2 days ago
Buy Low, Drive Happy: Imported Classic Cars That Are Still Affordable (For Now)
The car market is always shifting, and when it comes to imports, today's hidden gem can quickly become tomorrow's six-figure collector's car. From Japanese performance legends to quirky European runabouts and muscular Aussie sedans, values for these once-overlooked machines are quietly on the rise.
Sure, the big names like the Nissan Skyline GT-R and Toyota Supra have already skyrocketed, but there are still plenty of great finds if you know where to look. Just don't wait too long — with more vehicles becoming eligible under the 25-year import rule and possible new tariffs on the way, the window for scoring a great deal is starting to close.
To put this list together, I looked at average selling prices from trusted sources like The Classic Valuer, Carsales, and more. The prices reflect actual sales and don't include things like import fees, shipping, or any extra costs you'd run into bringing one of these cars into North America. I've ranked them from the most affordable to the priciest.
After digging through a mountain of auction data, I narrowed it down to some standout imports that hit the sweet spot between fun, rarity, character, and future collectibility. All the specs come from reliable sources like Parkers, MotorTrend, CarsGuide, and Evo, so you're getting the real deal.
For some reason, the Holden Ute was never offered in the States, despite it being an American car at heart. It has all the practicality a pickup truck offers but comes with the added benefit of performance.
MotorTrend says the 2001 Ute SS uses a GM-built 312-horsepower (hp) 5.7-liter V8 that spins the rear wheels. According to Australia Carsales, the average selling price for one is less than $3,000.
You don't need heaps of power to have fun — the MG F is the perfect testament thereof. In CarsGuide's review of the MG F, they call it a 'great driver's car' despite having just 121 hp on tap.
That's partially due to its being rear-wheel-drive, having a retractable roof, and its engine sitting behind the driver. reports that the average 2000 MG TF model sells for just over $3,000.
It's not fast. It's not objectively pretty. But I can't help loving it, and I really want one. The first-generation Renault Twingo is the perfect answer for someone looking for a commuter car that'll stand out from everything else on the road.
And for just a smidge over $3,100, according to it's really an affordable choice, too.
says you can buy a Pininfarina-styled sports car for less than $5,000. It's called the Fiat Coupe and is just as quirky as you'd expect. Its alien-like design is equally beautiful as it is strange, and its engine choices are no different.
The Fiat Coupe came with a wide range of four-cylinder and five-cylinder engines, but the most sought-after examples sport a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-five, but they came at quite a premium.
Citroën has been making cool, quirky cars for as long as I can remember. Because the brand has such a rich reputation for building weird cars, most models have become excruciatingly expensive. That said, the Citroën XM still remains a relative bargain.
It might not be as obscure as some of their other creations, but it still has some novelty to it — some models even came with a Maserati-derived V6 engine. Best of all, you'll only have to spend around $6,700 to get your hands on one of these French artworks
Remember the aforementioned muscular Australian pickup truck? This is its sedan counterpart, dubbed the Commodore. It, too, features an American-built 5.7-liter V8 engine that sends all its power to the rear wheels.
For some reason, the Commodore SS is much more expensive than its Ute counterpart, costing on average more than $7,000, as per Australian Carsales — nearly triple the price of the Ute.
The first-generation Subaru Impreza is a very sought-after sports sedan, especially limited-edition models like the 22B STi, which sell for over $200,000. Fortunately, there are other, more cost-effective versions of the Impreza available, too.
Take, for instance, the Impreza RB5, of which only 444 examples were ever made. It had a flat-four engine, manual transmission, and an all-wheel-drive system, yet it costs just $8,300, according to
The Barchetta was Fiat's answer to the beloved Mazda MX-5 Miata. So, they built their own rear-wheel-drive, front-engined, topless sports car.
Just like the Miata, all Barchetta models came with a naturally-aspirated 1.8-liter engine, just enough power to keep you grinning. says you'll pay around $8,500 for this bundle of Italian fun.
You can import several kei sports cars from Japan, including the Autozam AZ-1 and Suzuki Cappucino. But if I were to award the best value-for-money mini JDM sports car an award, it'd go to the Honda Beat.
It uses a three-cylinder powertrain similar to the other examples but doesn't cost as much as the rest, with reporting an $8,700 average selling price.
The Alfa Romeo 164 was one of the Italian brand's sports sedans back in the '90s, with the Quadrifoglio 4 being its all-wheel-drive performance version. But don't worry, just because it was the top-of-the-range doesn't mean you'll have to pay top dollar to find one.
Despite its performance prowess and desirability, says you can find these Italian sports sedans on sale for just over $11,000.
At first, I thought the Audi B5 RS4 would be a brilliant car to import — that is, until I saw they sell for more than $36,000 on average. I soon also discovered that the average Audi RS2 sells for more than $64,000. That said, there is one Audi performance wagon that isn't entirely unattainable — the S2 Avant.
Much like the RS2, the S2 had a turbocharged five-cylinder engine, but it cost a fraction of the price. According to The Classic Valuer, the average selling price for an Audi S2 Avant has plummeted so much, it sits at a third of the RS2 — $12,637.
As WhichCar points out, you'll often hear people refer to the second-generation Toyota Century as the Japanese Rolls-Royce. Apart from its dashing looks, it has everything you'd expect from a luxury car, like soft-closing doors, air suspension, an opulent interior, and much, much more.
Some models even came with a V12 engine — at a premium, of course. Unfortunately, many have started to import these already, inflating their prices. That said, you can still buy a 1999 Toyota Century for about $13,000, according to
Typically, British carmakers make well-appointed luxury cars that make you feel like royalty. However, like with all things in life, sometimes there are exceptions. Welcome to TVR, the British carmaker that builds bonkers V8-powered rear-wheel-drive cars that belong in sci-fi movies.
While there are quite a few models to import, I'd recommend checking out the Chimaera first, especially since it's one of the less expensive ones to import, with the average example selling for $23,000, as per
says this little monster costs $30,000, which for a 25-year-old Mitsubishi SUV may seem crazy. But in this case, it's completely justified. Much like the Lancer Evolution, the Pajero Evolution was a homologation car, with approximately 2,500 models made.
For reference, the average Lancer Evolution from the same year costs $37,000 already. If the Pajero follows in the footsteps of the Lancer, it too will become a highly sought-after JDM icon.
The most expensive car in this article is a Japanese wagon with an awkwardly long name. To be exact, it's a limited-edition, all-wheel-drive performance car that uses the same RB26DETT found in the R32, R33, and R34 Nissan Skyline GT-Rs.
Whereas some GTRs sell for six figures, reports that the Nissan Stagea 260RS Autech sells for $35,780 on average. In essence, the Stagea Autech is a more practical GTR with a gorgeous silhouette.
Still thinking about waiting another year? That could be a costly decision. With demand heating up, inventory shrinking, and potential new tariffs on the horizon, today's overlooked bargain might be tomorrow's six-figure unicorn.
The truth is, once these under-the-radar imports gain traction, prices tend to climb fast, and they don't look back. If one of these cars has caught your eye, now's the time to act. As the old saying goes: the best time to buy was yesterday. The next best time is right now.
