5 iconic JDM cars for the retro petrolhead

If 80s-90s Japanese classics are your favourite of all time, here are the 5 local icons you must worship.

The 1980s and 1990s were a glowing period for Japanese car manufacturers to stick their foot in on the accelerator and aim for the finish line. Various manufacturers from Japan - Suzuki, Daihatsu, Mazda, Isuzu, Nissan, Toyota - and more joined in to try to make their respective performance/halo cars.

Hark back to the 90's and you'll see a busy scene of Japanese fast-cars left and right, back when every Japanese automaker in one way or another was competing against everyone else with at least one sports-oriented car. 

The scene glowed, not with "check engine" lights, but with sporty Japanese cars brandishing bright colours, obvious decals and probably a tune or two.

Many of these cars landed on Singapore shores, and thereafter left enough of an impression to become long-running icons for the brands in question. 

Here, then, are the 5 Japanese modern-classic cars from the 1980s and 1990s which deserve to be remembered and treasured.

Honda Civic VTi (EG6)

[Photo credit: Linus Low]

The EG6 Civic VTi is the hot DOHC VTEC version of the iconic Honda Civic, available as a swoopy three-door hatchback and a sporty four-door, four-seater saloon.

Whilst both Civic VTi variants were powered by the same 1.6-litre B16A2 engine, the hatchback variant would go on to achieve greater cult status in Singapore and Japan, because it was a true pocket rocket which could be modified to high-revving Astro Boy-racer levels. 

Combining the sonorous VTEC engine, overengineered ergonomics and tolerant chassis, the Civic VTi became a sensation among professional racing drivers and amateurs alike to make the Civic truly their own, normally starting with a straight-through blast-pipe of an exhaust.

Suzuki Swift GTi (AA34S)

The Suzuki Swift GTi is a hot hatchback that eventually led to the current Swift Sport (ZC33S) that we know today. 

GTi Swifts were a grassroots option back in the day as "cheap speed", especially among younger drivers. Many of these folks had since upgraded to other cars, meaning Swift GTi numbers had significantly dwindled, leaving only two survivors still on Singapore roads.

The Swift GTi engine, the 1.3-litre 4-cylinder G13B, was a 90s cheap powerhouse that proved itself very popular and tunable for Singapore's carpark races, with many being modified to suit their owners' wants. 

Telling your friends or potential girlfriends that your car has a "Twin Cam 16 Valve" is surely going to impress them!

Daihatsu Charade GTti (G100S)

[Photo credit: Linus Low]

The Daihatsu Charade GTti was a formidable competitor against the likes of the Suzuki Swift GTi when they co-existed. Daihatsu claimed the GTti was "the world's most powerful 1-litre car" - one of the first cars of the era to achieve 100 horsepower per litre of engine displacement. 

It achieved this with the 1-litre turbocharged CB70 3-cylinder engine. These days, the similar concept of an overly powerful Japanese 3-cylinder is now implanted under the bonnet of the Toyota GR Yaris.

The Daihatsu Charade GTti was a cost-effective, high-performance pocket rocket for its time. If you still had some money left over, you could fit a blow-off valve and listen to the turbo "stu-tu-tu".

Subaru Impreza WRX (GC8)

Whether you watched Group A rally racing on television in the 1990s, played (highly pixelated) Gran Turismo, or caught the Kallang carpark rallies, you undoubtedly will remember the look and rumble of the first-generation Subaru Impreza WRX.

While the later "Versions" of the Impreza were probably much more popular, the earliest WRXs still have their own cult following from then to now.

The original WRX started with a quoted 237 horsepower from its 2-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder boxer engine, codenamed EJ20. This number would improve throughout its model run, thanks to the various "Versions" which boosted the power and appeal of the WRX, along with the higher-performance STi variants.

The Impreza WRX was a popular choice in the local scene in the 1990s, because it was a car with outstanding performance and all-wheel-drive grip that few cars could match at the price point.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI (CP9A)

Rivalling the Subaru Impreza WRX/STi was the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution series. If the boxer engine in the Impreza was taboo, and you were strongly in favour of Marlboro red over 555 blue, the Lancer Evo was your poster car.

Also bred from rally racing like the Impreza, the Lancer Evo VI uses the 4G63T 2-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder, making a quoted 276 horsepower which was distributed to all four wheels with expert assistance from Mitsubishi's AYC (Active Yaw Control) system. 

What it got you was a family saloon that could fend off boyracers in their pesky hot hatches, and pose a serious challenge to the WRX in any replay on tarmac or dirt track of the Mitsubishi-versus-Subaru rivalry. 

Read More: 9 Iconic JDM Cars That All Petrolheads Should Know

Search More: Look for your Japanese modern-classic here

Download the Motorist App now. Designed by drivers for drivers, this all-in-one app lets you receive the latest traffic updates, gives you access to live traffic cameras, and helps you manage LTA and vehicle matters.

Did you know we have a Motorist Telegram Channel? Created exclusively for drivers and car owners in Singapore, you can get instant info about our latest promotions, articles, tips & hacks, or simply chat with the Motorist Team and fellow drivers.