Head-to-head comparisons
The 16 pairings Irish buyers ask about most, compared on real Japanese auction data: price, mileage, supply, auction grade and import duty.
Most people importing from Japan end up choosing between two or three cars. These comparisons put them side by side using the median of recent auction sales, so you see what the car actually sells for in Japan, not a dealer asking price. Click any pairing for the full breakdown and our verdict.
| Comparison | First car, median price | Second car, median price |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota C-HR vs Honda Vezel | €7,602 | €8,347 |
| Toyota Aqua vs Honda Fit | €1,775 | €1,163 |
| Toyota RAV4 vs Honda CR-V | €12,827 | €3,061 |
| Toyota Prius vs Toyota Corolla Fielder | €1,981 | €2,493 |
| Volkswagen Golf vs Mazda3 | €3,144 | €7,955 |
| Volkswagen Golf vs Audi A3 | €3,144 | €3,945 |
| Volkswagen Polo vs Toyota Yaris | €2,643 | €5,061 |
| Mazda CX-5 vs Toyota RAV4 | €4,786 | €12,827 |
| BMW 3 Series vs Mercedes-Benz C-Class | €2,577 | €3,895 |
| Lexus NX vs Audi Q5 | €15,637 | €8,431 |
| Toyota Noah / Voxy vs Nissan Serena | €3,011 | €1,313 |
| Honda Freed vs Toyota Sienta | €2,805 | €3,422 |
| Toyota C-HR vs Toyota Yaris Cross | €7,602 | €11,375 |
| Nissan Note vs Toyota Aqua | €1,686 | €1,775 |
| Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV vs Toyota RAV4 | €3,817 | €12,827 |
| BMW X3 vs Audi Q5 | €5,342 | €8,431 |
How to read these comparisons
The median auction price is the middle sale price over the last three months, converted to euro at the current rate. It is the price at auction in Japan only. Shipping, VAT, VRT and our fee come on top, and the import cost calculator adds these up for you. The typical range shows the middle half of sales, which is where most good cars sit. Graded 4 or better is the share of cars with a strong auction sheet grade, and a higher share means clean examples are easier to find.
Which comparison matters for you?
- Small hybrids for commuting: Aqua vs Fit and Note vs Aqua. Low VRT and motor tax, very cheap to run.
- Compact SUVs: C-HR vs Vezel and C-HR vs Yaris Cross. These are the most popular Japanese imports in Ireland right now.
- Family SUVs: RAV4 vs CR-V, CX-5 vs RAV4 and Outlander PHEV vs RAV4. Weigh a plug-in PHEV against a regular hybrid.
- Seven and eight seaters: Noah/Voxy vs Serena and Freed vs Sienta. People carriers with sliding doors that are hard to find in Ireland.
- European premium models built for Japan: Golf vs A3, 3 Series vs C-Class and X3 vs Q5. These are well-kept, low-mileage cars, but import duty is still 10% because they are not built in Japan.
Import duty: why it can change the winner
Cars built in Japan can qualify for 0% import duty under the EU–Japan trade agreement. European-built cars exported from Japan still pay 10%. On a €15,000 car that is a €1,500 swing before VAT, so a Japanese model can beat a pricier European rival once everything is added up. Read how 0% duty works.