From the company that turned a Honda Civic into a fake Dodge Challenger, here comes a Toyota Corolla impersonating a British sedan from many moons ago. Mitsuoka is at it again, only this time, it's taken a Toyota Corolla to give it a British flair. The Ryugi has been around since 2014, and it's now getting a small update with extra equipment while retaining the strange exterior look.
Featuring an unusual face reminding us of a Rover P5 from the late 1950s or a Jaguar Mark II from the same era, the Mitsuoka Ryugi comes in sedan and wagon flavors. Underneath that peculiar body is a previous-generation JDM-spec Corolla (E160), which is still in production as the Corolla Axio sedan and Corolla Fielder wagon. That's despite the fact the latest generation (E210) was launched back in 2018. Since 2022, Toyota has been making the old one strictly as a fleet vehicle, according to Best Car magazine.
2024 Mitsuoka Ryugi
The automotive oddity comes in front- and all-wheel-drive versions with a five-speed manual and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Mitsuoka sells the updated Ryugi with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that works on its own or with a hybrid setup. For 2024, the cars get more kit, including an auto-dimming rearview mirror. All versions except for the base one now come with front and rear parking sensors.
As with other Mitsuoka models, the customization is limited to the exterior since the cabin is largely carried over from the standard Corolla. The company does put its badge on the steering wheel and embroiders the logo onto the seats but that’s pretty much where the changes end. Having such a wild body makeover combined with a dull interior makes the Ryugi even weirder.
Pricing kicks off at the equivalent of $20,300 and reaches $27,200 for the range-topping model.
