The Japanese domestic market never ceases to amaze us and, when it comes to four-wheeled oddities coming from the Land of the Rising Sun, you can’t go wrong with Mitsuoka.
As a sign of the times, the small automaker and coachbuilder is releasing its first SUV, the Mitsuoka Buddy. As you can imagine, it’s far from your average Japanese SUV despite being based on one of the most common vehicles of this type.
While the press release makes no mention of the Toyota RAV4 being used as a base for the Mitsuoka Buddy, the side profile and engine lineup give it away. The company wanted to build an American-style SUV, so it decided to graft completely different front and rear ends onto the RAV4.
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At the front, the Mitsuoka Buddy reminds of the 1990s Chevrolet Tahoe thanks to the big chrome grille and split squared headlights. Seen from the side, the front end is also more upright than on the standard RAV4. Out back, the Buddy features vertical taillights, a redesigned tailgate and a chrome add-on bumper on top of the factory item.
We don’t get to see the interior yet, but we should expect Mitsuoka to leave its imprint on the cabin as well. For now, the company has announced the color palette, which consists of 11 monotone body colors and six two-tone liveries.
As with the donor vehicle, the engine lineup consists of a 171 PS (168 HP) 2.0-liter petrol engine (offered in 20LX, 20DX and 20ST trim levels) and a 178 PS (175 HP) 2.5-liter hybrid (available in Hybrid DX and Hybrid ST grades). Mitsuoka will start accepting reservations for the Buddy SUV on November 26, when it will also reveal its pricing.
Thanks to Don for the tip!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBKQCosTtpg
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