[ad_1]
Have you ever wanted the current Toyota RAV4 to look more like a Chevrolet pickup or SUV from the early ’80s? Unless you’re working in the design department at Mitsuoka, we hope the answer is a resounding, “No!” However, the quirky Japanese automaker makes this strange look a reality with the new vehicle it calls Buddy.
Mitsuoka rips the front end of the RAV4 and replaces it with a chrome egg-crate-style grille with a pair of stacked headlights on either side. For a modern touch, there are slim LED running lights on the center cross member. The company also adds a shiny chrome bumper, sharper-pleated hood, and more square fenders, making the area in front of the windshield vaguely resemble classic Chevrolet.
13 Photos
The Buddy also gets a modified rear end with styling that overall evokes the styling of the ’80s Chevy SUVs without taking directly from them like the front end. There are now vertical taillights and sharper creases for the rear hatch with a two-tone finish for the area in the middle compared to the rest of the body color. For a matching touch, there is a chrome nose-like bumper.
The company did not offer any photos of the interior to suggest that the design is the same as the RAV4. However, the current crossover has a very nice cabin for its segment, so there is no reason to be disappointed.
Mitsuoka does not alter the Japanese market powertrains of the RAV4. There is a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 169 horsepower (126 kilowatts) and 153 pound-feet (207 Newton-meters) of torque. There is also a hybrid-assisted 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a total system output of 215 hp (160 kW) for the front-wheel drive version or 219 hp (163 kW) with Toyota’s E-Four all-wheel drive system. At this time, it doesn’t appear that the company plans to offer the Buddy with the RAV4’s plug-in hybrid.
Technically, this is just a sneak peek for Buddy, and Mitsuoka plans to give the vehicle a full presentation on November 26. So far, the only burning questions are price and availability.
