Japanese Car News

[iRage]

Mazda CX-8 and Honda N-Box the safest Japanese cars to be in a crash ..and to be in to prevent a crash

The auto safety division of the Japanese Ministry of Land Transportation released the crash test and accident preventive test results for 2017 models and CX-8 got the highest ever grade for collision/crash testing. The tests are two fold. First is Collision/Crash safety where a total score of 208 can be obtained (8 for safety belt mechanism and warning mechanism, 100 for passenger protection mechanisms and 100 for pedestrian protection mechanisms). Second is the Preventive Safety where a total of 79 marks can be obtained in areas of Brake assist/Mitigation systems with a total of 57 (32 for large object mechanisms and 25 for pedestrian detection mechanisms), Lane assist systems with 16 marks and Rear Visibility systems with 6 points. The Japanese regulations are such that since February 2018 all cars sold in Japan need to have Stability control systems...I have no idea where that gets assessed in the preventive safety. If a car get 12-45 points the car gets ranked as ASV+ (Advanced Safety Vehicle +). 46 and more it gets ranked as ASV++

the current highest scorers are/were

199.7 - Subaru Impreza/XV

The rankings :

Collision Safety :

<Passenger car division>  
1st  : Mazda CX - 8 193.9 points 
2nd : Mazda CX - 5 187.3 points 
3rd :Toyota C - HR 185.8 points 
4th :Toyota JPN TAXI 182.9 points

<kei car category> 
1st Honda N-BOX 184.1 points 
2nd Daihatsu Mirais 165.7 points 
3rd place Suzuki Wagon R / Wagon R Stingray 163.0 points 
4th Daihatsu Movable Canvas 160.5 points

Preventive systems

<Passenger Cars>
1st Mazda CX-8 (79.0 points)
2nd Nissan Note (79.0 points) 
3rd Mazda CX-5 (78.5 points) 
4th Honda Civic (78.4 points)

<Kei cars> 
1st Honda N-BOX 76.6 points 
Wagon R / Wagon R Stingray 58.9 points 
3rd place Mira Y's 57.2 points 
Move / Move custom 57.2 points

Highest score holders are/were :

Collission Safety

Subaru Imprezza/XV - 199.7

Toyota Crown - 189 

Subaru Legacy - 188.8

Preventive safety

Nissan Serena - 71

Mazda Axela - 70.5

Subaru Impreza/XV - 68.9.

Japanese cars don't do that well in international safety ratings because the thresholds for the overlap test are different, thus the reason the current Crown does not meet international safety standards.

Edited June 20, 2018 by iRage

[iRage]

I know many Euro lovers do not see the point of this...but still...it akes a lot of sense in a very Japanese way.

The new Century went on sale a few days ago...base price is 19.6mil yen. 
The car comes with a 5.0L V8 Hybrid engine with a net output of about 425hp and rated at 13.6 kmpl.
Yes...the phoenix on the grill and the wheel cap is hand carved  and the grill has a chestnut pattern  Monthl

Monthly production volume is expected to be 20...

 

[zeem35]

Japanese Rolls Royce

[iRage]

Skyline GT-R 50th Anniversary...

EDIT : Okay..so I got some facts wrong...so corrected it based on multiple sources that seem to hint slightly different things...so i guess we will have to wait and see what actually happens.

Nissan showed glimpses of the GT-R50 by Italdesign (nick naked the Samurai Blade). The actual unveiling is supposed to happen next month ? in Europe...and sold in 2019 for the anniversary of both the Skyline GT-R and ItalDesign.

The concept which is based on the 2018 NISMO GT-R also seems to hint design ques of the next gen GT-R. It is the first commercially and production viable concept design of what probably could be the next gen GT-R which we have actually seen (So no...the 2020 GranTurismo is NOT the next gen GTR like some claim)

Nissan's plan seems to have the Samurai Blade launched in 2019 for the 50th anniversary of the GT-R which will have (in concept atleast) a tuned Twin Turbo 3.8L V6 tuned to put out nearly 720hp (base is about 500++?). The price tag will be about 35mil yen. If this also translates to the next gen base GT-R it will probably be cheaper 

Edited July 1, 2018 by iRage

[iRage]

On Toyota Connected Day was held on the 26th of June; the Crown and Corolla Hatch (formerly known as Auris in Japan, still sold as Auris in Europe) were officially launched with actual pricing and grades and specs.

