- Mitsuoka is ending Ryugi sedan production with 20 Final Editions.
- The Final Edition adds a unique trunk badge to its retro bodykit.
- It rides on a Corolla Axio base with gas and hybrid options.
Mitsuoka has once again embraced the art of automotive oddities, this time with a farewell act. The company is pulling the curtain back on one of its most eccentric creations with the launch of the Ryugi Final Edition. Based on the recently discontinued Toyota Corolla Axio sedan, this Japanese curiosity has been a fixture in the Mitsuoka lineup since 2014.
A Corolla In Period Costume
The Final Edition sticks closely to the original Ryugi’s retro-flavored brief, adding a special trunk emblem with clock graphics as a wink to its swan song status. Buyers can choose any color they like, so long as it is Black Mica. Official photos show it running both classic hubcaps and BBS-style alloy wheels, depending on just how deep into the nostalgia you want to lean.
At 4,510 mm (177.6-inch) long, the replica replica presents itself as a rolling tribute to late-1950s British luxury, borrowing cues from the Jaguar Mark 2, Bentley S-Type, and Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and blending them into one magnificently confused package that looks as if it lost an argument with a history book.
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The handcrafted front and rear sections stretch the overhangs noticeably, adding round headlights, pill-shaped taillights, chrome bumpers, and an upright grille that looks like the face of the Parthenon.
From the windshield backward, however, it remains very much a Corolla Axio. The greenhouse, roof structure, doors, and much of the interior are carried over from the donor car, though Mitsuoka has retrimmed the cabin in leather to lift it beyond its economy-sedan roots.
Mechanically, it mirrors the Toyota beneath. The naturally aspirated 1.5-liter gasoline engine produces 102 hp (76 kW / 103 PS), sending power to the front wheels (2WD) or all four wheels (4WD) through a CVT gearbox. A more efficient self-charging hybrid pairs a 1.5-liter engine with a single electric motor for those who prefer their retro looks with lower fuel consumption.
Limited Availability
Mitsuoka will build just 20 examples of the Ryugi Final Edition, so anyone in Japan hoping to secure one will need to move quickly. Once production wraps up, the nameplate will continue only through the company’s conversion program, which is based on used Corollas.
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Pricing starts at ¥3,305,500 ($21,300) for the gasoline model and rises to ¥3,855,500 ($24,800) for the hybrid. For comparison, the donor Toyota Corolla Axio begins at ¥1,639,600 ($10,600) in its most affordable form, illustrating just how much extra you are handing over for the privilege of looking like a 1950s aristocrat wannabe on your daily commute.
There’s Also A Wagon Version
While the Final Edition closes the book on the sedan, Mitsuoka is not entirely finished with the formula. The Ryugi Wagon Adventure remains on offer, priced at ¥4,389,000 ($28,300).
This one is based on the gasoline-powered Corolla Fielder wagon and layers the same retro styling over a dose of crossover attitude, adding a roof rack, matte black pillars, disc wheels, grippy tires, special colors, and more durable seat covers, just in case your vintage British delusion involves light off-roading.
Mitsuoka Ryugi Wagon Adventure
