I want to start this article by stating the obvious: I adore Forza Horizon 6. Despite the concerns and complaints I raised in my recently posted review, I’m still having an absolute blast with it. I fully expect to keep playing for the foreseeable future, thanks to its excellent seasonal playlists, which reliably drip feed a few more cars and plenty of new events each week.

That said, if there’s one area I wish had been handled a little better, it’s the car roster. Not because it’s bad, far from it, but because this felt like the perfect opportunity to go all in. A Forza Horizon game set in Japan had the ideal excuse to bulk up its lineup with a wider selection of JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) gems, especially the sort that have historically felt more at home in a Gran Turismo garage. As it stands, it’s not a disaster, far from it, but I can’t help but feel Forza Horizon 6 could have offered a beefier collection, both in terms of quantity and quality.

So, in this article, I want to highlight twenty notable absences. I’ll be focusing exclusively on Japanese brands, and I don’t want this to come across as criticism towards the game or its developers. Think of it more as a wishlist. Playground Games may have run into licensing issues with some of these cars, or maybe they’re keeping a few in reserve for future seasonal updates, which is how they usually add new vehicles after launch.

Daihatsu Copen

• Year: 2014
• Power: 63hp
• Type: Roadster / Kei Car

The Daihatsu brand is synonymous with the kei car culture; some of its models became so popular to they point they were exported to Western markets. Such example is the Daihatsu Copen. A widely loved mini-roadster that might not be impressive in terms of power, but is still quick, nimble, adorable to look at, and most importantly, fun.

Daihatsu Midget

• Year: 1999
• Power: 33hp
• Type: Mini Truck / Kei Car

Now, this one’s a bit tricky, and I completely understand if it never makes it into the game’s roster. This iconic Daihatsu kei truck is memorable enough on looks alone, especially with that wonderfully bizarre spare wheel placement. But let’s be honest, its name might be a bit of a tough sell in this day and age. Still, one can dream. Hey Daihatsu, surely there’’s a diplomatic substitute name you could lend Playground Games so this gloriously weird little thing can sneak into a future update?

Honda Fit

• Year: 2001
• Power: 109hp
• Type: Hatchback

Depending on where you live, you might know it as the Honda Jazz. Regardless of where you’re from, however, you must have seen a billion of those on the streets over the past two and a half decades. A truly iconic car from Honda, a stereotypical “teenager’s first car” in many parts of the world, and also a ride known for a small, but interesting tuning community.

Honda S660

• Year: 2015
• Power: 63hp
• Type: Roadster / Kei Car

The S660 is the successor to the (honestly lame-looking) Honda Beat, which was included in Forza Horizon 6’s base roster. Instead of its predecessor’s lame visuals, the S660 became widely known for its ultra-aggressive and sporty style, even though it’s still a kei car with the traditional power output limitation of 63hp. If I were to include the Daihatsu Copen, I’d have to include its main rival as well. It’s just fair.

Isuzu 117 Coupé

• Year: 1970
• Power: 104hp
• Type: Coupé

Isuzu is mostly known for trucks and pick-ups, but their earlier output was also comprised of smaller-engined coupés developed alongside General Motors. The 117 Coupé is one example. This two-door sports car was actually designed by Giugiaro, being one of the first Japanese cars to be designed by an Italian studio.

Isuzu Impulse RS Turbo

• Year: 1984
• Power: 180hp
• Type: Coupé

Lexus SC430

• Year: 2001
• Power: 288hp
• Type: Convertible

Powered by a nifty V8 engine, the Lexus SC430 could go from 0-60mph in just six seconds. Back when it was first launched, it was lauded by most, receiving many “car of the year” awards from specialized media. The vehicle would become a lot more (in)famous many years later, when Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson and James May named it the worst car ever made in their The Worst Car in the History of the World special.

Mitsubishi Galant GTO

• Year: 1970
• Power: 125hp
• Type: Coupé

Just like the Isuzu 117, the Mitsubishi Galant GTO is one of the first true sports cars to come from postwar Japan. Despite its aggressively Americanized looks, very few units were sold abroad, and all of them were exclusive to right-hand drive markets.

Mitsuoka Le-Seyde

• Year: 1991
• Power: 131hp
• Type: Grand Tourer

You may not have heard of the Japanese brand Mitsuoka, but you probably should. They’ve built an entire reputation around taking perfectly bland Nissans and Toyotas, peeling off their original bodywork, and transforming them into… whatever fever dream happened to be on the drawing board that week. Case and point: the absolute roundhouse kick to the senses that is the Mitsuoka Le-Seyde. For all its outrageous styling, this bizarre creation is actually based on a 1990s Nissan Silvia, even keeping the same engine underneath all that glorious nonsense.

Mitsuoka Orochi

• Year: 2006
• Power: 230hp
• Type: Abomination Sports Car

Oh man, I love the Mitsuoka Orochi. It’s just so… excessive. This thing looks like it escaped from a dystopian sci-fi film, or rolled straight out of Akira. In true Mitsuoka fashion, its entire existence lives and dies by how outrageously bizarre it looks, because underneath all that madness, the engine is borrowed from your run-of-the-mill Toyota Camry.

Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V

• Year: 2007
• Power: 200hp
• Type: Sedan

The sixth generation Nissan Sentra is easily one of the most boring cars in the history of the world. As a previous owner of such dadmobile, I can attest to that. With that being said, Nissan actually tried to make a sporty version of their bland saloon car, in order to compete with the Evo and the Subaru Impreza. No, really. The result: the surprisingly not-boring Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V. I’d still prefer an Evo.

Scion xB

• Year: 2003
• Power: 103hp
• Type: Hatchback

Now, I get it: the Scion brand is TECHNICALLY not Japanese, having been exclusive to the United States, but all of its cars were Toyotas, and made in Japan. There was even a Toyota-brand equivalent sold in Japan, the bB. But we are more acquainted with the Scion xB, a car which was a hit amongst millennials back in the day. I’m sure a lot of people who are currently aged between 35 and 40 had this boxy little thing as their first car back in the day.

Subaru 360

• Year: 1958
• Power: 18hp
• Type: Kei Car

Forza Horizon has always been about more than blasting around in 1000hp Ferraris. Half the fun comes from throwing around barely powered bubble cars. Which is exactly why the omission of the Subaru 360 feels downright sinful, at least in my opinion. One of the earliest kei cars, first introduced in the 1950s, the Subaru 360 was also among Japan’s first exported vehicles. It’s a genuine icon of the country’s automotive industry, despite being only marginally larger and more powerful than what some people would generously describe as a scooter.

Suzuki Cappuccino

• Year: 1992
• Power: 63hp
• Type: Roadster / Kei Car

I’ve heard Suzuki can be particularly picky when it comes to licensing its cars, which would certainly explain why the Forza series has only ever featured a single Suzuki model in its history. If the brand’s absence really does come down to licensing headaches, fair enough, though it’s worth noting Suzukis do appear in Tokyo Xtreme Racer, so clearly someone managed to crack the code. Still, the Cappuccino is exactly the sort of kei car I wish had made the cut for Forza Horizon 6. Its natural rivals were the Autozam AZ-1 and the Honda Beat, both of which are already featured in the game, and together, the three became known as the ABC Sporty Keis.

Suzuki Jimny

• Year: 2000
• Power: 85hp
• Type: SUV

The Jimny is a worldwide hit. It’s small, but nimble, and able to handle every kind of terrain you can imagine. In Japan, it is sold as a kei car, so its engine is limited to producing the typical 63hp you’d expect from a car of such category. Exported models, as well as Jimnys produced in other countries, feature slightly larger wheelbases and stronger engines. Not by much, but, like, better than 63hp, I suppose.

Suzuki Liana

• Year: 2003
• Power: 105hp
• Type: Sedan

Suzuki V6 Escudo Pikes Peak Special

• Year: 1998
• Power: 981hp
• Type: I have no idea… Track Toy, I suppose?

Oh, this one is a legend, though it is better known for its association with the Gran Turismo brand. This true monstrosity was a hillclimb-spec machine crafted with a twin-turbo V6 that generated an absolutely idiotic 981hp. It actually had more horses than kilograms (1.24hp per kilogram). Such an unhinged creation is the kind of car that would be perfect to mess around in an open world game.

Suzuki Wagon R

• Year: 2017
• Power: 63hp
• Type: Kei Car

Of all the cars on this list, I’d argue the Suzuki Wagon R is the most important, and the one that absolutely should have been included in the game’s original car roster. Simply put, the Wagon R is Japan’s best selling car, one of the country’s most popular vehicles, and an utterly ubiquitous sight in just about every city. As much as some might assume all kei cars are basically the same, the Wagon R stands above the rest as arguably the most important of them all.

Toyota Century

• Year: 1997
• Power: 295hp
• Type: Sedan / Limousine

The Toyota Century is Japan’s answer to Rolls-Royce. Yes, I’m serious. This is arguably the most luxurious car Toyota has ever built, and quite possibly the most opulent creation to come from any Japanese marque. To this day, it remains the go-to choice for executives, CEOs, Yakuza bosses, and so on. Powered by a V12, engine this 1997 model is no slouch, but outright performance was never really the point. Its engine was built for effortless, silky-smooth cruising above all else. Even so, the Century is one of Japan’s most iconic cars, and exactly the sort of machine that deserves a place in Forza Horizon 6’s roster.

Toyota Hilux

• Year: 1988
• Power: 90hp
• Type: Pickup Truck

The Hilux is one of the most famous pickup trucks of all time, largely because of its near mythical reputation for durability. Its toughness became especially legendary thanks to one of Top Gear’s most memorable episodes, which put a Toyota Hilux through an absurd amount of punishment. It was left on a beach to be swept away by the tide, set on fire, and even subjected to a building demolition; it survived all of those ordeals.

What about you? Any Japanese car you wish was present in Forza Horizon 6’s base roster? Let us know!