Perhaps it is useful to think of cars like the MKIV Supra as having USDM and JDM versions as opposed to a black/white JDM or not distinction. The JDM Supra, for example, was limited to 180 km/h – much as all Japanese vehicles of the time were in order to comply with domestic safety regulations.Īs you can see, the distinction between JDM and Japanese car can get a little blurred when referring to vehicles that were available both in Japan and elsewhere, but with different specs. However, the Toyota Supra mkIV was also available as a vehicle produced new for the Japanese domestic market – with the JDM version having differences to the US version (beyond just left versus right hand drive). This made it a Japanese manufactured vehicle designed to be sold new in the US market – a USDM vehicle. Your US-market Toyota Camry, that probably rolled off the production line in Georgetown, KY, is most definitely not a JDM car.Įven when it comes to some of the most legendary Japanese performance and luxury cars of all time, people mistakenly believe that all of them are JDM (hence the term ‘JDM Hero Car’).įor example, the Toyota Supra MKIV was available brand new in the United States with left hand drive, and some changes to specification to comply to US law. Some Japanese cars that people incorrectly categorise as being JDM are – in fact – built by Japanese car companies in factories located in other countries, such as the United States. Just being manufactured in Japan does not make a vehicle JDM. There are many Japanese cars that are produced for the US, European and rest of world markets (often referred to as USDM in the States). However, there is a popular misconception (especially in the United States) that JDM does just refer to any Japanese manufactured vehicle. Are All Japanese Cars JDM?Īs we mentioned above, not all Japanese cars are JDM. This can be a bit confusing to get your head around, as we will cover in the next section. This is not correct – JDM specifically means a vehicle that was produced with the intent of being sold in Japan, and not outside of the country. So someone from Tokyo going down to their local Toyota dealership, for example, and buying a new car to drive to work.Ī common misconception is that JDM refers to any Japanese produced vehicle. The Japanese domestic vehicle market is people buying cars in Japan, for use on Japanese roads. JDM primarily refers to cars, but can also include car parts/accessories specific to the Japanese market. JDM means any car manufactured specifically for sale in Japan, and not for export to overseas markets such as the United Sates or Europe. JDM Meaning – The Quick Versionĭon’t want to hang around too long? Here’s a quick explanation of JDM: JDM is an acronym for Japanese Domestic Market. Conclusion – JDM Meaning & Why It Matters.Why Do People Use The Term JDM To Refer To All Japanese Cars?.There Are “True” JDM Cars And JDM “Variants” – The Difference Is Important.With that in mind, let’s take a look at JDM’s meaning and history, and what the term means for you as a prospective car buyer. We are also big fans of Japan and Japanese culture (in fact, our editor in chief currently lives in Japan – right in the heart of Tokyo – having trekked all the way from New Zealand … he is our “man on the ground” for all things Japanese motoring).Īs such, a big part of the focus with this site is on Japanese cars and JDM in particular. In this short article, we are going to cover the meaning of JDM and the origins of the term, as well as quash some common myths about this popular type of car.Īt Garage Dreams we are massive fans of Japanese cars. There’s a big difference, and we want to help you get it right. We aren’t talking about the “popular” definition, but the real meaning of JDM. a Ford or a Chevrolet).īut what does JDM mean when it comes to cars? Many think that JDM’s meaning is any Japanese car, as opposed to a “domestic” car (for the American market, e.g. Others might think of the type of cars that were popular in the early Fast and Furious movies. JDM conjures up images of Nissan Skyline GT-Rs and Toyota Supras tearing up the Tokyo expressway, Midnight Club style. Maybe your friend has invited you over to check out their totally sick new JDM ride, or you’ve been invited to a JDM festival or car meet, or you’ve fallen into the YouTube black hole of JDM videos. If you’ve got any interest in cars (and you probably do – or else how did you stumble across this site!) then you will have likely come across the term JDM – but this is a term that causes a lot of confusion, and in this JDM meaning guide we are going to “set the record straight” on something that many people don’t really understand.
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