Vacation Mode Hasn't Stopped So Let's Keep It Going With Some New Mazdas: Quick Jump
Over the past week or so, I had done something I hadn’t pulled off in years: Take a solo trip. With my latest writing contract coming to an end, the timing was opportune for me to trek to the Pacific Northwest to see family for the first time in five years, as well as pay respects to those that had left us since the pandemic.
What started as a quest for closure turned into a much-needed boost for my mental health that carried an optimistic outlook for the future, even if there are people in the world that choose to stand in our way to prevent us from thriving.
Having got back home last night, I woke up to a flurry of news. This time of year, there are two events to behold in the motor world: SEMA and the Tokyo Auto Show. One is designed to preview what the auto industry could look like, the other is designed to preview what the auto industry could look like. Yes, they carry out the same notion.
SEMA in Las Vegas showcases cars and trucks that have been extensively modified with parts courtesy of their aftermarket collaborators. The Tokyo Auto Show highlights what you could potentially buy very soon. Naturally, this makes it fitting to launch two new Mazdas.
“Cute aggression” is a term that likes to be thrown out for small things with big personalities. The Mazda Vision X-Compact Concept fits the definition entirely. It measures just 150 inches from nose to tail, making it shorter than a new Miata. However, this one wears two rows of seats.
Inside, it takes a trendy take on minimalism and incorporates the paint color on the dashboard, doors, and surrounding trim to give it some pop. A three-spoke wheel is scant of buttons while a lovely lone digital tach shows a rev counter on the outside band, while a contrasting speedo sits closer to center. You’ll note that there’s no center display; replaced by a smartphone mount that sits in front of the driver.
The Vision X-Coupe Concept takes on a similarly minimalistic formula. However, it doesn’t tack on a screen like Tesla does and call it a day. There’s beauty in the details, such as the three-gauge cluster and how the center display seamlessly integrates into the dashboard. From a production perspective, this is likely to resemble the next Mazda3, which last saw a redesign for 2019.
In a world where cars get bigger and heavier, it’s refreshing to see Mazda stick to its guns and buck against such a trend. Compared to Honda or Toyota, it’s never moved as much volume, nor does it intend to. Mazda has always been cut from a different cloth in terms of aspirations and design, never losing its zoom-zoom verve no matter what they build. Most of the vehicles they offer today are SUVs.
The ‘X’ in the names of both concepts refer to ‘cross,’ as in crossover, a type of vehicle that splits the difference between a car and an SUV. Think of Toyota’s RAV4 or the Nissan Rogue—or even the Mazda CX-5—and you get the picture.
These days, small cars are dying in numbers and being phased out of production. Only recently could you no longer buy a new car for an all-in price of $20,000, and that was before tariffs were implemented this year to virtually piss everyone off. So to see such an exhibition by Mazda is welcoming.
If it’s anything like the past, Mazda will implement such details into future cars for sale to the public. In an increasingly tech-heavy world, this anachronistic approach to design may mean it comes out on top.
-TA