1970s

Honda began selling passenger cars in North America in 1970 with the N600 sedan, through 32 dealers in the western United States.

Subaru released the four-wheel-drive Leone station wagon in September 1972.

The Skyline 2000 GT-R (PGC10/KPGC10) reached its 50th overall race win in March 1972; the frequently cited '49 consecutive wins' figure is disputed among sources.

The 1973 oil crisis reduced demand for large cars in the United States, and small, fuel-efficient Japanese models gained market share.

A Datsun 240Z driven by Shekhar Mehta won the 21st East African Safari Rally in 1973.

Kei-car limits were raised to 550 cc from January 1976, in part to help manufacturers meet tightening emission standards.

From January 1976 the kei standard was enlarged to 550 cc with a length of 3.2 m and width of 1.4 m (height 2.0 m), a change linked to tightening emission regulations.

The 1978 (Showa 53) emission regulations brought Japan's Muskie Act-based standards into full effect.

Japan's 1978 (Showa 53) exhaust emission regulations completed the Japanese adaptation of the U.S. Muskie Act targets, cutting NOx to 8% of pre-April-1973 levels; meeting them relied largely on three-way catalytic converters.

The turbocharged 2.0-litre L20ET engine appeared in the Nissan Cedric and Gloria in 1979, the first turbocharged engine offered on the Japanese market.