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After years to dominating Australia, Japan’s car industry is under siege from a surging China, but the Land of the Rising Sun isn’t taking things lying down. For the most part, manufacturers played it safe, sticking to familiar territory. Subaru flirted with a fresh WRX, Mitsubishi hinted a new Pajero, Honda had a compact city car and Mazda offered a peek at a new Mazda2 hatch and a successor to the RX-7 and RX-8 sports cars from its back catalogue. But Toyota pushed the boat out by launching a new brand. Century represents a rival to $1 million cars from Rolls-Royce and Bentley. set to be positioned above Lexus, the new Century was hailed by Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda as a watershed moment for the Japanese car industry, likening it to the nation’s effort to rebuild after World War II. MORE: Toyota stuns with Rolls-Royce rival On the Lexus stand, three cars showed the path ahead for Toyota’s luxury arm. An evocative, low-slung sports car follows in the wheeltracks of the Lexus LFA as a rival to the likes of Porsche and Maserati, while a six-wheeled van recognises that the age of luxury sedans may be over. That point was reinforced by a sporty four-door SUV that could be a successor to the Lexus LS limousine. Aussie Fans of Japan’s largest car company can soothe their disappointment at missing out on the new LandCruiser FJ – a basic model for emerging markets such as the Philippines – with news of a new Corolla. Unveiled in concept trim, the sharp-looking sedan is bigger than ever, and promises to challenge the likes of Tesla’s Model Y with a new level of interior connectivity, as well as the option of electric power. While the shapely new Honda Prelude attracted attention in Tokyo, the bigger news came from a little hatchback parked next to it. The Honda Super-ONE will arrive in 2026 as the brand’s first electric car, shaping up as a cartoonishly cute little hatchback that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It is expected to hit Aussie showrooms in the latter part of next year. It is 3.6m long and 1.6m wide. Starting at around $40,000, The Honda Super-ONE is set to become Honda’s cheapest car. According to the car giant, the Super-ONE will be specifically tuned for Aussie roads. Its composed ride and handling, charging solution, and vehicle safety systems perform optimally in congested Australian CBDs”, Honda said. A spiritual successor to the RX-7, complete with a twin-turbocharged rotary boosted by plug-in hybrid power – will have Mazda fans salivating. But it’s only a concept for now, and might prove too good to be true. At the other end of the spectrum, a concept pointing to a new Mazda2 hatchback is far more grounded in reality, though its promise to double as an AI friend and companion represents interesting territory. MORE: Fast and Furious hero back from the dead A proud history of showstopping concept cars that don’t translate to exciting production models looks set to continue at Subau, which hinted at an outrageous successor to the Subaru WRX wagon and Liberty RS turbo with a long-roof concept finished in “world rally blue” with gold wheels. This electric weapon promises sensational driving dynamics to match its looks, though we’re not holding our breath for a production model. MORE: Subaru teases return of a legend Mitsubishi showed off a futuristic looking four-wheel-drive concept car. Officially called the Elevance, it could go on sale in the future with a more familiar name: Pajero. Nissan’s big news surrounded a car we don’t get in Australia: the Elgrand. This family van is a popular option in Japan, and you can see more than a few on Australian roads thanks to second-hand “grey” importers. The new model is likely to suffer the same fate as Nissan focuses on core models in Australia such as the soon-to-be-replaced Navara. – with Danielle Collis and Stephanie Coombes
