Mazda released the latest in a series of short video teasers for the upcoming, 2024 Mazda CX-90. This time, they invited interior designer Becki Owens to chat with Senior Designer Yasutake Tsuchida about what went into the design of the vehicle.
Emotion, they say, is at the heart of their design philosophies, and the soul at the center of those feelings lives in the details. Together, they talk about the material choices, the colors, and the minute decisions that will give the CX-90 its personality.
Starting with a brand-new paint shade that has been developed for use on the North American specification CX-90, the extremely dark shade of red has black tones within it. Artisan Red, as it’s known, was designed to create surface deflections that highlight the smooth contours of the CX-90, says Tsuchida.
Read: See And Hear The 2024 Mazda CX-90 In New Video
Inside, meanwhile, Owens points to a wide, zigzagging stitch that runs across a trim piece affixed to the dashboard. This pattern is inspired by Japanese book binding techniques and is intended to evoke the idea of two things being connected, just like Mazda wants drivers to be connected to its SUV.
It isn’t all emotion, though. This being a motor vehicle, Owens also said the interior had to be functional. That means, she says, stripping away everything that’s unnecessary, and leaving only the essentials.
From the video, it’s clear that Mazda is aiming to give the CX-90 a premium interior, with lots of wood trim and soft materials along the door card and dashboard. Naturally, there’s also a lot of leather, too.
Mazda previously revealed that the CX-90 will be powered by its most powerful gasoline engine to date. The 3.3-liter straight-six turbocharged engine will make 340 hp (254 kW/345 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm). It will also be joined a plug-in hybrid powertrain, details about which have yet to be revealed.
We expect to find out more about the engine, and the rest of the CX-90, when it is fully unveiled on January 31. The vehicle is expected to reach dealer lots this spring.
