JDM Toyotas Legal to Import in 2027: Models Turning 25, Month by Month (2027 Edition)

Every year, another year of Japanese-market production starts to cross the line that matters to American buyers: 25 years old. In 2027, that line reaches vehicles built in 2002. Most lists of JDM cars legal in 2027 stop at the sports cars. This one covers the Toyotas we actually import and sell: Land Cruisers, Prados, Hilux Surfs and vans, plus the best-known Toyota cars from the same year.

The short version is that 2027 is a big year for Toyota 4×4 buyers. The Land Cruiser Prado 120 and the fourth-generation Hilux Surf both went on sale in Japan in late 2002, so the first examples become importable late in 2027. Before that, the final Prado 90s and third-generation Surfs, the updated Land Cruiser 100 with its five-speed automatic, and the first Alphard minivans all come of age.

One point shapes everything below. The 25-year clock runs from each vehicle’s date of manufacture, which in practice means its build month, not its model year and not January 1. A truck built in March 2002 becomes eligible in March 2027. A truck built in November 2002 has to wait until November 2027. That is why this guide is organized by month.

Quick Answer: Which JDM Toyotas Become Legal in 2027

Any Toyota built in Japan during 2002 becomes eligible for US import in the same month of 2027. The table shows the models that were new, updated or ending that year, with the date Toyota put each one on sale in Japan.

Launch dates are the dates Toyota announced for Japanese sales. Individual vehicles were built before they reached showrooms, so the build month of the specific car is what counts.

How the 25-Year Rule Works in 2027

Federal law exempts a motor vehicle that is “at least 25 years old” from the safety standards that otherwise block a non-US-market vehicle from being imported. The exemption is in 49 U.S.C. 30112(b)(9), and the matching import declaration is in 49 CFR 591.5(i). We explain the rule, its exceptions and the general pros and cons of JDM ownership in our guide to what JDM stands for. Here we focus on what matters for a 2002-built Toyota.

Eligibility Runs From the Month of Manufacture

NHTSA measures the 25 years from the vehicle’s date of manufacture. For 2027, that means:

• Built January 2002: eligible from January 2027
• Built June 2002: eligible from June 2027
• Built December 2002: eligible from December 2027

The EPA has a separate test. On EPA Form 3520-1, code E covers a “vehicle at least 21 years old (calendar year of manufacture subtracted from year of importation) and in original unmodified configuration.” A 2002 Toyota already passes the age part of that test, so the conditions that matter are the original configuration and, if the engine has been replaced, that the replacement meets the form’s conditions, the main one being the same model as originally installed. The form makes no distinction between gasoline and diesel.

On the DOT side, the importer checks Box 1 on Form HS-7, the declaration that the vehicle is 25 or more years old. The month and year of manufacture are written on the EPA form, which has a field for it.

How to Find a JDM Toyota’s Build Date

This is where buyers get tripped up. A Japanese-market Toyota does not carry the US-style certification label that prints the month and year of manufacture. The Japanese export certificate that travels with the car shows the date of first registration, not the build date.

That difference works in your favor. A vehicle cannot be registered before it is built, so a Toyota first registered at least 25 years ago is at least 25 years old. NHTSA’s importation guidance names a registration document showing the vehicle was registered at least 25 years ago as one way to establish age when there is no dated manufacturer label.

The uncertain cases are cars imported in the gap between the two dates, for example a truck built in February 2002 and first registered in April 2002. For those, the first-registration date does not yet prove the age, so the build month needs to be documented another way before the car ships. This is one reason we recommend buying through an importer who checks the paperwork for each vehicle rather than relying on the model year in a listing.

2027 Import Eligibility Calendar for JDM Toyotas

The calendar below lists each month of 2027 with the Toyota models that launched, changed or ended in the same month of 2002. Models that were simply on sale all year, such as the Prado 90, Hilux Surf, Land Cruiser 70 and HiAce, become eligible in every month according to each vehicle’s own build date.

Land Cruiser Prado 90: The Final 2002 Builds

The Prado 90 is already a popular JDM import, and 2027 opens up its last and most developed model year. Toyota replaced the original 1KZ-TE diesel on July 31, 2000 with the 1KD-FTV, a 3.0-liter common-rail turbo diesel rated at 170 PS (about 168 hp) and 352 N·m (about 260 lb-ft). Every diesel Prado 90 built in 2002 has that engine. Gasoline buyers had the 3.4-liter 5VZ-FE V6 at 185 PS and the 2.7-liter 3RZ-FE four-cylinder at 150 PS.

Japanese catalog data lists three-door RS, RX and RZ grades and five-door TS, TX and TZ grades in the final lineup, along with the TX Limited special edition. The 90 Series stayed in the catalog until the 120 replaced it in October 2002.

As of November 10, 2026, we list 75 Land Cruiser Prados for sale, 74 of them JDM vehicles marked Available for Import. Four of those are 2002 Prado 90s. If you want the background on the model, read our Prado 90 history, or browse the current Land Cruiser Prado inventory.

