Japan vs. USA Power Quiz: Can You Choose the More Powerful Car?

AUTO

By: Robin Tyler

6 Min Quiz

Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

There are those of us who love the way a car looks! The beautiful curves, elegant lines, the way the designer makes the entire design package flow into a machine that is pleasing to the eye.

And then there are those of us who simply want to know what's under the hood. The heart of the motor vehicle is its engine. And since the car was invented, people have wanted to put more and more powerful engines in their cars simply to make them go faster! And people care about that, sometimes more so than how beautiful a car looks!

So, what have we prepared for you in this quiz? Well, it's simple. We have taken American cars and pitted them against their Japanese rivals. You simply have to guess which of the models we show you in each question has the highest horsepower rating. 

Sound easy? In some cases it certainly is, and in others, you are going to have to think carefully and clearly, using all your auto knowledge to make sure you get the answer right!

We have chosen a range of models, from sedans, SUVs, pickups and sports cars... but haven't always pitted the same types up against each other.

This makes things just a little more interesting. 

Good luck1

Who wins in the power stakes? An American muscle car or a modern luxury Japanese sedan?

A lesser-known muscle car from the 1970s against a modern sedan. The 1970 AMC Rebel comes out on top with its 6.4 liter V8 engine producing 325 bhp compared to the 201 bhp from the 2.4-liter DOHC inline-4 of the Acura ILX.

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Which is the more powerful of the cars in this image?

The Honda NSX needs no introduction. The first generation was designed with the help of legendary F1 driver Ayrton Senna. The second generation is more powerful than the 2017 Buick Enclave SUV, producing 500 bhp from its 3.5-liter V6 engine compared to the 310 bhp from the 3.6-liter V6 of the Enclave.

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An American convertible roadster against a legendary Japanese roadster. Which is more powerful?

The 1993 Cadillac Allante produces 294 bhp thanks to its 4.6-liter V8 engine, 80 bhp more than the 1.3-liter rotary engined RX-7. That said, those are some impressive numbers from that Mazda power unit.

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A Japanese SUV versus an American SUV. Which one do you think wins in the power stakes?

A close call on these two massive SUVs. The Q70 wins, thanks to its 5.5-liter V8 engine which pushes out 420 bhp. The Expedition isn't that far behind, coming in at 380 bhp despite having a much smaller power plant - a 3.5-liter V6.

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A Japanese SUV up against an American truck. Who wins the power race on this one?

The third generation of the Daihatsu Terios is powered by a 1.5-liter engine that produces around 102 brake horsepower, certainly no match for the Chevrolet Colorado, a pickup truck in the Chevy fleet since 2003. The most powerful models of the Colorado have 3.5-liter V6 engines that produce 308 brake horsepower.

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An American behemoth versus a modern pickup from Japan sold in the American market. Which vehicle is the most powerful?

Probably not a difficult one to choose but it is closer than most think. The more modern Honda Ridgeline (3.4-liter V6 engine) comes in at 280 bhp while the Hummer's 5.3-liter V8 produces 300 bhp.

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Two modern sedans, but which is more powerful: Toyota Corolla or Ford Taurus?

The top of the range Taurus wins this one hands down. It has a 3.5-liter V6 engine that pushes out 365 brake horsepower. The most powerful Toyota Corolla from the same year pushes out 150 brake horsepower from its 2.0-liter DOHC 16-valve straight-4.

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Modern sedan versus muscle car from the '70s. Can you pick out the one with the most brake horse power.

Despite the fact that we have a massive 5.7-liter V8 versus a modern 2.0-liter turbo engine, it's the smaller engine that wins. The Accord turns out 252 bhp compared to the 200 bhp of the GTO's V8.

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An American institution, is the Ford F-150 more powerful than the Toyota Tundra?

This is so, so close! But it's the F-150's 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine that wins the battle over the 5.7-liter V8 of the Tundra. It turns out 385 bhp compared to 381 bhp!

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The battle of the 'green' cars. When it comes to electric motors, which has the more powerful one: Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Volt?

It's the Leaf that wins this one, with an electric motor rating at 110 kilowatts of power compared to to the 63 kilowatts of the Volt.

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Between the 2015 Ford Everest and the 2014 Toyota 4Runner, which one do you think wins in the power stakes?

