Can you guess the car? No, it’s not the Mazda CX-9, it’s the CX-8

You should hire an expert to find the differences between this and the CX-9

Following the interior photo released earlier this year, Mazda continues to tease the upcoming CX-8 SUV by giving us the first peek at the model's exterior.

However, as the black and white photo shows, there's not much to separate the CX-8 from its slightly larger CX-9 sibling sold in North America. The KODO – Soul of Motion design language is applied in an almost identical way to the CX-8, which (for now, at least) will be a Japan-only model.

Described as Mazda's first new-generation model in Japan to feature three rows of seating, the CX-8 will serve as the flagship of the company's SUV lineup in its home market.

The automaker says the CX-8 is a "new kind of crossover SUV for people who both appreciate quality and need to seat more than five," with the third-row seats said to accommodate adults comfortably.

Offering a choice of six- or seven-seat interior configuration the CX-8 is expected to use the same platform as the CX-9 since the wheelbase is identical with that of its sibling — 2,930 mm. However, the new model is slightly shorter, narrower and lower, measuring 4,900 mm/1,840 mm/1,730 mm, respectively.

Curiously for Japan, which is not a market that devours diesel-powered cars, the CX-8 will offer a single engine choice: a 2.2-liter SKYACTIV-D clean diesel unit mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Mazda CX-8 is scheduled to go on sale in Japan before the end of this year. There's no indication the new model may be introduced to other markets as well, but if the CX-4 is anything to go by, the CX-8 may be offered in other Asian markets as well.