​Best Japanese Used Cars

Japanese cars are well known for being a safe reliable purchase. Find our top 5 featured Japanese used cars below.

1. Honda Civic (2012-2014)

Although currently manufactured in the UK, the Japanese Honda Civic has been around since the 1970’s and is the ultimate car in reliability. The older 2.2 litre diesel version is surprisingly economical. With the ability to do 0-60 mph in just over 8 seconds, this car provides a smooth comfortable ride.

The quality of materials available in the Honda Civic is high, and boasts a huge 477 litre boot space making it a very practical car. You know you’re getting a high-quality car with a Honda, and it will require little maintenance.

2. Mazda MX-5 (2009/10)

The Mazda MX-5 is a great Japanese used car to buy if you’re looking for an affordable sports car. A traditional soft top car, this car is well known for being extremely fun to drive. The best-selling roadster for over 25 years, the 2.0 litre engine version goes from 0-60 mph in just 7.6 seconds.

Improvements to the 2009 Mazda MX-5 include a lowered suspension, which really enhances the feel of the steering and agility on the road. As far as sports cars go, the roof on the Mazda MX-5 is very easy to raise or lower from the driver’s seat. From the exterior, the car appears quite small, however the boot space and interior storage are actually very ample.

In conclusion, the used Mazda MX–5 is reliable, fun and cheap to run, and a great investment for anyone looking for an affordable sports car.

3. Nissan Juke (2014)

With a stand out design and distinctive features, the Nissan Juke is a really practical car, with a very spacious 251 litre boot and ample interior space. The best-selling version is he 1.5 dCi diesel version, which is an economical 70 mpg combined. Even with its size, the Juke can go 0-50 mph in 10.8 seconds, which makes it quite punchy on the roads.

This mixture between a 4×4 and a miniature car is aimed at younger market looking for something different. The high riding position gives the driver excellent vision, and a superior view of the road ahead, making it easy to identify hazards ahead.

4. Toyota Prius (2009 – 2016)

The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric car, and arguably one of the most well-known hybrid cars on the market at the moment. In terms of economy, a used Toyota Prius clearly beats all cars, declared as the best hybrid car in the market in 2009.

The Toyota Prius is made up of a 1.8 litre petrol engine, coupled with an electric motor, which can power the car up to 30mph. The electric motor is run on batteries which get charged whenever you decelerate or hit the brake pedals. This clever system means that the CO1 emissions are only 89g/km, and so cheap to run.

5. Toyota iQ (2009-2014)

Being the smallest four-seat car available in the UK market, you would expect the space to be pretty limited. This isn’t the case with the Toyota IQ as they seem to have packed in an incredible amount of space. The boot is probably the one part of the car you do notice the space limitations as a tiny 32 litres. If you can sacrifice the back-seat passenger, the seats easily fold down to give you a boot space of just over 250 litres. A 64.2mpg average economy from their 1.0 litre engine makes this car relatively cheap to run.

The Toyota IQ also emits only 99g/km of carbon dioxide emissions making it a good environmentally friendly city run-around.

This car can get you away from the lights at a surprisingly quick speed, however, the 1.0 litre engine won’t do you any favours on a long drive on the motorway.

Features that come as standard on the IQ are power steering, alloy wheels, ESP traction control, central locking, air con, CD stereo, electric windows and door mirrors. Additional accessories revolve around the entertainment so your Bluetooth and phone connection kits.

6. Suzuki Swift (2012)

This is part of the 3rd generation range of the popular Suzuki hatchback. The whole design of the car is very aesthetically pleasing and retains a compact feel. The Suzuki Swift has relatively low running costs making it a really good small family car. The most popular version on the market is the 1.2 litre petrol.

Subtle changes from the 2nd generation include a grille that comes up to the edge of the front, and distinguishing rear lights with clear inner panelling. The extended wheel base on this version of the Swift, makes for a much roomier interior, adding to the passenger comfort. Unfortunately, this falls a bit when it comes to the boot space, which is only 204-litres.

You probably wouldn’t look at buying this car for power, with a rather slow engine speed on their standard 1.2 litre version. This car does 0-60 mph in 11.6 second and the engine works well for the low speeds.

Still undecided ? Browse our range of used Japanese cars today..