Mitsuoka Buddy History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
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Revealed on October 26, 2020 and on sale by November 26, the Buddy is Mitsuoka's sole SUV: a fifth-generation Toyota RAV4 with a full exterior redesign that channels the squared-off, chrome-grille aesthetic of the K5-generation Chevrolet Blazer. The retro body is paired with RAV4's modern underpinnings, available as a 2.0-litre petrol (168 hp) or 2.5-litre hybrid (175 hp). The initial 200-unit allocation sold out within four days.
Over roughly 1,200 units were produced before a semiconductor shortage forced a production halt in 2024. Mitsuoka announced the Buddy would return in May 2026 with a new batch of 150 units. Despite its low volume and Japan-only market, the Buddy attracted international media attention as one of the more visually striking retro-restomod SUVs in production.
Body styles
- 4-door SUV
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