What Is Mazda Teasing Here?

After Toyota announced its lineup for the Japan Mobility Show yesterday, it’s now Mazda’s turn to preview what lies ahead. The sole teaser image initially made us think of the long-awaited RX revival, but once we dialed up the brightness, we noticed those were actually the rear doors. The swoopy shape brings to mind the Vision Coupe concept (pictured below), unveiled in 2017 at the same event, back when it was still known as the Tokyo Motor Show.

While we can’t pinpoint the vehicle’s exact body style, it appears to have frameless windows and a large panoramic glass roof extending toward the rear. The sleek silhouette doesn’t suggest a crossover but rather a slinky fastback or something in that vein; think Mercedes CLS or Audi A7 Sportback.

Whatever the case, the new concept is certainly larger than the Iconic SP. For reference, that coupe measured 164.6 inches (4.18 meters) long, slotting above the Miata but well below the RX-8. The side windows look quite small relative to the body, and there are no visible door handles. Mazda has further smoothed out the profile by using tiny cameras instead of traditional side mirrors.

Although this upcoming concept doesn’t appear to be a dedicated sports car, Mazda isn’t ignoring the fun factor. The company says the new Vision “embodies the future of driving pleasure in every aspect.” We’ll have to wait until the end of the month to find out whether it has a combustion engine, and if so, could it be a rotary?

2017 Mazda Vision Coupe

It’s a valid question, considering Mazda reinstated its rotary engine team in early 2024. At the time, 36 engineers were tasked with developing “attractive cars that excite customers.” This Vision concept might fit that bill, presuming a production version follows.

If it does feature a rotary, another question arises: does it power the wheels or act as a generator to charge the battery? For the road-going Iconic SP, Mazda is considering both setups. Still, we may be getting ahead of ourselves since there’s no indication the next Vision concept will use a rotary engine. Who knows, it might even turn out to be fully electric.

Mazda’s theme for this year’s show is “the joy of driving fuels a sustainable tomorrow.” The key word here is “sustainable,” which might lead some to believe the concept is entirely electric. However, we’re holding out hope for a combustion engine running on synthetic fuels.

After all, Mazda has joined forces with Toyota and Subaru to develop engines compatible with carbon-neutral fuels. If the concept does have an engine, it might preview Mazda’s upcoming Skyactiv-Z powertrain set to debut in production cars by 2027.

All will be revealed on October 29, during the first press day of the Japan Mobility Show. The new CX-5 will also be there for its public debut.