Land Cruiser Prado 120: Legal From Late 2027

The headline arrival of 2027 is the third-generation Prado. Toyota announced the 120 Series and put it on sale on October 7, 2002, so the first examples reach 25 years in October 2027.

American buyers know this platform as the Lexus GX 470, which arrived in US showrooms at the end of 2002. The Japanese Prado offered things the GX never did:

• A three-door short-wheelbase body alongside the five-door
• The 1KD-FTV 3.0-liter turbo diesel, rated at 170 PS and 352 N·m
• A 2.7-liter four-cylinder and a 3.4-liter V6 in place of the Lexus V8
• Lower-priced grades for buyers who want a working truck

At launch, the three-door came in RX and RZ grades and the five-door in TX and TZ, with a TZ “G Selection” at the top. All used a four-speed automatic. Toyota’s release describes a new high-rigidity frame and a Torsen limited-slip center differential.

Supply will be thin at first. Only vehicles built before the end of 2002 qualify during 2027, and the wider choice of 2003 builds follows in 2028. If you are deciding between the Japanese and American versions of this platform, our Lexus GX 470 buying guide covers the US truck in detail, and our Prado 120 vs 150 comparison shows how the 120 compares with its successor.

Hilux Surf: The Last 185s and the First 215s

The Hilux Surf is the Japanese-market sibling of the 4Runner, and 2002 was the year one generation handed over to the next.

Final-Year N185 Hilux Surf

The third-generation Surf received the same engine change as the Prado 90. From July 31, 2000, the diesel was the 1KD-FTV at 170 PS and 352 N·m, replacing the 145 PS 1KZ-TE. The last update to this generation that we found in Toyota’s newsroom is dated December 3, 2001. It offered the SSR-X “White Premium” and SSR-V “Black Navigator” special editions. Trucks built in 2002 come from that final specification, and catalog data shows them with a four-speed automatic only.

As of November 10, 2026, we list 19 Hilux Surfs for sale, all JDM vehicles marked Available for Import, including two 2002 models. Our comparison of the Hilux Surf and the Prado 90 explains how the two differ on the road and at the pump.

N215 Hilux Surf Arrives

Toyota announced the fourth-generation Surf on October 7, 2002 and put it on sale on November 15, 2002. Trucks built in the on-sale month become eligible in November 2027, and any built ahead of the launch qualify in their own build month.

The contrast with the US 4Runner of the same generation is the reason to care. The American truck launched with a 4.0-liter V6 and a V8. The Japanese Surf launched with three different engines: the 2.7-liter 3RZ-FE, the 3.4-liter 5VZ-FE V6 and the 1KD-FTV turbo diesel, in SSR-X and SSR-G grades with two- or four-wheel drive. For an American buyer, the diesel is the version with no domestic equivalent.

Land Cruiser 100: The 2002 Update

The 100 Series has been importable since 2023, but 2027 unlocks the updated trucks. On August 5, 2002, Toyota gave the Japanese Land Cruiser 100 a minor change that included:

• A five-speed automatic transmission in place of the four-speed
• Variable gear ratio steering (VGRS)
• A redesigned instrument panel and center cluster
• A new grille, front bumper, wheels and rear lamps
• Optional curtain shield airbags

Trucks sold before the August 2002 change are the earlier four-speed specification, so confirm the transmission on the specific vehicle if the five-speed matters to you.

The Japanese wagon used the 4.7-liter 2UZ-FE V8, which catalog data for the 2002 update lists at 235 PS (about 232 hp).

The Japanese lineup is also where you find the engine America never got in this body: the 1HD-FTE 4.2-liter turbo diesel. Catalog data for the 2002 update lists the diesel at 196 PS (about 193 hp) and 431 N·m (about 318 lb-ft). Our used Land Cruiser buying guide compares the 100 with the other series.

Land Cruiser 70: 2002 Builds

The 70 Series needs no introduction, and nothing dramatic happened to it in 2002. That is the appeal. Japanese catalog data shows every 70 on sale that year with the 1HZ 4.2-liter diesel, rated at 130 PS (about 128 hp) and 284 N·m (about 209 lb-ft), in short, mid and four-door semi-long bodies with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.

These trucks carry the changes Toyota made in August 1999: coil springs on the front axle, larger front brakes and 12-volt electrics. Toyota ended Japanese sales of the 70 in 2004, so the 2002 trucks are among the last of the original domestic run. Our guide to importing a Land Cruiser 70 covers the series in depth.

Vans and Wagons: Alphard and HiAce

Toyota launched the first-generation Alphard on May 22, 2002. It replaced the Granvia, Grand HiAce and Regius, which left the catalog that same month. Contemporary reports list a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 3.0-liter V6, with front- or four-wheel drive. The Alphard was never sold in the United States, and the earliest examples become eligible in May 2027.

