Import a Suzuki Jimny from Japan to Ireland: what it really costs
Two cars share the name: the 660cc kei-class Jimny (JB23, JB64) that Japan keeps to itself, and the 1.5-litre Jimny Sierra (JB74) that Europe knows as the Jimny.
Irish demand for the Jimny outran European supply years ago: the 1.5 was sold here only briefly before emissions rules turned it into a two-seat commercial. Japan has both that car and the smaller 660cc kei version in numbers, which is why they keep arriving.
Japanese-built, so duty-free with a Statement on Origin. The tax question is the CO2 band: a small, boxy, four-wheel-drive petrol car is not a low-emission one, and the Sierra’s European figure sits in the high 150s.
- Customs duty
- 0%
- With a Statement on Origin; 10% without one.
- VRT in the scenarios
- 25% to 30%
- of Revenue’s valuation, by CO2 band
- Landed, incl. fee
- €12,628 to €25,144
- 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 141, 154, 170 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 141–170 | Open in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 JB23 660 XC, 60,000 kmPetrol | ¥900,000 | €11,000 | 160 → band 18, 30% | €13,563 | €12,628–€13,563 | Open |
| 2019 JB64 660 XC automatic, 30,000 kmPetrol | ¥1,700,000 | €19,000 | 150 → band 16, 25% | €20,592 | €19,927–€21,542 | Open |
| 2020 JB74 Sierra 1.5 JC manual, 30,000 kmPetrol | ¥2,000,000 | €24,000 | 154 → band 17, 27.5% | €24,544 | €23,104–€25,144 | Open |
- 2016 JB23 660 XC, 60,000 km: An older kei Jimny; 160 g/km assumes a disclosure for a 660cc turbo automatic. Price and value are assumptions.
- 2019 JB64 660 XC automatic, 30,000 km: 150 g/km assumes a disclosure a little above the Japanese WLTC figure; JB64 values in Japan are strong, hence the hammer price.
- 2020 JB74 Sierra 1.5 JC manual, 30,000 km: The Sierra has a European twin, so the WLTP figure of about 154 g/km for the manual is likely to be accepted. Price and value are assumptions.
VRT and the OMSP
All three Jimnys land in the mid-twenties to 30% of OMSP: 25% up to 150 g/km, 27.5% up to 155 and 30% up to 170. The automatic Sierra’s higher figure costs a band. On a €24,000 value each band is worth about €600.
OMSP is the open question. The Sierra has an Irish-market equivalent; the kei versions do not, and how Revenue values a Japan-specification Jimny is one of the points being confirmed (V6). Allow a wide range until it is.
NOx levy
Small petrol engines certify moderate NOx, so the levy is a few hundred euro with evidence and €600 without it. Older JB23s may not have usable figures; price the disclosure in.
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 (Suzuki’s Kosai plant). Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% duty rate applies with a Statement on Origin.
Insurance
The Sierra is rated as a Jimny. The 660cc kei versions are unfamiliar to Irish insurers and may be declined or loaded; get a quote first and confirm the immobiliser.
Generations
- JB23 (1998–2018): the previous kei Jimny, 660cc turbo, Japan-only. Cheap to buy, older, and a disclosure is needed for CO2 and NOx.
- JB64 (2018 on): the current kei Jimny, 660cc turbo, Japan-only. Japanese WLTC figures put it in the low-to-mid 140s g/km; a disclosure supplies the figure Revenue uses.
- JB74 Jimny Sierra (2018 on): the 1.5-litre car Europe got, with WLTP figures around 154 g/km for the manual and around 170 g/km for the automatic.
Before you bid
- Kei or Sierra: a 660cc JB64 and a 1.5 JB74 look alike and are taxed and insured very differently. The chassis prefix tells you which.
- Rust: Jimnys work for a living in Japan’s snow prefectures, and the ladder chassis and body seams corrode. Underside photos or an inspection are essential.
- Japanese-market tyres and wheels: the E-mark rule applies, and kei-size tyres are a narrower fit to source here.
- Very old Jimnys (1990s JA11 and JA12) qualify for the €200 vintage VRT rate at 30 years; a car cannot wait unregistered in Ireland for that date (registration within 30 days of arrival is the rule), so the wait happens in Japan (V21, V25).
- 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
- The research brief lists the Jimny among the ten launch model pages because of sustained Irish demand and the JDM-only kei version, and flags OMSP for Japan-specification Jimnys as one of the open questions with Revenue (V6).
- We have not yet captured audited auction prices for the Jimny. The scenarios use assumed prices; replace them with a real listing in the calculator.
Questions people ask
Is a Jimny duty-free to import from Japan?
Yes, with a Statement on Origin: every Jimny is Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% rate applies. Without the statement, 10% duty is charged on the customs value.
What VRT band is a Jimny?
Between 25% and 30% of OMSP depending on the version and gearbox: roughly 25% for a 660cc kei car on a disclosed figure around 150 g/km, 27.5% for a manual Sierra at about 154 g/km, and 30% for an automatic Sierra near 170 g/km. The worked scenarios show the euro effect.
Is the 660cc Jimny legal and practical in Ireland?
It is a normal passenger car for registration and tax, banded on its CO2 like any other. It is slower than the 1.5 on the motorway, and parts and insurance need more effort because it was never sold here.
Can I insure a Japanese-import Jimny in Ireland?
The 1.5 Sierra, yes, as a Jimny. The kei version may be declined or loaded by some insurers; get a quote before committing.
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 Jimny
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.