Mazda’s eyeball magnet at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show is a new crossover coupe concept called the Vision X-Coupe. Studying its exterior at the world premiere, we think it could become the template for Mazda’s future compact and midsize cars, including the next-gen Mazda3.
Design
Walking up to the Vision X-Coupe, what stands out are the unique proportions for a Mazda. It has a commanding presence, as it measures 198.8 in. long, 78.5 in. wide, and 58.3 in. tall, with a wheelbase spanning 121.3 in.
The front fascia with a convex, covered nose section, wide lower grille, and squinted sleek headlamps is reminiscent of a shark. A long hood and a steeply raked windshield create a pushed-back sports car-like shape, which is also aerodynamic. This format is being followed by Jaguar, Mercedes, and Audi for their future low-roof vehicles, moving away from cab-forward designs.
On the sides, a noticeably low, fast-sloping roofline and pushed-out fenders present the car with a planted stance. The extremely narrow greenhouse aligns with the styling of the headlamps and accentuates the car’s low height.
The larger body area in the door panels features clean surfacing. The rear-end is the only angle we found unappealing, mainly due to the unconventional taillights, which resembled a front double biceps pose of a bodybuilder!
Interior
When the doors of the concept opened, what hit us was the dashboard that tapers inward, similar to the nose design, while three separate digital gauges, a round three-spoke steering wheel, and a simple round knob mimic a traditional sports car’s layout.
The instrument cluster gauges are all digital displays, though, paired with a combined central and passenger touchscreen. The emerald green theme color and silver and bronze-like inserts create a rich look typically seen in bespoke interiors of luxury cars.
Our favorite part of the Mazda Vision X-Coupe is the cockpit area with the classic sports car-inspired steering wheel and gauge cluster. We noticed that there are no displays for the digital side mirrors, which indicates Mazda plans to stick to conventional mirrors on its production cars for the foreseeable future.
Rotary + Plug-in Hybrid
The Mazda Vision X-Coupe is a plug-in hybrid with a special combination of a turbocharged two-rotor rotary engine with an electric motor. The new electrified powertrain offers a generous 503 horsepower. Mazda says the Vision X-Coupe delivers an electric range of 99 miles and a combined range of 497 miles.
Since early 2024, Mazda has been working on the more powerful rotary powertrain, particularly for North America where vehicles are generally larger and towing requirements are greater. The company had ruled out the MX-30 single-rotor system, as it doesn’t fit the high-demand scenarios of North America.
TopElectricSUV says
We think the Mazda Vision X-Coupe would influence future iterations of models ranging from the compact Mazda3 to a midsize Mazda6 and possibly coupe-crossover derivatives of existing vehicles, if the company decides to take that route.
Mazda has a rear-wheel drive platform and future-proof six-cylinder engines which underpins the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80, and CX-90, so larger products are technically feasible. Even so, the next-generation Mazda3 appears the most likely to adopt this design direction first.
The concept is also proof that Mazda is making progress on the twin-rotor rotary engine which is relevant to future range extender models (EREVs) for the U.S.
International Automotive News Editor since 2014, covering global motor shows, industry events, and test-driving various vehicles, with a focus on hybrid and electric cars in recent years.