The 100 Series HiAce was on sale throughout 2002. Toyota’s August 7, 2002 release still lists Welcab versions of the Super Custom and Super Custom G wagons with the 1KZ-TE 3.0-liter turbo diesel and available four-wheel drive. The 200 Series did not replace it until August 2004. If a camper build is the goal, start with our HiAce US import guide.

Other JDM Toyotas Turning 25 in 2027

We specialize in Toyota 4x4s, but these are the other 2002 Toyotas that enthusiasts ask about:

• Supra (A80): Japanese catalog data shows the final run ending with July 2002 production, which makes 2027 the year the last JDM Supras become eligible.
• Caldina GT-Four: The third-generation Caldina launched on September 13, 2002. The GT-Four paired the 3S-GTE turbo engine, rated at 260 PS, with full-time four-wheel drive.
• Mark II Blit: A rear-wheel-drive wagon launched on January 25, 2002. The iR-V grade used the 1JZ-GTE 2.5-liter turbo at 280 PS.
• Probox and Succeed: Compact commercial vans, also sold as wagons, launched on July 2, 2002, with gasoline, diesel and four-wheel-drive versions.
• MR-S: The August 2, 2002 update moved both the manual and the sequential manual from five speeds to six.

How FLEX Imports a 2027-Eligible Toyota

FLEX has stores across Japan and a store in San Diego. Vehicles we import are brought to San Diego first, inspected there, and then shipped by ground to buyers in other states.

Why Some 2002 Models Are Already Listed

You may notice 2002 vehicles in our inventory marked Available for Import before they have reached 25 years. We begin listing vehicles about three months ahead of their eligibility month, so in November 2026 our listings already reach vehicles dated February 2002. You can purchase one at that stage. The vehicle itself is imported only once it qualifies, and shipping and inspection take additional time after that, so plan for a gap between the eligibility month and delivery.

Costs, Paperwork and State Registration

Prices on our inventory pages are shown before tax and transport. The Get Total Estimate tool on each listing calculates the total for your location.

Customs duty is the part that has changed most. CBP lists the base duty at 2.5% for automobiles and 25% for trucks. Additional tariffs on Japanese goods have been introduced and revised more than once since 2025. The most recent we found is a Section 301 duty that took effect on July 24, 2026. CBP’s guidance says Japanese products with a base rate below 12.5% are assessed a combined 12.5%. How that applies to a vehicle more than 25 years old is a question for a licensed customs broker, so ask for a current figure before you commit.

Registration is a state matter, and the rules vary. California is a well-known strict case. The California DMV states that a direct import vehicle cannot be registered there unless it is modified and tested under CARB’s direct import program, and that diesel-powered vehicles cannot be converted to California emissions standards at this time. Federal import rules do not restrict right-hand drive, but check your own state’s requirements before paying a deposit.

Wait for 2027 or Buy a 2001 Model Now?

If you want a Prado 120 or a fourth-generation Surf, waiting is the only option, and the first year’s supply will be limited to a few months of production.

If you want a Prado 90, a third-generation Surf or a Land Cruiser 100, the question is different. The 1KD-FTV diesel arrived in the Prado 90 and Hilux Surf in mid-2000, so a 2001 truck has the same engine as a 2002 truck you would wait for. The main reasons to hold out for a 2002 build are a specific vehicle you like, lower mileage, or the Land Cruiser 100’s five-speed automatic, which only arrived in August 2002.

As of November 10, 2026, our current inventory also includes 20 Prados and six Hilux Surfs dated 2000 or 2001.

FAQs

What JDM cars are legal to import in 2027?

Any Japanese-market vehicle built in 2002 becomes eligible during 2027, in the month it reaches 25 years old. For Toyota, that includes the final Land Cruiser Prado 90 and third-generation Hilux Surf, the updated Land Cruiser 100, the first Alphard, the last A80 Supra, and late in the year, the first Prado 120 and Hilux Surf 215.

Is the 25-year rule based on model year or build date?

Build date. The 25 years run from the vehicle’s date of manufacture, so a car built in September 2002 is eligible from September 2027, not January 2027.

When can I import a Land Cruiser Prado 120?

Toyota put the Prado 120 on sale in Japan on October 7, 2002, so vehicles built in the launch month become eligible in October 2027. Each later build follows month by month.

Can I buy a 2002 JDM Toyota before it turns 25?

Yes. We list vehicles about three months before their eligibility month, and you can purchase one then. It cannot be imported or delivered until it reaches 25 years.

Are right-hand-drive Toyotas legal in every state?

Federal import rules do not restrict right-hand drive. Registration is handled by each state, and requirements differ, so confirm your state’s rules before you buy. California has additional emissions requirements for direct import vehicles.

Which JDM Toyotas become legal in 2028?

Vehicles built in 2003. That brings a full year of Prado 120 and Hilux Surf 215 production, the facelifted Estima that went on sale in May 2003, and the second-generation Harrier.