Japanese auction grades explained

Updated July 14, 2026 · 6 min read

The overall grade is the single most important number on an auction sheet. Here's what each grade means, why Grade 4 is the buyer's baseline, and how the R and RA accident codes change everything.

The overall grade scale

Japanese auction houses score each car from roughly 0.5 to 6, plus the special codes S, R and RA. The number is the grader's overall assessment of condition and mileage combined.

Why Grade 4 is the baseline

For most importers, Grade 4 is the sweet spot: a genuinely good used car with only minor cosmetic flaws, at a sensible price. Grades 4.5 and 5 cost more for condition you may not need; Grade 3.5 and below start to carry real wear. If a seller claims 'showroom condition' but the sheet says Grade 3, trust the sheet.

R and RA — the accident codes

R (sometimes written 0 or 事故) marks a car with repair history to a structural part of the body. RA typically means a lighter accident that has been fully and properly repaired. These grades are not automatically bad — a well-repaired RA can be a bargain — but they must be reflected in the price, and you should read the damage map carefully.

The A–E letter grades

Alongside the number, the sheet grades the exterior and interior separately from A (like new) to E (very poor). A Grade 4 car with a 'C' interior has bodywork that's fine but a cabin with stains or wear. Details in how to read an auction sheet.

Do all auction houses grade the same way?

Broadly yes, but not perfectly. Japan's major auction groups — USS, TAA, JU, HAA and others — all use the same 0.5–6 plus R/RA scale, so a Grade 4 means much the same everywhere. Small differences exist: some houses use a '0' or '★' where others write 'R', and interior/exterior letters can run A–E or A–D. When comparing two cars, read the whole sheet rather than trusting the headline number alone.

Grade vs price

Each half-grade step up typically adds a meaningful premium. A Grade 5 can cost far more than a Grade 4 for condition most buyers won't notice day to day. If budget matters, a well-documented Grade 3.5–4 with a clean damage map is often the smartest buy — see Grade 4 vs 3.5.