As the Tokyo Motor Show is Mazda's home show, it was no surprise the manufacturer chose this event to wow the world with its stunning Vision Coupe Concept early this week. Although one model of such magnitude would be enough for most manufacturers to bask in the glow of a job well done on home soil, Mazda had much more up its sleeve as it's now also unveiled the equally stunning, and perhaps more important Kai Concept.
It's often said that less is more, and that definitely seems to be the case here with this latest interpretation of Mazda's KODO design language. The Kai Concept is a compact five-door hatchback, which certainly draws more than a little inspiration from the current Mazda3. And that's where it starts to get really exciting because unlike the Vision Coupe, this is a concept Mazda has confirmed is destined for production. That inevitably leads people to believe this could be the next-generation Mazda3, perhaps for the 2019 model year. If that is the case, and this model turns out to be in the same price bracket as the Mazda3, the competition had better get their designers working hard.
Instead of the sharp creases of the current model's bodywork, the Kai has smooth, undulating body panels that promote a very dramatic style. The headlights are narrow and aggressive-looking, and there's a pretty unique overhead profile that sees two panes of glass continue right from the windscreen that are divided by a solid-color center, a bit like a sort-of U-shaped sunroof.
The Kai is a little lower than the current Mazda3, which although it's also slightly shorter too, actually looks as if it's longer.
Mazda has already reaffirmed its belief in the longevity of the internal combustion engine, so the Kai is powered by a next-generation Skyactiv-X petrol engine. It utilizes the company's proprietary compression ignition system to deliver the kind of torque, initial acceleration response and fuel-efficiency of a diesel, but without some of the more noxious emissions associated with a diesel.
There's no official confirmation of when a Kai-based model will go into production from Mazda, but if it goes into production looking like this it looks set to be highly in demand.
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