JM1 — Mazda
A VIN beginning JM1 identifies a vehicle built by Mazda in Japan, covering Japan-built MX-5, Mazda3 and CX-5. The first character, J, is the region marker; the two that follow narrow it to the manufacturer and division.
Also built in Japan
Questions
›What car has a VIN starting with JM1?
A Mazda built in Japan — typically Japan-built MX-5, Mazda3 and CX-5. The three characters identify the manufacturer and plant region, not the specific model; characters 4–8 describe the model itself.
›Is JM1 the same as the country of origin?
The first character alone gives the region — J indicates Japan. All three together identify the specific manufacturer and division within it.
›Can I tell the model year from JM1?
No. The WMI says who built the vehicle, not when. Character 10 carries the model year, and character 7 helps resolve which of its two possible years applies.