The highly-styled Mazda logo we see today didn't just appear without years of history and evolution. So, how did the Mazda logo get to where it is today?
The Mazda logo was first introduced to Japan in October 1934, and has transformed its design into the infamous styled 'M' everyone seems to know and love.
History of Mazda Brand Mark & Logotype
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1934-1936 The first Mazda logo appeared in 1934 and it was just a simple wordmark, italicized with elegant lines. The company’s first three-wheel truck was launched in the same year. |
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1936-1959 Representing the flow of the river of Mazda’s hometown, Hiroshima. With an “M” central to the logo, the long side extensions represent wings for agility, speed, and the ability to soar to new heights. |
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| 1972 Mazda T2000. Image supplied by Petrolicious |
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1951-1972 The black and white geometric badge was introduced by Mazda in 1951. The very modern logo (for its time) was used by Mazda for more than 20 years! |
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1954-1974 With Mazda’s expansion and growing exports, the logo needed to be redesigned for overseas countries. |
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| 1960 Mazda R360. Image supplied by Carpixx |
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1959-1974 1959 was a landmark year as the first Mazda passenger cars were released, the new logo was aimed to be eye-catching and memorable. The bold lines of the letters in a round frame reflect the powerful brand, which values design. |
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1975-1991 For almost 30 years Mazda used a letter mark logo, with no additional details or symbols. The typeface of the logo became iconic and is still in use today! It was designed to be futuristic, bold, and instantly recognizable |
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| 1992 Mazda MX-3. Image supplied by Auto ABC |
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1991-1992 Returning to symbolism in its logo, Mazda used a diamond-shaped emblem that represents the light of the sun. |
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1992-1997 In 1992 the logo was refined and softened, for a more elegant look. |
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| 2018 Mazda CX-5. Image supplied by Which Car |
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1997-2015 The well-known logo we see today was created in 1997. The diamond-shaped logo was replaced with a “V” shaped wings of which, together with the oval frame, form the “M” (symbol for Mazda). The icon seems to be flying, looking forward to the future. |
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2015-2018 The logo and text font are retained, only for the glossy surface to become matte and the text turned silver. The thin yet distinctive blue outline on the text is a celebration of Mazda’s rich history. |
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| 2022 Mazda CX-5. Image supplied by Mazda Australia |
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2018-Now The Mazda logo is slightly redesigned to be more modern and sophisticated with a silver-grey colour palette. Neat with a premium feel, the logo still captures Mazda’s creativity, vitality, flexibility, and passion. |
What does the future hold for the Mazda Logo? Only time will tell!
