The debut of the Mazda Kiyora took eco-boasting to new highs -- or lows, depending on your prospective. Among its numerous and highly suspicious-sounding features: roof rails that channel rainwater into an onboard purification system which then feeds water bottles between the front seats, a dashboard partially made of carbon for scrubbing the incoming air of toxins, and an onboard CO2 meter that delivers a real-time estimation of the Kiyora's carbon footprint.
Back on Planet Earth, the Kiyora would be powered by a 1.3-liter gasoline engine connected to a six-speed automatic. The engine's use of direct injection, dual sequential valve timing and variable valve lift make it one of Mazda's most efficient engines ever. There's also a Smart Idle Stop system that shuts down the engine at stoplights and an advanced catalytic converter that uses nanotechnology to filter even the smallest particles from the exhaust. The Kiyora is also surprisingly small, with an overall length that's nearly 4 inches shorter than the subcompact Mazda 2.
Oh, did we forget the Nagare design details? Yes, it has all those, too, but we were over that stuff after the first three concepts. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
dougtheeng says:
06:32 AM, 10/ 2/08
More useless concepts. This should have debuted at a fantasy or star wars convention. It will never be real.
Man I should rethink my career choice. Anyone can pick random eco features and put them in a car. Maybe the next Hummer should have a greywater system to improve its eco-image? Maybe the car can have a green roof to avoid runoff during a storm event?
billt9 says:
08:10 AM, 10/ 2/08
Head lights too small. Looks bad.
CO2 meter is nearly identical to MPG meter. Just a marketing spin.
Water purifier means you have to regularly replace some $80 filtering system, as part of the 5,000 mile services.
Dashboard made of carbon filter means... you have to regularly replace the dashboard when it becomes saturated! HA!
ateixeira says:
10:21 AM, 10/ 7/08
Mazda is overdoing their concepts lately.