Import a Honda Fit from Japan to Ireland: what it really costs
Sold as the Jazz in Ireland. The Japan-market hybrid versions of the 2013–2020 car were never sold new here.
The Fit is the Jazz with a Japanese badge, and the fourth most imported model from Japan in Cartell’s 2025 data. It comes as a 1.3 petrol and, in Japan, as a hybrid, and the two land in very different VRT bands.
Japan-market Fits are Japanese-built, so the 0% duty rate applies with a Statement on Origin. The older hybrid needs a CO2 disclosure because it has no EU figures; the petrol carries NEDC figures from the European Jazz that Revenue uplifts.
- Customs duty
- 0%
- With a Statement on Origin; 10% without one.
- VRT in the scenarios
- 12% to 21.5%
- of Revenue’s valuation, by CO2 band
- Landed, incl. fee
- €9,205 to €16,736
- across the scenarios and CO2 assumptions
- Exchange rate
- 180.94 ¥/€
- ECB, 18 Sept 2026, with the 2% buffer
Worked scenarios
Computed with the same engine as the calculator when this page was built. Prices and Irish values are assumptions. The right-hand range shows what happens when the CO2 evidence comes back at 95, 105, 120 g/km. Open any row and replace the assumptions with a real car.
| Car | Price in Japan | Irish value | CO2 → band | Landed incl. fee | CO2 95–120 | Open in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 GK Fit Hybrid, 60,000 kmHybrid | ¥750,000 | €11,000 | 100 → band 6, 12% | €10,457 | €10,374–€10,897 | Open |
| 2018 GK Fit 1.3 petrol, 50,000 kmPetrol | ¥600,000 | €9,500 | 118 NEDC → 143 → band 15, 21.5% | €10,278 | €9,205–€9,656 | Open |
| 2021 GR Fit e:HEV, 30,000 kmHybrid | ¥1,450,000 | €17,000 | 105 → band 7, 12.75% | €16,183 | €15,928–€16,736 | Open |
- 2017 GK Fit Hybrid, 60,000 km: 100 g/km assumes a disclosure in line with the European e:HEV; the hammer price and Irish value are assumptions.
- 2018 GK Fit 1.3 petrol, 50,000 km: European Jazz 1.3 NEDC figures were around 116–120 g/km; Revenue’s uplift takes 118 to about 143, which is why the petrol bands so much higher.
- 2021 GR Fit e:HEV, 30,000 km: The e:HEV drivetrain was sold in Europe, so a WLTP figure near 105 g/km is likely to be accepted; price and value are assumptions.
VRT and the OMSP
The hybrid and the petrol are the same size of car but land bands apart: a hybrid with a disclosed figure around 100 g/km pays in the low teens of percent, while a 1.3 petrol whose NEDC figure uplifts to the mid-140s pays over 20% of OMSP. Check the scenarios before choosing which to buy.
OMSP for the petrol follows the Irish Jazz; for the Japan-only hybrid Revenue sets it by statistical code, so allow a wider range.
NOx levy
Both engines certify low NOx with evidence. Without it Revenue charges €600. Petrol Fits are the likeliest of the three models on this site to arrive without usable NOx paperwork, so ask the exporter early.
Without evidence Revenue charges €600 for petrol and hybrid cars, €4,850 for diesels.
Customs duty and origin
Japanese-built, so 0% customs duty applies under the EU–Japan agreement, provided the exporter supplies a Statement on Origin. Without it, 10% of the customs value is charged. Ask for the statement before you bid, not after.
Built in: Japan (Honda’s Suzuka and Yorii plants). Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% duty rate applies with a Statement on Origin.
Insurance
Insurers treat the petrol as a Jazz. The Japan-only hybrid can be rated as an unfamiliar model; SuperValu Insurance was reported quoting a Fit reasonably in 2026, and Allianz, AXA (AA), FBD and 123.ie have quoted Japanese imports generally. Get a quote before you buy.
Generations
- GK (2013–2020): third generation, 1.3 petrol or 1.5 i-DCD hybrid; the hybrid was Japan-market only.
- GR (2020 on): fourth generation, 1.3 petrol or e:HEV hybrid; the e:HEV Jazz was sold in Europe with WLTP figures around 102–110 g/km.
Before you bid
- The GK hybrid’s i-DCD dual-clutch gearbox had recalls and software updates in Japan; ask for the service history and drive it if you can.
- Japanese tyres often lack the E-mark the NCT requires: budget €300–600 for a set.
- The radio needs a band expander for Irish FM (Japan uses 76–90 MHz) and the navigation unit is in Japanese; most buyers fit an aftermarket head unit.
- Cars from snowy prefectures can carry underbody corrosion from road salt; ask for underside photos or an inspection before bidding.
- Book the NCTS appointment within 7 days of arrival and register within 30, or penalties apply.
Where the numbers come from
- Cartell counted 1,612 Fits imported from Japan between January and September 2025, fourth behind the Golf, Polo and A3.
- We have not yet captured audited auction prices for the Fit. The scenarios below use assumed prices; replace them with a real listing in the calculator.
Questions people ask
Is a Honda Fit duty-free to import from Japan?
Yes, with a Statement on Origin from the exporter: Japan-market Fits are Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% rate applies. Without the statement, 10% duty is charged on the customs value.
Hybrid or petrol Fit: which is cheaper to import?
Usually the hybrid, once VRT is counted. Its CO2 figure lands in a much lower band than the 1.3 petrol’s uplifted NEDC figure, and that gap is often bigger than the difference in hammer price. The worked scenarios show both.
Is a Fit the same as a Jazz for parts and servicing?
The petrol is, in effect. The Japan-only hybrid shares most of the car but not the drivetrain, so some hybrid parts come through Japanese-parts suppliers rather than the local dealer.
Can I insure a Japanese-import Fit in Ireland?
The petrol is rated as a Jazz and is straightforward. The hybrid may be treated as an unfamiliar model by some insurers; get a quote first and disclose that it is an import.
How long does the import take?
Typically 8 to 14 weeks from auction to Irish plates: a week or two in Japan for deregistration and export paperwork, four to six at sea, then customs clearance, the NCTS appointment and registration.
Price a real Fit
Put a real auction listing into the calculator: hammer price, mileage and the CO2 figure if you have it. You get every cost line and a range, and you can send it to us for sourcing from there.
Other models
Rules version 2026-09-17. Estimates only; VRT is assessed by Revenue at registration. Page computed at build time; the calculator uses the exchange rate of the day.