Alongside the Vision X-Coupe, Mazda has unveiled a smaller concept called the Vision X-Compact at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show. The new show car, which we looked closely at, should serve as the design manual for the company’s upcoming small SUV, rumored to be called the Mazda CX-20.
Design
The Mazda Vision X-Compact has been widely reported as a concept previewing an all-new, fourth-generation Mazda2. Observing the details in person, we’re convinced it will evolve into the rumored CX-20 small SUV the company teased in February 2025.
The Mazda Vision X-Compact has a more rounded silhouette than current production Mazdas, signaling a friendlier and more approachable variation of the brand’s Kodo design philosophy. The exterior has a distinctly European influence, with styling cues that Italian city cars from Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia have made popular.
The concept’s aggressive headlamps provide a nice contrast against its soft surfacing, while the black wheel arch cladding and large, 18-inch alloy wheels lend it the stance of an SUV. We also liked the motorsport-inspired dual high-mount stop lights integrated into the rear spoiler, and around 70% of the design looks repeatable on the production line without driving costs through the roof.
Interior
The interior of the Mazda Vision X-Compact has a clean and sporty look with a slim horizontal dashboard, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a round digital instrument cluster, metallic-finish pedals, and a short selector with a round knob.
The front seats have a sleek profile, along with notably slim and wide headrests. A full-length glass roof fills the cabin with generous natural light, though some of these features feel too expensive for the entry-level segment. We noticed that it is divided by a longitudinal structural spine running from front to rear, which is quite unusual.
Specifications
Measuring 150.6 in. in length, 70.7 in. in width, and 57.9 in. in height, the Mazda Vision X-Compact is 10.2 in. shorter, 4.0 in. wider, and 1.0 in. lower than the current-gen Mazda2 hatchback. Its wheelbase, spanning 99.0 in., is 2.2 in. shorter than the latter’s. The dimensions of the production version will likely be different.
Mazda hasn’t shared powertrain details of the Vision X-Compact, but based on an announcement it made in February 2025, the production version should be an electrified model. The company said that it plans to use a hybrid system in the future model.
Release Date
The aforementioned February 2025 announcement indicates that Mazda will launch the CX-20 by 2027. AutoAlliance (Thailand), a joint venture between Mazda and Ford, will manufacture the pint-sized crossover in Pluak Daeng, Rayong, Thailand.
The company previously sold the Mazda2 in the U.S. through its second generation, but is unlikely to offer this potential successor in the country, with the Mazda3 hatchback set to continue as the entry point to the American range.
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.
