# Japanese auto manufacturers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426 "2003-06-26T01:58:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/1 "2003-06-26T01:58:17Z")
There is: Honda/Acura Toyota/Lexus Datsun/Nissan/Infiniti Subaru Isuzu (partially owned by GM) Mazda (partially owned by Ford) Mitsubishi (partially owned by DaimlerChrysler…or at least used to) What other Japanes auto makers exist? Something not imported to the US. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/2 "2003-06-26T02:15:54Z")
[Three others](http://autozine.kyul.net/Manufacturer/Japan.htm#Daihatsu): Suzuki (remember the Samurai) Daihatsu (smaller cars, 51% owned by Toyota, not exported to US) Hino (trucks, 33% owned by Toyota) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/3 "2003-06-26T02:44:59Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by OxyMoron \* > [BDaihatsu (smaller cars, 51% owned by Toyota, not exported to US)_\* They exported the Charade here for a few years. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/4 "2003-06-26T02:53:21Z")
[Mitsuoka Motors](http://www.mitsuoka-motor.com/lineup/index.html) is usually listed as an auto maker as well, though most of their cars are built on top of Nissan chassis. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/5 "2003-06-26T12:17:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\*They [Daihatsu] exported the Charade here for a few years. \*\* And the marketing genius who gave it that name was probably responsible for the fact that it’s no longer sold here! “Yup, it only _pretends_ to be a car.” ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/6 "2003-06-26T15:33:04Z")
There’s Nissan, too… ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/7 "2003-06-27T10:42:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Early Out \* > \*\*And the marketing genius who gave it that name was probably responsible for the fact that it’s no longer sold here! “Yup, it only _pretends_ to be a car.” \*\* That quote in reference to the “Charade” automobile. Don’t forget the Ford Aspire. It only aspires to be a real car. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/8 "2003-06-27T15:25:16Z")
Hijack: can anything be worse than a Gremlin? No Gremlins in this car…this car IS a Gremlin. No, this car doesn’t have reliability issues. ---
**Author:** ![CaptainHenreh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@CaptainHenreh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptainHenreh)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/9 "2003-06-27T15:51:47Z")
Daewoo. (well, now owned by GM) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/10 "2003-06-27T16:29:48Z")
Daewoo is Korean. I knew I’d heard of Mitsuoka before… good lord, those cars are tacky. Except for the micro-cars. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/11 "2003-06-27T16:32:31Z")
The Ford Aspire was made by Kia, in South Korea. Daewoo is also a Korean company. The Infiniti isn’t a real car; it’s a pile of rocks and trees. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-auto-manufacturers/184426/12 "2003-06-27T16:52:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sunspace \* > \*\*I knew I’d heard of Mitsuoka before… good lord, those cars are tacky. Except for the micro-cars. \*\* Check out their [Orochi](http://www.autoascii.jp/issue/2001/1024/article12675_1.images/19720.html) prototype too. :rolleyes: By the way I just checked Yahoo! Japan’s car info page and Ford Japan is listed as a Japanese auto maker. I’m not sure what’s up with that - I checked their web page and the only non-American model they list is the Mondeo, which I believe is a European model.