Most of the reliable vehicles on the market today happens to be Japanese cars. For a long time, we have known that they could last a long time without too many expensive repairs. But, with so many available, which one would offer the most for the best price?

From a top 14 list, believe it or not, the Honda Fit came out as the winner. US News & World Report reviewed many Japanese cars and came up with what they felt were the best vehicles you could find from a Japanese automaker. Let’s see what made the list.

How US News & World Report came up with this list 

Reviewers look at a few different areas to decide each vehicle’s scores, which will determine what cars make the list. First, they look at the vehicle’s crash test scores for NHTSA and the IIHS. Then, they’ll factor in the reliability ratings that J.D. Power decides. 

Next, they test the car out on their own and decide the quality of the interior materials and how well they handle the road. They consider the drivetrain and the powertrain to see how well they stack up as far as performance goes. 

The vehicles that rate high in all these areas will make the list. The higher the score, the better they will rank. When it comes to the best Japanese car available on the market today, the Honda Fit came out on top with a score of 8.8 out of 10 possible points. 

Why is the 2020 Honda Fit ranked number one?

The Honda Fit hasn’t exactly got the popular vote in recent years. With sales pointing toward the trucks and SUVs, this subcompact car often gets overlooked. However, US News & World Report scored it pretty high, landing it in the number one spot for the Best Japanese Car. 

A few points made it stand out over the rest of the vehicles vying for the #1 award. It offers a spacious cabin with plenty of head and legroom for even tall passengers, and it has more than enough cargo space to store quite a bit of items. 

It also excelled at fuel economy. The Fit got 40 mpg on the highway and 33 mpg in the city. That’s pretty good for a vehicle that isn’t a hybrid or an all-electric car. Powering it up is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder, 130 hp engine that doesn’t impress the reviewers all that much. But, if you drive it mostly in the city, it performs just like it should. 

When it came to safety, the Honda Fit passed the IIHS and the NHTSA crash evaluations. The NHTSA gave it a rating of five stars for all tests except the rollover, which earned it four stars. The IIHS also liked the Fit, because they rated it good in all areas except the headlights, which didn’t perform well. 

One of the biggest selling points is that the Honda Fit starts at a base price of $16,190. That makes it a pretty good value when you consider how much you get for that small pricetag. 

What other Japanese vehicles are on the list?

The Fit isn’t the only Honda that landed among the top 14. Three other Honda cars found their way there. The 2021 Insight received a score of 8.0, and it fell in last place here, but it landed in the sixth spot for best hybrid and electric cars. The Honda Accord came in at the eighth spot with a score of 8.3 out of 10. 

You can find the hybrid version on the list as well. The Accord has a little more powerful engine than the Fit offers, but the base model brings in $24,000, which is about $8,000 more than what you would pay for the Fit. The Civic also earned a spot among the best Japanese cars. It came in third right behind the Toyota Camry Hybrid. 

Toyota is another automaker that has several cars on the list as well. You can find the Camry in the fifth spot, but the hybrid model landed in second place. Both the Corolla and the Avalon have a hybrid, and non-hybrid models ranked among their rivals. You’ll find both Corollas in the 13th and 12th place, while the Avalon models are in 10th and 9th place. 

When it comes to Japanese cars, especially the subcompact vehicles, the Honda Fit belongs in the number one spot. You can’t beat the spaciousness, the fuel economy ratings, and the low price that Honda placed in their Fit vehicle.