The Next Generation of Mazda Technology & Design

Since first introducing the KODO design philosophy in 2010, Mazda has worked tirelessly to develop a unique approach to vehicle technology and design that helps it embody KODO and stand out from all the other vehicle manufacturers in the 21st-century market. In their second decade, Mazda is continuing to evolve and adapt to the needs of drivers across the world.

The result is Mazda’s next generation of technology and design elements.

Mazda’s Next Generation Technology

The next generation of Mazda vehicles is anchored by powerful and evolved technology that combines the best of science with the wisdom of the human condition — the new Mazda Skyactiv-X®.

By focusing on the KODO concept of Jinba Ittai, which roughly translates to “like rider, like horse,” the technological advantages of this new generation of Mazda vehicles aim to make driving fun and natural, almost like walking. These technological advances are anchored by the new Skyactiv-X® gasoline engine and vehicle architecture.

The unique advantages of the new Skyactiv-X® gasoline engine is hard to deny.

It’s unique because it makes the best of both worlds of vehicular power: traditional gas and diesel engines. Through its unique Spark Controlled Compression Ignition (SCCI) technology, the Skyactiv-X® engine offers drivers the output, heating, and exhaust purification of a gas engine with the fuel efficiency, responsiveness, and torque of diesel engines.

Similarly, the new Skyactiv-X® vehicle architecture supports the engine and allows it to perform at maximum capacity.

To do this, Skyactiv-X® vehicle architecture focuses on the same human-centered design philosophy as the aesthetic elements that define KODO and Jinba Ittai. These elements include redesigned seats that keep the driver and passengers in a more upright and “natural” position, maintaining the spine’s “S” shape.

Mazda also redesigned each vehicle’s chassis to help initiate a smoother transfer of energy as the driver turns and to optimize noise vibration, and harness (NVH) performance in a way that capitalizes on the human ability to perceive sound.

Mazda’s Next Generation Design

A dozen years after its debut, Mazda has applied KODO design philosophy throughout its entire lineup. With its newest design generation, the goal was to step up the themes of KODO and create what Ikuo Maeda, the Managing Executive Officer in charge of Design and Brand Style at Mazda, calls a “new elegance” for the brand that really highlights the Japanese aesthetic sense of minimalism.

Mazda representatives have explained the philosophy behind its next-generation design, stating that the word “elegance” is key.

The manufacturer chooses to focus on a type of beauty that is described as “subtle and restrained, yet rich and abundant.” The goal is for each vehicle to possess a minimalist form, free of unnecessary design elements.

The Mazda style consumers have come to love is more about light and shadow, which reflects the Japanese aesthetic and ensures that the look of each vehicle changes with the seasons and time in a natural and beautiful manner.

Next Generation Mazda Products

As Mazda’s next generation of technology and design come to life into physical form, the manufacturer plans to continue to grow and develop its line of vehicles.

And this has been made evident with two specific models that already embrace these ideas are worth noting and looking for in the future: Mazda’s Vision Coupe and Mazda’s Kai Concept.

Design Embodied: Mazda Vision Coupe

The new Mazda Vision coupe offers drivers a four-door coupe configuration with all the smooth, understated elegance of evolved KODO design. For example, the Vision doesn’t have visible door handles, providing a clear, unimpeded line from the front of the car to the back.

The goal with the Vision coupe was to integrate the look, form, and proportion of a classic car with the materials and aesthetic of modern styles.

To achieve this effect, Mazda started — as it always does, with a hand-sculpted clay model of the car as a prototype. The final version maintains that clean, smooth clay structure but adds in a play of light, thanks to the metal exterior.

The goal was to recreate the play of light and shadow that develops as a result of the human hand.

Herald of the Future: Mazda Kai Concept

Another true embodiment of Mazda’s next generation of technology and design is the Kai Concept, which debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2017.

The word “Kai” means herald, spearhead, or vanguard, which indicates that the Kai Concept will be the first iteration of the “next generation” of models and looks.

Kai, a hatchback-style car, stands out because of its more practical style when compared to other Mazda models. Yet, Kai still includes full and seamless integration of Skyactiv-X® technology, including both the Skyactiv-X® engine and vehicle architecture.

This allows it to maintain a “less is more” aesthetic free of unnecessary style elements and flourishes, in line with Mazda’s next generation of design based on the Kodo design philosophy.

Become Immersed in Mazda’s Next Generation of Technology & Design at DePaula Mazda

Although vehicles like the Vision Coupe and Kai Concept are not yet on the market, consumers can still experience the joy, the thrill, and the beauty of Mazda’s next generation of technology and design in the vehicles in the current lineup.

Stop by DePaula Mazda today to take a test drive in a new Mazda model to see why the brand is loved by consumers.