13 Most Reliable JDM Engines Ever Built

Everybody around car circles knows the most reliable engines come from the land of the rising sun—Japan. And it’s not just hearsay; some of the best-selling cars in the U.S., including the Camry, Corolla, and Civic, come from Japan.

So, why are Japanese engines so reliable? Well, there’s a lot of attention to detail in the design and construction of their engines. For example, Toyota believes in developing automobiles that perform consistently well – clocking more than 300,000 miles on the odometer without any major repairs.

Even though a few Japanese engines are featured on the list of lemons, most have proven to be robust and reliable.

In case you are wondering, we’ve prepared the following list of indestructible Japanese engines. We’ve taken time to list engine models that are globally acclaimed for their resilience, durability, and performance. These are the best of the best in Japanese automotive engineering.

Subaru EJ22

In the world of Japanese engines, Subaru is an outlier. It features one of the most unique engine configurations—the boxer engine. That’s not all. While the Western world is all about big displacements, Subaru has managed to get a seat at the table with the big boys running flat-four engines.

At the top of their most reliable engines, the turbocharged EJ22 is by far the most popular and reliable when it comes to performance applications. It’s based on the popular and desired EJ20 engine, which is common in its award-winning Impreza WRX and STI models.

The EJ22 is a turbocharged 2.2-liter flat-4 engine capable of churning out 276 hp and 268 lb-ft of torque. It was featured in only one model, the ultra-rare Impreza 22B (only 424 units were produced).

Toyota 2JZ-GTE

We can’t talk about Japanese performance without mentioning Toyota. Most people know Toyota for economical cars like the Corolla, but on the performance side, a legend lives—the Toyota Supra.

The Supra (past and present) would be nothing without the 2JZ-GTE powerplant. Popular for powering the street legend Supra MKIV, the 2JZ-GTE was a 3-liter inline-6 engine capable of making 320 hp and 315 lb-ft of torque.

The MKIV Supra was unveiled in 1994. In 2024, these engines are still taking out opponents in drag races.

Honda K20 & K24

When you talk about affordable, reliable cars in America that could outlive the roaches, a Honda will be on the list. That’s because only a few automakers can match Honda’s precision in developing resilient, naturally aspirated engines.

The K20 and K24 family of Honda engines are among the most durable. They’ve powered some of the most reliable cars in America, including the Accord, CR-V, and even the popular Civic Type-R. The K20 is also popular among tuner circles thanks to its ability to take the heat. It’s one of the most commonly turbocharged and swapped engines in the street racing scene.

Mitsubishi 4G63T

It would be blasphemous to talk about Japanese performance without mentioning Mitsubishi’s 4G63T. This turbocharged 2-liter, 4-cylinder engine is a legend in rally and street racing. Developed between 1989 and 2007, Mitsubishi’s 4G63T powered the Lancer Evolution, a demi-god in the world of performance cars.

The 4G63T was capable of making 280 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque.

The 4G63T rivaled Subaru’s EJ20 series of engines and, in the event, won a ton of awards in the world of rallying. This engine is so robust tuners can churn out over 1,000 hp with mods. We are talking about a four-banger engine here!

Nissan VR38DETT

If there’s ever a Japanese engine that could come close to the 3-liter 2JZ-GTE, it would be Nissan’s VR38DETT. You’d better know it from the car it powers. The mighty R35 GT-R. Yes! The supercar killer Nissan GT-R.

Developed in 2007, the VR38DETT is a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 good for between 480 and 600 hp and 434 lb-ft and 481 lb-ft of torque. This gasoline engine is not only a performance-oriented powerplant but also a tuner’s dream, capable of making more than 1,000 hp with the right mods.

Performance engines get a lot of bad rep, but the VR38DETT could outlive most economical engines if properly maintained and serviced.

Nissan RB26

The Nissan RB26 is what Mitsubishi’s 4G63T is to Subaru’s EJ20. It’s Toyota’s 2JZ-GTE’s main rival in construction, reliability, and side-to-side asphalt performance. The RB26 is most popular for its legendary iteration, the overengineered RB26 DETT.

The Nissan RB26 DETT is a twin-turbo 2.6-liter inline-six capable of making 280 hp and between 266 lb-ft and 289 lb-ft of torque.

It is featured in some of the most acclaimed Nissan performance cars, including the R32, R33, and R34 Nissan GT-R models. Refined versions of the Nissan RB26 include the RB28 and N1 engines.

