Update: The entire story has been revised.
Alongside the Vision X-Coupe, Mazda unveiled a smaller concept called the Vision X-Compact at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show. The new show car, which we closely observed in person, will serve as the design manual for the electrified next-gen 2027 Mazda CX-3.
Design
The Mazda Vision X-Compact has been widely reported as a concept previewing an all-new, fourth-generation Mazda2. After seeing the details in person and reviewing Mazda’s recent announcements, we believe it will first inspire the small SUV the company teased in February 2025, which is now understood to become the second-generation Mazda CX-3.
The 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 lamps integrated into the rear spoiler, and at least 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, and must stay as a concept car touch.
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 Mazda2 hatchback. Its wheelbase, spanning 99.0 in., is 2.2 in. shorter than the latter’s.
Mazda hasn’t shared powertrain details for the Vision X-Compact, but based on an announcement it made in February 2025, the production version will be an electrified model.
Release Date
Mazda confirmed during its FY2026 earnings call on May 12, 2026, that AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT) will build the next-gen CX-3. AAT, Mazda’s joint venture with Ford, will manufacture the small SUV in Pluak Daeng, Rayong, starting in 2027.
A review of Mazda’s February 2025 announcement suggests the model is the production version of the small SUV the company teased then and previewed through the Vision X-Compact at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show.
Mazda intends to launch the next-gen CX-3 first in Thailand next year, followed by other ASEAN markets and Japan. The CX-3 was sold in the U.S. from the 2016 to 2021 model years, and in Canada until the 2022 model year, but the second-gen SUV looks mainly Asia-focused and is unlikely to come here.
Introduce the next-generation CX-3 (compact SUV), scheduled for production at AAT (in Thailand), next year to capture the volume segment.
Mazda elaborating on its business growth strategy in its FY2026 results presentation on May 12, 2026
The 2027 CX-3 could also serve as an indirect replacement for the Mazda2, which was once sold in the U.S. The small hatchback is rumored to be discontinued in its remaining markets in the coming months.
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.
