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Mazda Welcomes Kodo Design Language

MazdaPedia — Fri, 20 May 2011 18:08:15 +0000

Matasaburo Maeda, on of Mazda’s original designers for the Japanese auto maker, is proud of where the company is going next. The Mazda 2, their latest design, was based on “a contrast between soft planes and dynamic tangents,” Mr. Maeda said when the car made its American debut.

The New York Times adds to this, and Mazda’s next direction:

A similar contrast is at the root of Kodo, which is intended to embody the tension of power and speed caught in motion. The word means “soul of motion.” The Mazda 2 offers its own mix of elements. Mr. Maeda says the design is “a rhythmic interplay between soft surfaces and sharp contours,” or between the organic and the mechanical.

It also reflects an effort to appeal to multiple audiences. Because the Mazda 2 was sold first in Japan, where it was intended to appeal to women who drive in restricted urban areas, the design emphasized the car’s compact size with short overhangs and a rear roof pillar that angles forward.

But Mazda did not want to alienate men, so Mr. Maeda gave the car prominently arched front fenders that suggest power. These also evoke the dynamic style of Mazda’s RX-8 sports car, whose design he also directed.

Side character lines and low “swage,” a curved indentation across the bottom of the doors, give the Mazda 2 a sporty, confident air and lend an impression of movement to the wedge shape.

For such a small car, there is a lot going on in the sheet metal. But despite what the designers call “contoured edges and strong sculpturing in the area of doors and fenders,” the designers kept the body free of ornamentation.

While hints of Kodo are conveyed by the Mazda 2’s appearance of energy and power, the design language was first clearly enunciated with the Shinari concept and then reflected in the Minagi crossover concept on which the coming CX-5 crossover will be based.

Kodo is a departure from Mazda’s previous design language called Nagare, epitomized in several dramatic concept cars with wavelike forms inspired by the flow of wind and water. But the look was hard to express in production vehicles. The wave of Nagare receded, leaving as its legacy only a swooping crease stamped on the side of the latest Mazda 5 minivan.

Kodo, too, is described as an expression of natural energy, although in a more compressed and dramatic form.

Already Mazda designers have begun to alter the faces of the cars, backing away from the smiley-face grilles of recent years. When the Mazda 2 was adapted for sale in North America it received such a face, internally known as the Joker smile, but may lose it soon.

The Kodo-style grille is angular like a five-pointed shield, said Derek Jenkins, Mazda’s North American design manager, with a stronger, more aggressive look. “Kodo gives us a more assertive and provocative presence,” he said.

Mazda2 Coming to America in 2010

MazdaPedia — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:12:01 +0000

That’s right friends – the Mazda City Car – Mazda2 (or MAZDA2 as all Mazda brands are supposed to be in caps) is coming to the United States – Finally! Jalopnik & Automotive News both have reported that Fall 2010 will be an official release date for the 2011 Mazda2. Excitement!

Mazda2 – World Car of the Year!

MazdaPedia — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:41:14 +0000

Congratulations to the Mazda2, which has been awarded the prestigious 2008 World Car of the Year prize at New York’s International Auto Show. All in attendance at the Jacob Javitz Center in Manhattan applauded the Mazda as it was chosen tops over other contenders (including Audi’s R8 and BMW’s 118d) for considering “the needs and wants of consumers the world over.”

Mazda2 – Rally round Melbourne’s International Motor Show

MazdaPedia — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:03:59 +0000

Mazda Australia unveiled the Mazda2 Extreme at the 2008 Melbourne International Auto Show. The vehicle is being prepared for motorsport competitions with an uprated engine and suspension and race interior.

Mazda2 – Coming to America?

MazdaPedia — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:06:40 +0000

Mazda North America is rumored to be bringing the subcompact Mazda2 5-door hatchback into the States. This vehicle has scored big draws (both in reviews and sales) throughout Europe and Asia. Mazda is also considering integrating the diesel fueled Mazda2 option into the United States version for the first time. Executives speaking for the motor corporation are enthusiastic at the thought of a new diesel powered car in the States, especially after successful sales of European Mazda diesels.

Working out with the Mazda2

MazdaPedia — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:18:02 +0000

Hmm…we’re not really sure what’s going on in this European Mazda2 commercial. Apparently, attractive exercise-obsessed women love to choreograph dance as a speeding automobile barely misses hitting them. Maybe it’s a new extreme sport, or a flourishing trend on interpretive dance. Regardless, it certainly shows off more than the Mazda2′s curves. If the 5-door hatchback ends up coming to America let’s hope they leave this advertisement behind.

The Mazda Crane

MazdaPedia — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:36:36 +0000

She really needs to get wherever she’s headed in her Mazda2…too bad those London streets are so darn narrow. People could really start utilizing this technique on the Long island Expressway.

Check Out the Mazda2

MazdaPedia — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:48:02 +0000

Mazda has already premiered their new 2-door Hatchback in China, making eco-friendly drivers and space savers alike smile in acceptance. Mazda2 models will make appearances on the streets of Geneva in the near future, and MazdaPedia hopes the Japanese motor corporation will send this puppy to the states. This “3 & 5 door” hatchback features both a 1.3L and 1.5L four-cylinder engine, expected to produce between 80 and 100 horsepower.

A sleek interior comforts your body with full audio control steering and a race car style dash. The Mazda2 may be small, but there’s plenty of leg room for both your front passenger and whoever hops in back.

MazdaPedia is going to keep an eye on the Mazda2, and will bring you a more in-depth review about the performance and user-friendliness of Mazda’s newest baby. Keep your fingers crossed that we will all see Mazda2s cruising the roads of North America in 2008.