According to Ichiro Hirose, Mazda Europe’s research and development vice-president, stated that Mazda is “interested in the premium sub-B class, and we could have a car launched within the next two or three years”.

Mazda had designs on dueling the MINI Cooper and similarly-sized vehicles dating back as far as 2008. The growing market for small, city-savvy cars has only increased Mazda’s drive. Mazda’s Kiyora concept car never made it to production, but the Mazda2 was welcomed warmly in the small car market. With the subcompact’s release under their belts, is Mazda ready for a smaller step?

Mazda’s 2008 Kiyora concept was the company’s first foray into the expanding minicar market, but any future production-level vehicle is likely to shed the concept in favor of their latest design language. The future is looking up for a KODO-inspired mini-model, using the design language of the CX-5 and Mazda6 on a much smaller scale.