit/ Honda Jazz: 85/100

2017 Honda Fit Maintenance And Reliability

• Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $267 – $326
• Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $4,915
• Total Recalls: 0
• J.D. Power Quality And Reliability Score: 85/100
• KBB Consumer Rating: 4.5/5
• Edmunds Rating: 4/5

The Honda Fit Is One Of The Best Subcompact Cars On The Market

Also known in other markets as the Honda Jazz, the Fit entered the market in 2001 as a subcompact hatchback. Because of its appealing design, fuel efficiency, and small but spirited powertrains, the Honda Fit gained a steady following in the industry. In recent years, some enthusiasts have regarded the Honda Fit as the best subcompact car on the market. The third-generation Fit came in 2013 with gas-powered and EV variants – with the latter being Honda’s first attempt at marketing a modern electric car in the US. Moreover, this generation also offered the Honda Connect infotainment system and a suite of advanced safety features.

The 2017 Honda Fit was essentially a carry-over model year from 2016. Power came from a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder “Earth Dreams” VTEC family engine (130 hp, 114 lb-ft). However, because the 2017 Fit already outgrew any growing pains from its generations’ earlier iterations, it has had zero NHTSA recalls to date. Furthermore, the 2017 Honda Fit received a “great” 85/100 quality and reliability score from J.D. Power and a convincing 4.5/5 consumer review score from KBB.

5 2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata: 86/100

2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata Maintenance And Reliability

• Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $429
• Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $5,761
• Total Recalls: 0
• J.D. Power Quality And Reliability Score: 86/100
• KBB Consumer Rating: 4.8/5
• Edmunds Consumer Rating: 4/5

The Miata Is Known For Its Near-Perfect Weight Balance And Great Power-To-Weight Ratio

Since its launch in 1989, the Mazda MX-5 – known to many as the Miata – has grown in popularity to become one of the most iconic small roadsters ever made. The 2008 Miata’s 2.0-liter I4 engine (166 hp, 140 lb-ft), combined with its remarkable power-to-weight ratio and impressive responsiveness, provides its owners with an exhilarating driving experience that not a lot of cars can give.

Compared to its other generations, the 3rd-generation Mazda MX-5 NC offers a power-retractable hardtop – a very attractive feature for sports car enthusiasts who like the open-air driving experience but are deterred by the inconveniences of aging soft-top convertible roof materials.

4 2015 Toyota Prius: 88/100

2015 Prius Maintenance And Reliability

• Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $421
• Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $4,008
• Total Recalls: 2
• JD Power Quality And Reliability Score: 88/100
• KBB Consumer Rating: 4.7/5
• Edmunds Consumer Rating: 4.4/5

The Prius Is The World’s First Mass-Produced Hybrid Car

The Toyota Prius changed the automotive scene forever when it entered the market as the world’s first mass-produced hybrid electric car. Since then, Toyota has continuously improved the Prius’ hybrid technology, offering better power, range, and features for every generation. For the 2015 model year, the Prius used a base 1.8-liter I4 hybrid engine that cranked out 134 hp while still delivering 51 miles to the gallon even while in the city. The 2015 Prius also had a plug-in hybrid trim that uses the same hybrid engine with a bigger propulsion/traction battery to allow for a 95 miles-per-gallon-equivalent (mpg-e) when driven in EV mode.

3 2019 Toyota Corolla: 92/100

2019 Corolla Maintenance And Reliability

• Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $381
• Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $4,087
• Recalls: 6
• JD Power Quality And Reliability Score: 92/100
• KBB Consumer Rating: 4.3/5
• Edmunds Consumer Rating: 3.8/5

The Corolla Is One Of The World’s Best-Selling Cars

Before Tesla’s Model Y overtook it in 2023, the Toyota Corolla was the world’s best-selling car in 2022. Despite relinquishing its throne, the compact Toyota Corolla is still a respected nameplate in the global automotive industry. The Corolla’s popularity comes from several generations’ worth of proven reliability, practicality, and overall value on different continents.

For the 2019 model year, the Corolla used a 1.8-liter I4 engine that came with two different power settings (132-140 hp, 126 -128 lb-ft of twist). As the last annual iteration of its 11th generation, the 2019 Corolla was understandably past its predecessor’s reliability woes, thus earning a “best” 92/100 quality and reliability score from J.D. Power.

2 2022 Lexus IS: 92/100

2022 Lexus IS Maintenance And Reliability

• Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $551
• Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $5,680
• Total Recalls: 0
• JD Power Quality And Reliability Score: 92/100
• KBB Consumer Rating: 4.1/5
• Edmunds Consumer Rating: 4.3/5

The 2022 Lexus IS Offers A V8 Engine In A Compact Body

In 2021, the compact Lexus IS sedan lineup welcomed the Lexus IS 500 F-Sport Performance – the first Lexus model to use the F-Sport Performance badge. The IS 500 F-Sport Performance sits above the F-Sport package and below the exclusive F line (i.e., IS F, GS F, RC F), and it builds on the F-Sport package (limited-slip differential, sport-tuned suspension, exterior styling, etc.) by adding the same 5.0-liter V8 power plant of the LC 500 and the RC F. With this configuration, the Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance cranks up the sports sedan formula to eleven.

1 2014 Toyota Camry: 92/100

2014 Camry Maintenance And Reliability

• Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $387
• Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $4,203
• Recalls: 3
• JD Power Quality And Reliability Score: 92/100
• KBB Consumer Rating: 4.4/5
• Edmunds Consumer Rating: 4.1/5

The Camry Is One Of America’s Favorite Family Sedans

The Toyota Camry is a popular midsize sedan that has been a go-to vehicle for generations of American families. Although the all-new 2025 Camry has been revealed, many older Camry model years are still great choices on the used car market due to their dependability. The 2014 Camry – with a “best” 92/100 quality and reliability score from J.D. Power – is one good example. The Camry offered three engines for its 2014 lineup, namely a 2.5-liter I4 (178 hp, 170 lb-ft), a 3.5-liter V6 (268 hp, 248 lb-ft), and finally, a 2.5-liter hybrid system (200 hp total output).

Sources: Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, J.D. Power, RepairPal, CarEdge, NHTSA