Mazda has just presented the Kai concept at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. As expected, we're getting an early preview of the next generation Mazda3 compact hatchback, which is likely to debut a year from now.
The Japanese word Kai has a number of meanings, including ocean, shell, and restoration. However, Mazda has not discussed what it means for its design.
The Kai is a 5-door with tiny overhangs. However, its body seems to have a lot more in common with that of shooting brakes than family cars. The front end is the bit we look at for production cues, as it features elements we've already seen on the CX-5 and CX-8. It looks fast even while standing still.
The headlights make a powerful statement together with the floating grille they disappear into. The back view reveals strong shoulder lines and a significant diffuser element with two integrated taillights. The approach looks similar to the RX Vision Concept. Of course, all Mazdas nowadays have poor rear visibility, and this is no exception.
Thankfully, we have a pretty good idea what those mufflers are connected to, as Mazda has previewed a new type of 2.0-liter Skyactiv-X gasoline engine with 20-30% better efficiency and 10-30% more performance.
The interior of the Kai concept is bold but not fussy. A full arch separates the big instrument binnacle from the rest of the dash. There also seems to be a heads-up display, but the steering wheel is buttonless.
Instead of a big table screen, information is displayed on a narrow screen with Kindle-like graphics hiding in the dash. We see an automatic shifter in the photos, but one of the official sketches has a short shifter manual in it as well.
There are plenty of features that won't make it on the real Mazda3, like the Tesla door handles or cross-drilled brakes. However, Japan could soon make our next favorite hatchback.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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