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The pint-sized 'crossover' concept has been developed to explore the connection between the driver and technology.
Mazda has unveiled a small 'crossover' concept – the Vision X-Compact – that could preview the future of the brand's smallest cars in Australia, the ageing Mazda 2 hatch and CX-3 city SUV.
The Vision X-Compact was unveiled alongside the rotary-powered, plug-in hybrid, high-riding Vision X-Coupe concept, and for a little extra confusion, the 'X' in the names is pronounced as 'cross'.
The city-car concept, referred to at the 2025 Tokyo motor show as “your simple and compact best friend”, wears familiar Mazda styling and incorporates many 'Kodo' design elements from cars like the Mazda 2 and CX-3.
There is no word on what powers the concept, but a tachometer behind the steering wheel points to petrol – or possibly hybrid – power.
It is, for want of a better word, very light and charming in its presentation, showcasing the importance that Japanese designers place on more ‘friendly’ designs for urban-centric vehicles.
At 3825mm long and 1795mm wide, the Vision X-Compact is shorter than both the CX-3 (4275mm long and 1765mm wide) and Mazda2 (4065mm long and 1695mm wide), but wider than both.
At 1470mm long, it is also slightly lower than a Mazda 2 hatch, but its shorter length gives it proportions that blend hatchback and SUV shapes.
The 2515mm wheelbase is only marginally shorter than the existing models (2570mm), and the concept is shown with four doors and a minimalistic interior.
While there are no details regarding powertrain, Mazda says the Vision X-Compact is designed to “deepen the bond between people and cars through empathetic AI.”
Mazda famously references the Japanese phrase ‘Jinba ittai’ – horse and rider as one – in terms of its approach to mechanical feel and symmetry between a car and driver.
The emotional connection between driver and car, by way of the Vision X-Compact concept, is said to lean into the burgeoning artificial-intelligence (AI) space, where the car – and its cheery design – is seen as more of a friend than a tool.
With over 20 years of experience in digital publishing, James Ward has worked within the automotive landscape since 2007 and brings experience from the publishing, manufacturer and lifestyle side of the industry together to spearhead Drive's multi-media content direction.