A close call with this comparison but the 4Runner from Toyota is the winner. Its 4.0-liter V6 turns out 270 bhp compared to the 245 bhp from the Everest. The Ford model only has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder motor, so those are some impressive numbers indeed despite the fact that it is less powerful.

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Can you tell if the 2001 GMC Sierra C3 or the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder has more brake horsepower?

The 325 bhp GMC Sierra C3 is the winner here, beating the Pathfinder by 41 brake horsepower.

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Two modern sedans, both popular in the United States. Which vehicle produces more power?

The Cruze wins this one by 23 bhp. Although it has a smaller engine - 1.4-liter - it turns out 153 bhp thanks to the fact that it is turbocharged. The Sentra's 1.8-liter engine makes 130 bhp.

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The 1994 Mazda Navajo or the 2001 Lincoln Blackwood - which power unit is more powerful out of these two?

The 300 bhp from the 5.4-liter V8-powered Lincoln Blackwood is more powerful than the 1994 Mazda Navajo. Its 4.0-liter V6 engine turns out 160 bhp.

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Lincoln up against Honda. Which luxury car wins the this power battle?

The Lincoln’s V6 power is too much for the Legend in this battle. It produces 365 bhp to the 300 bhp of the Legend.

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A little bit of the old versus the new. Of the 2017 Mazda 2 and the 1979 AMC Pacer, which is more powerful?

'The Mirfmobile' from "Wayne's World" (yes, that's the AMC Pacer) is slightly more powerful than the 2017 Mazda 2. It has 130 bhp versus 114 bhp. The Pacer should be more powerful seeing that it has a 5.0-liter V8 when compared to the 1.5-liter engine of the Mazda 2.

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The 2013 Acura ZDX, a luxury crossover, versus a performance pickup, the 1993 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning. Which has more power?

Cars differing by 20 years in age, the more modern Acura ZDX is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 that produces 300 bhp which is 60 bhp more than the Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, coming in at 240 bhp thanks to its 5.8-liter V8.

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Which is more powerful: 2017 Ford Expedition or 2017 Honda Pilot?

The 2017 Ford Expedition has more power (380 bhp) compared to the 280 bhp of the 2017 Honda Pilot even though they both are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine.

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Which of the two vehicles shown here produce more brake horsepower?

The top of the range 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a behemoth. It pushes out a massive 707 brake horsepower thanks to its 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 engine. That's simply too much for the Infiniti Q70 by around 287 brake horsepower!

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A Jeep Wrangler or a Daihatsu Terios. Which has higher brake horsepower numbers?

A Jeep legend, the 2017 Wrangler's 3.8-liter V6 produces 202 bhp. That is significantly more than the 2017 Daihatsu Terios, which turns out 102 bhp from its 1.5-liter engine.

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Can you pick the most powerful out of these two classic cars? A 1964 Ford Mustang or a 1970 Toyota 2000GT?

So close but believe it or not, the Mustang (105 bhp) loses out to the 2000GT (115 bhp) by just 10 bhp.

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Two crossover SUVs, but which is the most powerful between a Mazda CX-5 and a Lincoln MKT?

No contest here with the Lincoln MKT (415 bhp, 3.5-liter twin turbo) outpowering the Mazda CX-5 (185 bhp, 2.5-liter straight-4 engine) by 230 bhp. That's like adding another engine.

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Two great pickups competing for the most powerful. Which one wins?

Its the Colorado that wins this battle - 308 bhp to 280 bhp despite the fact that they both have virtually identically sized engines. The Colorado runs a 3.5-liter V6 and the Ridgeline a 3.4-liter V6.

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A van versus a beautiful Japanese sports car. Should be clear-cut, but it's pretty close. Which vehicle is more powerful: 1965 Ford Transit or 1969 Nissan Fairlady?

These two are just two brake horsepower apart from each other! But it's the 1969 Nissan Fairlady (130 bhp) that wins over the Ford Transit (128 bhp). That despite the fact that the Transit has a 3.5-liter V6 and the Fairlady only a 2.0 liter straight-6.

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Nissan Leaf or Via Truck: Which of these electric models has more power?

The 150 kilowatt electric motor of the Via truck is more powerful than the 110 kilowatt motor of the Leaf. Stands to reason as a pickup needs the oomph! Even an electric one.

