Japan Mobility Show 2025: Mazda
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Japan Mobility Show 2025: Mazda
- Mazda has announced a concept and released a first teaser image, which doesn't really reveal much. We can assume that it has four doors and is probably a coupe. Could it therefore be an evolution of the 2017 Vision Coupe concept? The profile appears to be quite smooth, as there are no door handles or mirrors visible. The most interesting question is likely to be the engine, as Mazda rebuilt its Wankel engine production team in 2024. It is quite possible that this will function as a generator for a battery as a range extender. Since Mazda is championing a “sustainable future” for this year's JMS, a BEV would also be possible.
- Mazda will exhibit its third generation of the Mazda CX-5 at this year's Japan Mobility Show. Production already began in October at the japaneseUjina plant, and the vehicle is expected to be available in stores in December 2025 for approximately €35,000. Around 4.5 million vehicles of this model have been built since 2012. The SUV has a 2.5-liter mild hybrid engine but no diesel variant. Externally, the design of the new CX-5 has not changed too much. However, it will be considerably larger, growing by 11.5 cm in length to 4.69 meters, by 1.5 cm in width to 1.86 meters, and by 3 cm in height to 1.70 meters. The hood will also be raised by 5 cm. This pushes the model out of the C segment and into the D segment. In Europe, 38,914 units of this model were sold between 2014 and 2024. Inovev forecasts a production of 300.000 units per year production.
- Mazda will also present a strictly limited racing edition of its MX-5 roadster. The vehicle is expected to deliver up to 200 hp, cost more than €43,000, and be limited to 100 models.
Japan Mobility Show 2025: Honda
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Japan Mobility Show 2025: Honda
- Honda will present its Series 0 prototypes, a sedan and an SUV, as its main attraction. The Honda 0 sedan is based on a structure newly created for BEVs and is intended to embody technological progress and the series' motto of “Thin, Light and Wise.” The Series 0 SUV will likely be the first vehicle in the series to reach production readiness. As a mid-size, fully electric SUV, it will be exciting to see how Honda has implemented the series motto in terms of “Thin” and “Light.” According to Honda, the interior is said to be exceptionally spacious.
- At the 2023 JMS, Honda unveiled a near-production prototype of the Honda Prelude, now in its sixth generation. The fifth generation ran from 1997 to 2002. The finished production version is now set to be presented at the 2025 JMS. The Prelude is traditionally a mid-range sports coupe. It is 4.52 meters long, 1.88 meters wide and, according to Honda, uses a hybrid drive with a two-liter gasoline engine and two electric motors. The power output is said to be 149 kW or 203 hp. Inovev forecasts a production 50.000 per year of this model.
- Honda will also unveil its Acura RSX Prototype. According to information released so far, it will be a BEV based on the Acura Performance BEV concept car, which was unveiled in 2024. Honda plans to manufacture the new Acura at its factory in Marysville, Ohio, USA, which serves as the base for Honda's BEV production, and to start sales in the second half of 2026. Inovev forecasts a production 50.000 per year of this model.
Japan Mobility Show 2025: List of participating carmakers
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Japan Mobility Show 2025: List of participating carmakers
Compared to other recent auto shows, the Japan Motor Show seems to have a more national focus, one might even say isolationist. Of the 13 passenger car carmakers represented, nine are Japanese. Compared to European trade fairs, there is a noticeable absence of Chinese carmakers, with only BYD appearing to be represented. The absence of the entire VW Group is also noteworthy. European carmakers are represented only by the German premium carmakers BMW (including Mini) and Mercedes. There is not a single American brand represented, not even Tesla.
Japan Mobility Show 2025: World passenger cars production by group
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Japan Mobility Show 2025: World passenger cars production by group
Japan Mobility Show 2025: Focus on the Kei Cars: Will Europe follow the Japanese regulation?
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Japan Mobility Show 2025: Focus on the Kei Cars: Will Europe follow the Japanese regulation?
- While Europe's current situation differs from post-war or modern Japan, the necessity for affordable, space-saving, cost-efficient, fuel-efficient, and lightweight vehicles is critically relevant. This stems from the trend toward increasingly expensive, larger, and heavier cars, particularly with the growth of SUVs. Moreover, Europe's dependence on foreign resources means reducing vehicle demand translates to less geopolitical reliance. Economic stagnation, resulting in stagnant incomes, combined with rising car costs, makes personal mobility, especially BEVs, unattainable for more and more people.
- The EU Commission has recognized the problem and its economic risks. It also sees its political goal of 100% emission-free vehicles from 2035 onwards as being at risk, as well as growing competition from China, which produces and sells fully electric vehicles at much lower prices than European carmakers. It is in this contextthat Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced her desire to develop small vehicles, “E-car.“ The name “E-car” refers to: E for environmental – clean, efficient and lightweight, E for economical – affordable for people and E for European – built here in Europe, with European supply chains.
- This idea is inspired by the one in force in Japan concerning Kei Cars. It follows repeated complaints from Renault and Stellantis who advocated for regulations inspired by those of Japanese Kei Cars in order to revive the European automobile industry. It is also supported by the work of "Gerpisa" ("Permanent Study and Research Group on the Automotive Industry and its Employees "), a global network of researchers in economics, management, history and sociology specialising in the automotive industry. This work has notably led to the proposal to create a category of automobiles between motor quadricycles (M0) and passenger cars (M1) that must comply with specific regulations, with the idea of allowing carmakers to develop small and light low-cost electric models in large series. This option has also been supported for several years by Inovev (see in particular the analyses relating to Kei Cars).
- Within this context, Kei Cars are receiving special attention at the Japan Mobility Show 2025. It is striking that the Kei Car concepts announced are all BEVs. Is this an indication of the future direction of this vehicle class? The following new Kei Car models/concepts will be displayed: Mitsubishi Delica Mini, Mitsubishi eK Space, Nissan Roox, Suzuki Vision e-Sky (BEV concept), Suzuki mini commercial vehicle (BEV concept), Suzuki Xbee, Suzuki Spacia, BYD Kei Car (BEV concept).
- The best-selling kei cars in 2025 are, in descending order, the Honda N Box, the Suzuki Spacia, the Daihatsu Tanto, the Daihatsu Move, the Suzuki Hustler, and the Nissan Roox. The only kei car with an electric motor that sells above 1 000 units this year is the Nissan Sakura. Competition from Mitsubishi with its electric versions of the eK and Delica Mini, as well as the Toyota C+, is marginal.
- The question of whether such cars can also be successful in Europe is justified. Smart enjoyed temporary success with small cars. It also ties in with the question of whether the current dominance of SUVs is driven by demand or supply. If the EU succeeds in introducing regulations for such vehicles, will this convince the European industry and, more importantly, European customers? Among European carmakers, French carmakers seem to be best placed to respond to this vehicle class, as France also has a tradition of small cars. However, in order for this new market segment is to be successful, European carmakers must be well-prepared, especially since Japanese carmakers already offer a wide range of products and Chinese companies (like BYD) can quickly launch attractive, affordable new models.