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Performance-wise, some Japanese sedans are so good they’ll put actual sports cars to shame. Here are some examples.
Japanese sedans have always been some of the best-selling vehicles in the U.S. Americans love Japanese sedans since they offer practicality, reliability, advanced technologies, and affordability.
However, Japanese sedans aren't known for their speed, but the stiff competition in the segment has forced automakers to build high-performance sedans that can obliterate some of your favorite sports cars. This list explores ten fantastic Japanese sedans that will shock you with their insane speed and handling prowess.
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The Camry is undoubtedly one of Toyota's greatest models. Since its introduction in 1982, the Camry has been a cash cow for Toyota, having sold millions of units since. The Camry is still in production today, and there are no signs of demand slowing down.
For years, gearheads have begged Toyota to build a faster version of the Camry. Toyota listened and built the high-performance Camry TRD. Built by the Toyota Racing Division, the Camry TRD comes with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 dishing out 301 hp, giving it great performance.
Just like Toyota and Honda, Nissan has a luxury division called Infiniti, whose main goal is to produce high-end versions of normal Nissan models. One of the best Infiniti models has to be the Q50 Red Sport 400.
The Q50 Red Sport 400 comes with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 cranking out 400 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, giving it a 0-60 mph of just 4.6 seconds.
When the Mazda 6 debuted in the early 2000s, gearheads loved its style, comfort, practicality, and low price tag. However, many felt it was lacking in the power department, which is why Mazda built a faster version - the Mazdaspeed 6.
Although the Mazdaspeed 6 looked almost identical to the Mazda 6, it had a ton of upgrades that made it a lot more fun to drive. These include an uprated turbocharged four-cylinder engine making just under 300 hp, larger wheels, an improved suspension system, and heavy-duty brakes.
Toyota's Luxury division is always trying to build luxury cars that can compete with similarly priced European options and win. The GS is a perfect example of that. The GS is a compact luxury sedan that competed against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5-Series till its discontinuation in 2020.
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The final GS generation was fantastic, particularly the top-of-the-range GS F. Equipped with a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 dishing out 467 hp, the GS F is insanely quick.
Honda's luxury division Acura has built some pretty awesome models over the last decade. The TLX is one of them. Introduced in 2014, the TLX is a four-door executive car that's currently in its second generation.
In 2021, Acura introduced the TLX Type S - a high-performance TLX version featuring an all-new DOHC 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 under the hood making 355 ponies and 354 lb-ft of torque. This is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive.
Mitsubishi has a long list of cars to be proud of, but none of them are as popular as the Lancer Evolution. The Lancer Evo was introduced in the '90s to bring Mitsubishi's advanced rally technology to road-going cars, and it has been a hit since.
Of all the Lancer generations, model years, and special versions you can buy, the Evo VI Tommi Makinen Edition is the most desirable. Introduced in 1999, this awesome car was built to honor the legendary Tommi Makinen, who won multiple WRC championships for Mitsubishi.
The Type-R badge is usually the first sign that a Honda is fast, even when it's used on a Civic. The first time Honda built a Civic Type-R was in the '90s, and it has been a strong seller for the Japanese marque since.
Honda recently unveiled the new Civic Type-R, and gearheads can't wait for it to hit the showroom floors. The new Civic Type-R has a less aggressive design compared to its predecessor and has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing up to 325 hp.
In 2014, Subaru stunned gearheads when it made the WRX STI a standalone model. This was a huge decision for Subaru, as the WRX STI had been part of the Impreza lineup since 1992.
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Despite losing the Impreza name, the WRX STI retained the cool features that made gearheads fall in love with the Impreza-based models. For starters, the WRX STI had a 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine producing 305 hp. It also has an all-wheel-drive system, a lowered ride height, high-performance brakes, a firmer suspension, and larger air intakes.
Of all the awesome models Lexus has built over the years, few are as revered as the LS. The LS is a fantastic car that competes against the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series, Audi A8, and other top full-size luxury sedans.
The latest version of the LS was introduced in 2017, and it's just as good as its predecessors. We particularly love the top-ranging LS500 F Sport version, which comes with a twin-turbocharged V6 engine making 416 horses.
The 'Skyline' nameplate has been used on some of the most iconic Japanese sports cars ever built. However, the modern Skyline is unrecognizable to many gearheads, as it's a large four-door sedan.
The latest Skyline generation was introduced in 2014, but it was quite slow until a key update in 2019. The 2019 Skyline could be equipped with a 3.0-liter VR30DDTT twin-turbo V6 making 399 hp, allowing it to outperform sports cars.
Martin is a seasoned content creator who has been writing about cars for over a decade, and has been in love with them for even longer. Growing up, Martin was surrounded by gearheads who instilled a deep love and understanding for cars in him at a young age. He loves to learn and write about all the developments happening in the auto industry - especially in the EV space. When he's not writing about cars, he likes to spend quality time with his wife, kids, and fur baby.