Toyota Altezza RS200 SXE10
Import a Toyota Altezza RS200 (SXE10) from Japan, found at auction, scanned before it ships, and delivered with a report anyone can verify.
- Built in Japan
- 1998–2005
- Engine
- 3S-GE 2.0 L naturally aspirated four (RS200), rear-wheel drive
About the SXE10
The Altezza sedan launched on 30 October 1998 and was built until July 2005. The RS200 uses the 3S-GE 2.0 L four, rated at 210 PS at 7,600 rpm with titanium valves in manual form, driving the rear wheels. The export Lexus IS200 and IS300 had six-cylinder engines instead.
Buyers want it as a rear-drive manual with a high-revving four. The RS200 Z Edition adds 17-inch wheels, and an Altezza Gita five-door joined in July 2001.
Toyota built the Altezza on a shortened rear-drive midsize platform, so Japanese buyers got a compact sports sedan with a small engine and lower tax. Teams including TRD, TOM’S, APEXi and Amuse raced it in Asian touring car series, and Japan had an Altezza one-make series. The export version also raced: the IS 200 in the British Touring Car Championship, and the IS 300, which won the 2002 Grand-Am Cup ST1 titles for Team Lexus.
- Power
- 210 PS at 7,600 rpm (manual)
- Torque
- 22.0 kgm (216 Nm) at 6,400 rpm
- Weight
- 1,340 kg (manual)
- Gearbox
- 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic
- Drive
- Rear-wheel drive
- Price new
- ¥2,400,000 (1998, manual)
Can an SXE10 come in?
Both countries count from the month on the build plate, so a car can become eligible part-way through a year. We check the plate on every car.
Quebec registers right-hand-drive cars only at 25 years. Every other province follows the federal 15-year rule.
US sourcing is planned for 2027, once a customs broker confirms the duty rate on Japanese classics. Enquiries are welcome now.
Which cars roll in next? See the 2027 US calendar and the 2027 Canada calendar.
What to look at on an SXE10
The model-specific weak points we look for in the auction sheet, the photos and the scan.
Oil use
Worth checking the 3S-GE for oil consumption.
Gearbox
Worth checking the six-speed synchros.
Rear end
Worth checking the rear subframe and differential bushes.
Gauges
Worth checking that the chronograph-style gauges have not faded.
Modifications
Many cars are modified. Ask for invoices and the original parts.
What we check on every SXE10
The auction sheet, in full
Every line of the original Japanese sheet translated: repair marks, rust notes, interior score.
The build plate
The month of manufacture decides eligibility, so we read it off the car, not the registration.
Mileage against the records
Dash and ECU against the auction sheet and Japan's inspection history.
Flood and accident history
Checked before export, while a claim is still possible.
A full diagnostic scan
Every module read inside the auction's 5-day claim window, so a hidden fault goes back to the seller.
Underneath
Chassis rails, floors and suspension, where snow-country salt does its damage.
What landing one costs: see the worked examples; an enquiry gets you the figure for this car. New to auction sheets? Read how to read one.
What an SXE10 costs
Published figures with their source and date. Prices move with condition, mileage and grade; an enquiry gets auction results for the car you want.
| What | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Altezza sedan, all grades (88 listed), average asking price Carsensor, Oct 2026 | about ¥1.51 million (range ¥0.4–3.9 million) | Carsensor , Oct 2026 |
Figures as published by each source; not offers from us. Landed cost in Canada adds shipping, duty, GST/HST and provincial fees.
SXE10 buyer questions
Can I import an Altezza RS200 to the US now?
Only early cars. Production ran from October 1998 to July 2005, so under the 25-year rule only cars built before about October 2001 qualify now. Later cars follow month by month until 2030. In Canada, every Altezza clears the 15-year rule.
Manual or automatic?
The manual is the one to buy. Toyota’s catalogue rates the six-speed manual RS200 at 210 PS at 7,600 rpm, while the five-speed automatic version has 200 PS at 7,000 rpm. The manual also weighs 1,340 kg against 1,330 kg for the automatic.
Will Lexus IS 300 parts fit?
Much of the body, suspension and interior is shared with the Lexus IS 300 sold in North America. The RS200’s 3S-GE four-cylinder and six-speed gearbox were not offered there, so engine and gearbox parts usually come from Japan.
Want an SXE10?
Tell us the grade, colour and budget. We reply with eligibility for your province or state and what these are fetching in Japan now, and contact you when sourcing opens.