Mazda Koeru Concept Forecasts Next CX-9 in Sleek Form

The Koeru takes its name from the Japanese verb for "going beyond," and the reason is plain to see: though created by a mass-market brand, the concept could easily belong to an upscale marque like Infiniti (which offers a range of crossovers), Jaguar (which just revealed its first), or Maserati (which is preparing to get in on the action as well). It strikes us as aggressive as it is elegant, with taught lines and sporty details from the sharp lights to the muscular wheel arches.

Few technical details as to what lies underneath it all were made available. And these show cars often lack working underpinnings to speak of anyway. But Mazda says that, beyond the styling, it optimized the aerodynamics over the upper body as well as underneath it to reduce turbulence and "enhance vehicle stability when driving at speed."

It's also said to encompass the company's latest Skyactiv, i-Activesense, and Mazda Connect technologies.