Why the JDM King Still Reigns Supreme

It's no secret that the Japanese import car scene isn't what it used to be in the 90s and early 2000s. Imports have lost the hipness factor and now, like many luxury cars, are more about status than anything else. But one company has stood the test of time and continues to innovate: Subaru. Unlike other JDM brands, Subaru has remained true to its core values as both an import brand and an off-road/performance brand.

A history lesson: What is JDM?

In Japan, certain models of cars were exclusively available with features that we'd now consider standard. The Japanese called them Jid?sha De Mita koto (literally, seen and driven), which roughly translates to Japanese Domestic Market Specification or JDM. Soon enough, enthusiasts outside of Japan took notice of these special packages and became enamored by them. To distinguish between cars sold in their country versus those that weren't, they coined the Japan Domestic Market or JDM. Nowadays, any vehicle modified by its owner to better suit their needs is considered part of the mod culture -- even if it was never intended for production and sale in Japan.

What makes a good car good?

What makes a good car? That's a question that will provoke dozens of opinions, and we're not going to ask you to choose just one. What makes a good car is largely subjective – but there are some unifying traits that most people agree on. As always, feel free to disagree in your comments below! If there is one thing most automotive enthusiasts can agree on, though, cars have evolved significantly over time. Today's classic cars had humble beginnings as small, insignificant runabouts when they were first launched.

Here are some examples

Hondas, Toyotas, and Nissans were built in Japan. These cars are high quality and have a certain style that's unlike American, German, or British cars. You see plenty of newer models from these manufacturers in New York City. Honda still holds the top spot. Toyota and Nissan produce some nice-looking vehicles but don't compare to Honda when it comes to building quality. It's easy to see why if you look at its lineup: Accord, Civic, CR-V, Odyssey, and Pilot are some of their best sellers here in America. What I love about Hondas is how well made they are compared to other cars on sale today on JDM Sport Classics: https://jdmsportclassics.com

And now we come to the problems.

I would imagine thousands of reasons why someone would want to buy a vehicle from Japan. However, only one dominates all others: personalization. Part of owning a car is making it your own, and nothing makes that easier than acquiring something unique that was never offered on our shores. But what if I told you that there's an even better way to get just what you want? You can still buy Japanese without waiting months for it to come across the Pacific. All you have to do is look in Europe instead. Few cars represent everything wrong with mainstream automotive design more than our king of kings, Vauxhall's Corsa.

Is there such thing as too much power?

It's a question people have been asking since before automotive power levels were being measured. But just how much is too much? If you're driving a car with too much power, you probably don't know until after it's too late to do anything about it. When we say too much power, we refer to cars that run out of capabilities long before they run out of boost or cars that get top speeds just shy of truly dangerous speeds. More important than straight-line speed is handling and brake capability, as these are features, you can use when racing at high speeds.