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