Fast Lane: Highlights of Japan Mobility Show include reinvented Toyota Corolla, Mazda RX-8 hybrid
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The Toyota Corolla Concept sets hearts racing.
PHOTO: TOYOTA
Carmakers dream big at the Japan Mobility Show
The Tokyo Motor Show may have been rebranded as the Japan Mobility Show, but cars remain very much the central theme. The event started on Oct 29 and will end on Nov 5. Here are some of the highlights.
1. Reinvented Corolla
Toyota made a slew of big announcements at its home show and its stunning Corolla Concept certainly caught the attention of many.
With its rakish profile and broad shoulders, the eye-catching design looks nothing like the past generations of the popular family saloon. The cabin is just as radical, with haptic switches on the steering wheel replacing traditional physical controls on the centre console. Instead of a conventional transmission tunnel between the front seats, the gear selector is located on a floating panel that extends from the floor.
Just as significant as the Corolla’s design is the powertrain. For the first time, the car will be available as a full-electric vehicle, in addition to the familiar petrol and hybrid options.
It is not known how much of the concept will be translated into the eventual successor of the current Corolla saloon.
Along with the Corolla Concept, Toyota also launched Century as a standalone brand aimed at the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce.
2. Mazda RX-8 lives on as a hybrid
The Mazda Vision X-Coupe is a hybrid with an unusual engine that runs on synthetic fuel.
Mazda is the only carmaker to continue to develop rotary engine technology. This is even after it had stopped making cars that are powered by such engines since the RX-8 ended production in 2012. The Vision X-Coupe pairs a two-rotor engine with an electric motor to produce 503hp. The battery gives the car an electric-only range of up to 160km, which extends to 800km when the engine is called into action.
The sleek lines and sporty proportions play down the size of the Vision X-Coupe. Measuring 5,050mm long, it is nearly as big as the BMW 5-series.
The fuel used in the concept car is unconventional. It is made from microalgae using a proprietary carbon dioxide capture technology that Mazda has been honing. This means the car is effectively taking carbon dioxide out from the atmosphere when it is driven.
3. Electric Honda in 2027
Production of the Honda O α electric car will start in 2027.
The production version of the Honda O α (alpha) concept will go on sale in 2027. This is the third Honda O series model after the Saloon and SUV shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, which are expected to go on sale in North America in 2026.
The entire face of the electric car, consisting of the headlights, charging lid and illuminated Honda emblem, are set in a screen. Touches like the stylised bash plate under the front and rear bumpers add a bit of ruggedness to the otherwise minimalist design.
Unlike the other two O series models, which are targeted at North American buyers, the O α, which is slated for production in 2027, will be primarily for Japan and India.
Separately, Honda also unveiled a compact electric city car called the Super-One Prototype. It is a diminutive runabout, being based on the N-One, a small car that measures just 3,395mm long – some 463mm shorter overall than the three-door Mini Cooper E. The Super-One is expected to go on sale in Japan and some selected markets in 2026.
4. Englishman in Tokyo
The Mini Paul Smith Edition is the latest collaboration between the British fashion designer and Mini.
Mini unveiled a special edition of the Cooper created in partnership with British fashion designer Paul Smith at the show. Available in three-door, five-door and convertible versions, this is essentially a design package that plays on colours and styling created by the designer for Mini.
The Mini Paul Smith Edition cars come in either grey, white or black on the outside. The roof can either be in black or a special shade called Nottingham Green, named after the designer’s birthplace in England.
Other exterior details include the Mini logo in a unique black-and-blue colour combination and 18-inch dark grey alloy wheels with Nottingham Green centre caps.
On the inside, the knitted finishing on the dashboard features the fashion designer’s tone-on-tone striped pattern. The seats and steering wheel carry the Paul Smith branding, while details like the door handles, speaker grilles and cupholders are finished in the same shade as the alloy wheels.
The partnership between the car brand and fashion designer dates back to 1998 with a limited-edition model based on the classic Mini. The following year, he created a one-off Mini to mark the car’s 40th anniversary, which was painted in his characteristic stripe design, featuring 86 stripes painted in 26 different colours.
The Mini Paul Smith Edition is expected to be available in Singapore in late 2026.
Category A COE for Kia EV6
The Kia EV6 is the latest electric car to have reduced power output to slip into the lower-priced COE category.
A new version of the Kia EV6 electric car has arrived at the brand’s showroom in Alexandra Road. The biggest change is the power output. The single-motor electric vehicle (EV) has 107kW, instead of 125kW before. The EV6 thus qualifies as a Category A certificate of entitlement (COE) model, instead of Category B.
The 107kW EV6 takes 8.7 seconds to get from 0 to 100kmh, compared with 8.5 seconds for the previous 125kW version.
It has a battery capacity of 63kWh, up from 58kWh. It is also slightly more energy-efficient, with a claimed consumption rate of 16.4kWh/100km, down from 16.6kWh/100km before.
The Kia EV6 RWD is priced at $277,999. The dual-motor, Category B COE version of the EV6 retails for $305,999. Prices include COEs and are before applicable discounts.
