As someone who owns an ND2 Mazda MX-5 RF, I am ashamed to say I had forgotten about the Miata-based Mitsuoka Himiko. The sports car with quirky styling has been around since 2008 during the NC era when it was sold as the PRHT model with the power retractable hard top. In 2018, the unusually designed model transitioned to the ND generation and switched to the manually operated soft top. Fast forward to 2023, and it's getting an update.
Limited to only 10 units, the 2024MY Mitsuoka Himiko has a simplified lineup with a single trim level and more standard equipment. It still looks like a Morgan Aero 8 and a Jaguar XK120 had a wild night, but now it's available in seven colors: French Mint Pearl Metallic, Solid Grey, Sunshine Orange, Chiffon Ivory Metallic, Jet Black Mica, plus the new-for-2024 Passion Red Metallic and Snowflake White Pearl Mica.
2024 Mitsuoka Himiko
Going forward, the car gets leather upholstery, front wing emblems, and a grille badge applied using Cloisonné, an ancient technique for decorating metalwork. The list with standard goodies includes heated seats, cruise control, traffic sign recognition, navigation, and a CD/DVD player if you're still using one in 2023.
In case you haven't noticed, the Miata with a classic British roadster vibe is substantially larger than Mazda's ND2. The Himiko stretches at 4580 millimeters (180.3 inches) long, 1740 mm (68.5 in) wide, and 1235 mm (48.6 in) tall. That makes it 665 mm (26.1 in) longer and 10 mm (0.4 in) wider while height remains unchanged. It's also substantially bigger than the ill-fated Fiat 124 Spider that Mazda built between 2016 and 2019.
The 2024 Mitsuoka Himiko is available strictly with the smaller 1.5-liter gasoline engine hooked up to the six-speed automatic transmission. It costs ¥6,787,000, which works out to nearly $49,000 at current exchange rates. That's roughly $21,000 more compared to a base 2.0-liter Miata in the United States. If you want the car painted in Passion Red Metallic, it'll cost you an extra $790 while Snowflake White Pearl Mica comes at a $395 premium.
Mitsuoka is not the only company that makes a living by selling retro-flavored new Miatas as Spanish coachbuilder Hurtan has also been selling the Grand Albaycin since 2008.