The Nissan RB26 is arguably one of the smoothest-running inline-six engines in the world.

Toyota 1HZ

Most JDM enthusiasts only go bonkers for Japanese performance engines, but in utility circles, Toyota’s 1HZ is a superhero without a cape. It’s one of the most popular power plants for transportation and utility vehicles around the world.

The Toyota 1HZ is an offroad hero that powers several Land Cruiser models, including the Overlanding legend, the 70 Series Land Cruiser. Its 4.2-liter inline-six engine produces 129 hp and 210 lb-ft of torque.

The Toyota 1HZ won’t perform on the drag strip, and it won’t die in the wilderness, either. This bulletproof engine will clock more than 300,000 miles without any major repairs.

Nissan TD42

Toyota might be a global champion when it comes to Overlanding, but it’s not getting all the acclaim. Its close relative, Nissan, also has an off-roading powerplant with great overlanding capabilities—the Nissan TD42.

It powers the robust Nissan Patrol SUV, a darling of the United Arab Emirates (that already tells you something). The Nissan TD42 was developed for resilience and reliability in harsh weather, and it performs remarkably in the desert.

The TD42 is a naturally aspirated 4.2-liter diesel engine capable of 118 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. Later iterations of the engine included the TD42T3, a turbo-diesel engine capable of 153 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque.

Toyota 1UZ-FE

Toyota is quite competitive. In all the popular vehicle categories, you can be sure that Toyota is doing well. Therefore, when Toyota decided to enter the luxury sedan segment with the Lexus LS 400, it sent shivers through American and European competition, all thanks to the Toyota 1UZ-FE engine.

Forget about how luxurious the LS Lexus was. The Toyota 1UZ-FE was silent, powerful, and, best of all, reliable. It featured a 4-liter V8 engine capable of 250 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. When it came out, the Toyota 1UZ-FE was one of the most reliable V8 engines in the automotive scene.

Honda B18

Have you heard the running Honda joke, “Let the V-TEC kick in?” Well, it’s not just a joke but the incredible power of Honda’s B-Series engines, specifically the B18C, which featured Honda’s DOHC VTEC technology.

The B-Series engines include a 1.6-liter, 1.7-liter, the famous B18C 1.8-liter, and a 2-liter variant. These engines are famous for their high revving capabilities and exceptional performance (without including a turbo or supercharger). The B18 is also quite affordable to maintain and, best of all, durable.

The non-VTEC variants of the B-Series engines are known to clock up to 250 miles without a rebuild.

Toyota 1GZ-FE

If the introduction of the Lexus caused chills in BMW, then the unveiling of the Toyota Century sedan got the top execs at Rolls Royce sweating. Underneath the Century was one of Toyota’s finest engines, the 1GZ-FE. Here’s the truth — it was the only Japanese-developed V12 engine.

Everything about the engine was developed to top-notch perfection. It featured Toyota’s VVTi technology, two ECUs, and iridium electrode spark plugs. This 5-liter V12 engine was capable of making 276 horsepower.

Thanks to its precision build-up, the Toyota 1GZ-FE is known to clock up to 300,000 miles without any major repairs.

Toyota 2UZ-FE

We can’t talk about reliable Toyota engines without mentioning the ones that power popular trucks in the American SUV and truck market—the Toyota Tundra, Sequoia, and Lexus LX470. The powerplant we are talking about is the Toyota 2UZ-FE.

If there’s anything all the above trucks are known for, it’s their versatility offroad and impressive reliability and dependability. Well, that’s because the 2UZ-FE was developed with a cast iron block.

Add that to Toyota’s attention to detail and precision, and you get a truck that can easily clock more than 300,000 miles without any major repairs or overhauls.

Toyota 5S-FE

We all know the Toyota Camry is an American darling—and more so when the sedan was the family car of choice in the U.S. Well, that didn’t happen by chance. The Toyota Camry was loved because it was economical and dependable. It would always turn on ‘every time’ when you needed it to go.

The engine behind its impeccable reliability was the Toyota 5S-FE. Although the Camry came with several robust powerplant options, the 5S-FE was the most reliable. It’s a 2.2-liter in-line 4-cylinder DOHC engine.

Its simple design gave it exceptional reliability. The Toyota 5S-FE was known to clock up to 300,000 miles. Still, you needed to be watchful after 120,000 miles—after this point, it was known to be an oil hog.