Top 5 Japanese cars we need in Australia, including some must-have cars from Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Suzuki to rival the Hyundai i30, Zeekr 009 and more | Opinion

Japanese brands, once the dominant force in the Australian market, are under siege.

Not only are Korean marques such as Hyundai and Kia now on-par, but some of Australia’s favourite Japanese brands such as Mitsubishi, Nissan, and even the juggernaut Toyota are facing challenges competing with new automakers from China.

New-age rivals like MG, GWM, and BYD are leapfrogging up the sales charts, making long-held favourites Honda, Subaru, and Nissan drop out of Australia’s top 10.

So what can these brands do to better compete? There are entire segments being left behind with ready-made products available overseas - would these help Nissan, Toyota, Suzuki, and Mitsubishi better compete?

Here’s our favourites which we still can't believe aren’t sold by these brands in Australia.

Nissan Note

Nissan said the Note belongs to a shrinking market segment, and it is more committed to being competitive in the largest selling market segments, particularly SUVs.

The thing is, the Note is a gem with its modern design and hybrid powertrain, and could offer buyers a genuine alternative to still-popular hatchback options like the Toyota Corolla, Kia Cerato, and even the electric MG4, which are all proving the small car segment still has life left in it (for the right vehicle).

The current Note is offered exclusively with Nissan’s signature e-Power system which would set it apart from the hatchback crowd entirely thanks to its electric motor driving the wheels and 1.2-litre engine used only as a generator. Fuel consumption is as low as 3.5L/100km according to the WLTP testing cycle for the FWD versions, and total power comes in at a combined 85kW/280Nm.

It could also serve as a cost-effective stop-gap replacement for the relatively unloved Nissan Leaf, which struggled with price competitiveness with rival EVs, particularly later in its run. A base Note hybrid in Japan starts from the equivalent of AU$30,000.

Now could be the right time with once-popular rivals such as the Hyundai i30 ducking out from the price race as the Korean marque moves to import the next version of its popular hatch range from Europe, leaving a void not yet capitalised on by Chinese rivals.

Read more about the Nissan note here

Toyota Alphard

Long gone are the days of Toyota’s people-mover segment domination with its Tarago people mover. For reasons beyond comprehension (really it’ll be parts commonality with the HiAce), Toyota commits to the slow-selling diesel-powered Granvia as its sole people mover offering. As a result, the segment has been almost entirely captured by its much more appealing rival, the Kia Carnival.

What could turn its fortunes around? A start would be offering Toyota buyers what they actually want in the people mover segment, the Alphard.

Popular across Asia as essentially the aspirational luxury people mover of choice, the Alphard (and its sporty Vellfire spin-off) may not be a cheap proposition if it were to land down under priced at at least $90,000 for the best-selling grey Executive Lounge versions, although base 2.5-litre hybrid versions start from the equivalent of AU$65,000 in their home market of Japan (perhaps $75,000 by the time it lands in Australia).

It may be too little, too late for Toyota on this front, with Chinese rivals now entering this space with the Zeekr 009 and Xpeng X9, but for now at least the Alphard remains one of Australia’s most popular grey imports in spite of it costing in excess of $130,000 to privately import a recent example.

Read more about the Toyota Alphard here

Toyota Crown

The new-generation Toyota Crown is the perfect time for Toyota’s luxury marque to re-enter the Australian market. Edgy new age design in no less than four different bodystyles is met by next-generation hybrid power.

Toyota’s line-up in Australia is already massive, so the argument that it hardly needs yet another vehicle to potentially step on the toes of Lexus is a fair one.

The current Crown crossover sold in Japan and now the US is quite a step above the popular Camry, wearing a price-tag the equivalent of AU$50,000 for an absolute base hybrid version. The more interesting version, costing in excess of $60,000 is the all-wheel drive e-Four Advanced version which uses the new 2.4-litre turbo hybrid system currently only used in Lexus products in Australia. 

Still, it would be a shame for Australian buyers to miss out on such an iconic vehicle from the brand, and one that breaks with design convention with its crossover shape and plush interior.

Arguably it could also fill a void left by the discontinued Lexus IS. Others may argue the sharp-looking new Prius is a better bet. Either one seems unlikely to further bolster Toyota’s domestic line-up, at least in the short term.

Read more about the Toyota Crown here

Suzuki Hustler

Suzuki chugs along in Australia with its range of small vehicles, from the mainstream and affordable Swift hatch to the ultimate affordable Jimny 4x4. Outside of these two models though, the brand struggles a little.

Its once popular but drab Baleno is long gone, and its replacement, the Fronx crossover is still yet to arrive. The Ignis city car is also on the way out, and the Vitara small SUV is feeling its age.

What could bolster this line-up? The brand’s local management have frequently said they’d like to explore more of Suzuki’s Japanese selection, which includes such great examples as the Spacia city-sized MPV, Lapin hatch, and of course our favourite, the Hustler mini crossover.

Sort of a lower-riding take on the same retro-styled 4x4 formula as the Jimny, the Hustler combines a cutesy veneer with an array of accessories to tough it up, and is of course available with MHEV turbo and all-wheel drive, which could make it a bit capable and fun-to-drive too.

It could be an apt replacement for the Ignis in the brand’s local line-up, as the Hustler, even in turbo MHEV form, hovers around the $20,000 mark in Japan.

As always, falling short in the ANCAP test and potential issues with ADR compliance always hold Japanese city cars back from an Australian launch, so it remains to be seen if Suzuki is willing to take a chance for all its talk about introducing more Japanese-sourced models.

Rear more about the Suzuki Hustler here

Mitsubishi Delica

Unlike some cars on this list, Mitsubishi has said it will genuinely look to import the Delica to Australia, but it won’t be this one, it will likely be the next-generation model as previewed by the Delica D:X concept shown back in 2023.

Regardless, we’re still surprised the brand’s thinning line-up wasn’t bolstered by the current D:5 model, which could have proved quite a good fit for the Australian market.

Not only does this unusual off-road people mover combine some genuine ground clearance with a diesel engine and a 4x4 system, but it could have been potentially competitively priced, too as well as compatible with the brand’s current line-up with which it shared a lot of hardware and interior parts.

We do agree with the brand that it’s probably too late for the current model, so what can you expect for the next-generation version? 

It’s promising that the brand has said it requires export markets like Australia to even justify development of the next-gen Delica, but eleventh hour decisions to back out of new models for our market aren’t unusual for the brand, with the once-promising eKX electric city car not quite making it to Australia despite the brand investing some effort into seeing if it could make it work.

It will likely come down to whether the brand can make its incoming range of next-generation PHEVs and EVs cost effective enough to be competitive in Australia.

Read more about the Mitsubishi Delica here