Toyota Connected is Toyota's new fully connected vehicle information and management systems, where the vehicle is connected to multiple services offered by Toyota for monitoring the vehicle (and in certain cases rectifying issues). Additionally it will also connect you to emergency assist systems in Japan as well as various location based web services. Toyota's plan is to have all cars come with the system by 2025 (or something). So what will happen when these cars are brought down to SL ? You can order/configure the car to run on a special autonomous mode (so taking it out of Japan is not going to put the car in a limp home mode). 

Crown…prices starting from 4.6mil yen…three main engine options…3.5L V6 Hybrid (290ish hp engine + 175ish from the motor...330 something net hp), 2.5L Hybrid out of the Camry but in RWD (184hp from the engine and 148hp from the motor 220 something net hp) and the 2L Turbo from the previous model (240hp). There are 4 grades in total B, S, G and RS with each having a few packages of their own. As anticipated different Crown line-ups (Royal and Athlete) seem to have gone. Some grades are available only in certain power trains. The vehicle comes with a 3 year subscription of Toyota Connect. 

Personally I find the base RS and the TRD packages a lot more nicer to look at than Modellista kits

 

[iRage]

Corolla Sports prices start from 2.1mil yen upwards. So far Japan gets only 2 engine choices….the 1.8L Hybrid (95ish?hp from the engine + 75?hp from motor) and the 1.2L Turbo straight from the previous version (also the CHR) with about 110hp. For now the most powerful cariant globally is the 2L variant and is not available in Japan and Toyota apparently still plans on having the 1.6L 3cyl Turbo next year along with the new sedan. Again...I suppose all these would depend on how well the car is received by the public and how desperate Toyota is to revive it. The Corolla Sedan and Fielder wagons are slated to be launched next year (dates seem to be hokey....some say around April..some say around August...if it is around August....Toyota might be holding off to launch it at the Tokyo Motor show in November)

[kmeeg]

How is that...!!?

BTW, I thought they are going to make it for consumer market but now i have a feeling its only for NASCAR.. 

<updated> I guess I should'n't have posted on this thread as its not Japan, but hope who loves Supra will like it.

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by kmeeg

[iRage]

Cars, Roads and Big Data

Toyota is experimenting with the Toyota Connected system in gathering road condition data to inform city authorities (and any other stake holders) regarding road work/maintenance that is needed.

Toyota Connected is Toyota’s new integrated vehicle monitoring and communication system; which at present, monitors the car’s status along with gathering traffic data. Toyota is taking it a step further by gathering data relating to road condition which will be transferred to the appropriate authorities. Right now they are testing it out in Toyota City in Aichi. Not much is known about how the system works….but speculation is that it probably uses image recognition/processing software to detect abnormalities on the road surface, signs, guard rails etc…along with some metrics like suspension shocks, etc…

[iRage]

On 7/9/2018 at 11:26 PM, kmeeg said:

How is that...!!?

BTW, I thought they are going to make it for consumer market but now i have a feeling its only for NASCAR.. 

<updated> I guess I should'n't have posted on this thread as its not Japan, but hope who loves Supra will like it.

The thread is for anything and everything to do with Japanese cars, let it be any where in the world . Atleast that is how I interpreted it...

The Supra will be for the public as well...they first launched a race version and then this which is a variant of the race version for NASCAR. The whole idea is Toyota is now set on making people believe that they are focussed on bringing race/performance car technology to their everyday cars. SO they are pushing this whole notion of cars having racing DNA...So they tend to have taken a path of first showing off the sporty variants before the normal variants.

Edited July 20, 2018 by iRage

[Magnum]

The HIace got updated a while back,

The 1KD(3000cc) engine was replaced with the Euro 6 1GD(2800cc) engine along with a 6 speed tiptronic gearbox. Power output is almost same, the 1GD's peak power sits slightly at a higher RPM than the 1KD though. Toyota claims fuel economy has increased by 1 to 1.6 km/l

The new Hiace would carry a model code as GDH for diesel and TRH for Petrol.

In addition, Toyota has added the 'Safety Sense, traction control, hill start assist.

Along with the update Toyota added more TRD accesories and a 50th anniversary "Relaxbase Edition"

Notice the rectangle sensor on the grill

 

The retro styled Relaxbase Hiace

[iRage]

The Honda Clarity goes on sale !

 

Starting at 5.9mil yen the Clarity has 2 power trains for the Japanese market. A PHEV variant and a FCV variant. The US and a few other markets will be getting an EV variant as well.

Why do these cars have to look so awkward ?

 

[kush]

16 minutes ago, iRage said:

The Honda Clarity goes on sale !

