Mitsuoka Ryugi Is A Toyota Corolla With Classic Bentley Styling

Fancy a British luxury sedan but can’t face the high purchase price and intense running costs? Cue the Ryugi, a Toyota Corolla Axio with a rather peculiar snout. Created by Mitsuoka, the company behind the Dodge Challenger-inspired M55 concept,

Now in its tenth year, Mitsuoka has bestowed the quirky compact sedan with several updates, namely an auto-dimming rearview mirror and front and rear parking sensors for all models, save for the base variant. While that’s all good and well, it’s the exterior styling that is most interesting.

The front fascia takes inspiration from several models. There’s a hint of the Mk2 Jaguar in there, as well as the late ’50s Bentley S1. Everything, from the imposing grille to the placement of the headlights and fog lamps, is reminiscent of the British luxury classic.

Wacky Styling Makes A Dull Car More Interesting

The Ryugi doesn’t quite capture the grandeur of the Bentley, with the pronounced wheel arches failing spectacularly to emulate the real thing. The same thing can be said of the hood, but then again, there’s only so much you can do with a sedan the size of the Corolla Axio.

Moving along the sides of the vehicle, the styling sits at odds with the front and rear. The generic, modern styling blends poorly with the rest of the car, and the unimaginative wheel designs do little to help this.

Around the back, the rounded rear end has been made more square, with faux chrome wraparound bumpers paired with a chrome trunk strip and slim horizontal light clusters. The rear is less distinctive than the front end but resembles the Rover P5 or the Bentley. There’s a station wagon, too, and while it’s not pretty, it wears these adornments marginally better than its sedan sibling.

That said, the Mitsuoka Ryugi – much like its quirky siblings – doesn’t take itself seriously and is more of a fun alternative than a faithful recreation.

Sensible Underpinnings Beneath That Quirky Body

Four models are available, and all use a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder powertrain. Customers can choose between a five-speed manual or CVT that sends power to the front wheels, an all-wheel drive version with a CVT, and a hybrid derivative with an e-CVT.

Inside, the changes are less dramatic, with the dashboard left unchanged. The only revisions are Mitsuoka badges on the steering wheel and seats. If you’re wondering why this Corolla looks so different from the one you’re used to, there’s a good reason for this.

The JDM-exclusive Corolla Axio and Fielder (station wagon) have been in production since 2012 and continue to be sold alongside the E210 generation. However, it is offered exclusively as a fleet vehicle. Mitsuoka also offers a Jaguar-inspired Toyota Yaris if you prefer something more compact.

The most affordable version sells for the equivalent of $20,265, while the priciest model retails for $27,255. While not to our taste, the Ryugi pulls off an incredible trick, making a rather dull car somewhat interesting.