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The more powerful vehicle in this image is the ______.

Another close battle. The 5.7-liter V8 of the 2015 Toyota Tundra pushes out 381 bhp compared to the 325 bhp 6.0-liter V8 of the 2001 GMC Sierra C3.

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The 2017 Nissan Titan or the 2004 Pontiac Aztek: Which is the most powerful vehicle?

The Aztek comes in well behind the Nissan in the power stakes. Its 3.4-liter V6 only produces 185 bhp while the Titan's 5.6-liter V8 delivers 378 bhp.

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A modern SUV against a tried and trusted pickup. And the most powerful is the __________.

The Silverado SS wins this power battle with ease thanks to its 345 bhp 6.0-liter V8 engine. This is far more powerful than the 2.0-liter straight-four of the Rogue which makes 143 bhp.

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It's Honda versus Chrysler in this power battle. Who wins?

The Legend is a big powerful machine. It turns out 300 bhp from its 3.7-liter engine compared to the 161 bhp of the 2.5-liter V6 powering the 2000 Chrysler Sebring.

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Between the 2009 Honda FR-V and the 2018 Lincoln Navigator, which is more powerful?

In this comparison, it's the American ride that blows its Japanese rival out the water. The Navigator puts out 647 bhp to the 150 bhp of the FR-V.

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An American behemoth versus a modern pickup sold in the American market but from Japan. The most powerful model is the ________.

Probably not a difficult one to choose but it is closer than most people think. The more modern Toyota Tacoma (3.5-liter V6 engine) comes in at 278 bhp while the Hummer's 5.3-liter V8 produces just 22 bhp more at 300 bhp.

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Between the 2017 Honda Accord and the 2017 Ford Taurus, which is the most powerful?

The Taurus' 3.5-liter V6 engine is the winner in this battle. It pushes out 365 bhp compared the the 252 bhp from the 2.0-liter turbo engine of the Accord.

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Let's see how the Toyota Tundra fairs against the Chevrolet Colorado. Which do you think is the most powerful?

It's the Tundra's 5.7-liter V8 engine that wins this battle, outperforming the 3.5-liter V6 of the Colorado, 381 bhp versus 308 bhp.

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The last of the Pontiac GTO models, released in 2006, versus a famous Toyota of which only 351 were ever made. Which is more powerful?

400 bhp vs. 115 bhp. The modern Pontiac GTO wins over the Japanese sports car of the '70s.

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Which vehicle is more powerful between a 2010 Hummer H3 and a 2015 Toyota Tundra?

The Tundra wins this one even though both vehicles have similar size V8 engines. It produces 381 bhp compared to the 300 bhp of the H3 Hummer.

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These vehicles are very different in age but between the 2015 Toyota 4Runner and the 1993 Ram 1500, which is more powerful?

The more modern 4Runner, powered by a 4.0-liter V6 engine, produces 270 bhp. The Ram 1500, with its 5.9-liter Magnum V8, comes close, clocking in at 230 bhp. Close, but not close enough!

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Two coupe-type pickups, but which is more powerful: 1994 Subaru BRAT or 1959 Chevrolet El Camino?

Even though the El Camino has 35 years on the BRAT, it is much more powerful, coming in at 320 bhp compared to 95 bhp. That is thanks to its 5.7-liter V8 engine, which is just a little more powerful than the 1.8-liter flat-four that powers the BRAT.

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The 2005 Chevrolet SRR is up against the 2017 Nissan Titan. Which do you think is more powerful?

It's a close run, but the Chevrolet SRR wins by 12 bhp. Its 6.0-liter V8 engine produces 390 brake horsepower compared to the 378 bhp from the 5.6-liter V8 of the Titan.

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Both 2017 models, the Ford Taurus is up against the Nissan Sentra. Which do you think is the most powerful?

The Taurus model with the most powerful engine is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 which produces 365 bhp. That is significantly more than the 130 bhp pushed out by the 1.8-liter straight-4.

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Who wins in the power battle between these two incredible cars: GT-R or GT?

Two incredible cars and so close in the power stakes but the GT-R is the winner. Its 3.7-liter V6 produces 561 bhp, just 11 more than the 5.4-liter supercharged V8 powering the GT.

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