 

Starting at 5.9mil yen the Clarity has 2 power trains for the Japanese market. A PHEV variant and a FCV variant. The US and a few other markets will be getting an EV variant as well.

Why do these cars have to look so awkward ?

 

 

Any news on the new Insight in Japan

New CRV is going to be launched in August with Hybrid Power train

[ShintaroX]

15 hours ago, iRage said:

The Honda Clarity goes on sale !

 

Starting at 5.9mil yen the Clarity has 2 power trains for the Japanese market. A PHEV variant and a FCV variant. The US and a few other markets will be getting an EV variant as well.

Why do these cars have to look so awkward ?

 

Does it look like a 21st century Citroen BX to anyone else?

[iRage]

21 hours ago, kush said:

Any news on the new Insight in Japan

New CRV is going to be launched in August with Hybrid Power train

Yes...the CRV was debuted in Japan at the Tokyo Motorshow last year..it will launch later this summer (early fall).

As for the Insight...no definitive talk about a Japan launch. Its supposed to be launched in the US in 2019 (or as a 2019 model..can't say with the translation for certain...but most likely IN 2019). So the speculation is that if Japan does get it, it will be after that. But some are skeptical about a Japanese intro because sedans, especially in that segment, are not doing that well in Japan; and that Honda should be more focused on selling the Grace and Accord Hybrids and the Clarity as Eco sedans rather than to introduce the Insight as well as dilute the market even more. Although the Insight is based on the Civic apparently it is larger than the Civic but smaller than the Accord.

Edited July 25, 2018 by iRage

[iRage]

Mazda Atenza gets cylinder deactivation. The 2.5 Skyactiv engine with cylinder deactivation was first introduced in the CX-5 sometime back and now it has finally been put in the Atenza. I haven't driven one but people seem to rave about the system in the CX5 so I suppose it would be pretty good in the Atenza as well. 

[iRage]

A facelift has been shown for the US market for the 2019 model year. Apparently there will also be a "Sport" grade introduced with a 2L engine and 18" wheels, a piano black front grille, a boot lip spoiler and skirts 

 

[kmeeg]

2 hours ago, iRage said:

A facelift has been shown for the US market for the 2019 model year. Apparently there will also be a "Sport" grade introduced with a 2L engine and 18" wheels, a piano black front grille, a boot lip spoiler and skirts 

 

Like that front grill vs the 2018 model.

 

[iRage]

16 hours ago, kmeeg said:

Like that front grill vs the 2018 model.

But the face lift is a Civic

 

[kmeeg]

1 hour ago, iRage said:

But the face lift is a Civic

 

 

[iRage]

Pockets not deep enough for a high-end SUV ? Well..DAMD has the solution for you...

DAMD has two tribute body kits for the new Jimny titled "Little D" and "Little G"...well...I'll let you decide what they are 

 

Is it strange that I find this more appealing than the real thing ?

Toyota confirmed that they will be showcasing the Touring Wagon variant of the new Corolla (wagon variant of the new Corolla Sports) at the Paris Motor show in a few weeks time. It is supposed to have the same face as the Corolla sedan so we get to see what the rest of the Corolla family will look like...finally. As for the Corolla Sports GT with the souped up engine...seems like it will be a limited GRMN model later towards its life (i.e. we won't be able to buy one without selling off an arm and a leg) 

[kmeeg]

1 hour ago, iRage said:

Pockets not deep enough for a high-end SUV ? Well..DAMD has the solution for you...

DAMD has two tribute body kits for the new Jimny titled "Little D" and "Little G"...well...I'll let you decide what they are 

 

 

Wow, isn't that look like the damn expensive Mercedes G-Wagon?

 

[iRage]

3 hours ago, kmeeg said:

Wow, isn't that look like the damn expensive Mercedes G-Wagon?

Well if you missed the point..they are tribute kits...

Little D = LR Defender

Little  = AMG G 63

[matroska]

7 hours ago, iRage said:

Is it strange that I find this more appealing than the real thing ?

Not strange at all just look at it. ?

[Magnum]

On 8/30/2018 at 8:30 PM, kmeeg said:

Wow, isn't that look like the damn expensive Mercedes G-Wagon?

 

 

DAMD has done this before on Suzuki Every

Chrysler styling

 

Bentley styling

 

Hiace styling by Gibson

[iRage]

11 hours ago, Magnum said:

 

DAMD has done this before on Suzuki Every

Chrysler styling

Bentley styling

Hiace styling by Gibson

 

Yes...that is DAMD's thing