Is the grass always greener on the other side of the fence? Maybe not, but there’s a whole world of super-rad cars out there that were never offered in the U.S. but really should have been sold here.
Luckily, that’s where the 25-year rule–officially known as the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act of 1988–comes in and makes everything right again.
And now that 2026 is really here (and I’ve finally stopped writing 2025 on my work documents), cars from 2001 are now able to be brought stateside without immediately being crushed by the Feds.
Which cars from 2001 to import? I’m glad you asked. Here are my top five picks.
First-generation Honda Fit
Photograph courtesy Honda
A four-wheel-drive Honda Fit? Japan got one before the Fit even arrived stateside.
Making its debut in its home market in the summer of 2001 (Honda wouldn’t release the Fit in the U.S. until the mid-2000s), the Fit was only available with one choice of engine and transmission at launch: an L13A 1.3-liter inline-four mated to a CVT.
Of course, unlike the U.S.-market Fit, the JDM model was available in four-wheel drive in addition to front-wheel drive.
Manual transmission? The JDM Fit got that starting in 2004–so be sure to mark that one on your 2029 calendar.
Skoda Superb
Photograph courtesy Skoda
A German car built for the Chinese market but rebadged and sold by a Czech car company? That’s pretty much the backstory for the first-gen Skoda Superb.
In 2001, Skoda revived the Superb, a name dating back to the 1930s, with a long-wheelbase version of the B5-chassis VW Passat originally built for China.
At launch, the Superb was offered with three gasoline engines (1.8-liter turbocharged inline-four, 2.0-liter inline-four and 2.8-liter V6) and two diesel engines (1.9-liter turbodiesel inline-four and 2.5-liter turbodiesel V6).
And, depending on the engine, transmission choices include a five- or six-speed manual as well as a five-speed automatic.
Honda Integra Type R
Photograph courtesy Honda
Often imitated but never duplicated? Honda’s iconic Type R models–and the fourth-gen Integra is no different.
Sure, we technically got it as the Acura RSX, and yeah, you could modify one to JDM Type R specs, but why not save yourself the effort and just start with the real thing in the first place?
Likewise, while the spiciest RSX we got at launch, the Type S, made do with the 160-horsepower K20A3, the Japanese-market Type R received the more powerful, 217-horsepower K20A.
Renault Clio V6
Photograph courtesy Renault
A mid-engine hot hatch. That’s it, that’s the reason why you should buy a Clio V6.
Initially made as a race car for the Clio V6 Trophy one-make race, the road-going version was released in 2001. While two “Phases” would eventual be offered, we’ll focus on the first one, available between 2001 and 2003, since that’s the one that’s legal to import.
The Phase 1 model is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 also used in several other PSA Group offerings, including the Citroën C5, Peugeot 406 and Renault Avantime. In the mid-engine Clio, the powerplant produced over 220 horsepower–all of which was sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual.
A little over 1600 examples were produced, so tracking one down might be a little difficult–but perhaps not quite as tricky as the last car on this list.
Volkswagen New Beetle RSi
Photograph courtesy Volkswagen
No, not the Golf R32, I’m talking about the other early 2000s, two-door, all-wheel-drive VW powered by a VR6 engine: the Beetle RSi.
While the “standard” New Beetle went a little heavy on the cutesiness, the RSi pretty much did the opposite.
Not only is the RSi more powerful than the New Beetle (221 horsepower versus 115 horsepower for the gas-powered model or 100 horsepower for the TDI), but it also features a wider stance, a rear wing, OZ Superturismo wheels, Recaro bucket seats and plenty of carbon-fiber trim.
That said, the real fun would be to surprise unsuspecting onlookers when the cute little Beetle next to them launches from the stoplight in a thundering, VR6-fueled fury–assuming they don’t notice the wide fenders and massive rear spoiler.