What Does the MAZDA Symbol Mean?

MAZDA Logo History

MAZDA’s roots date back to January 1920 when Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd. was founded in Hiroshima, Japan. The company dropped “Cork” from its name in 1927 to become Toyo Kogyo Co., Ltd., and introduced its first motorized vehicle, the MAZDA-Go three-wheeled truck, in 1931.

Ever wondered the MAZDA logo history and how it all came to be? Well, Tampa and Palmetto shoppers, learn the MAZDA meaning behind the name with Cox Mazda in Bradenton. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information about the MAZDA brand or new lineup!

MAZDA Logo History: The Old MAZDA Logo

Ever since 1934, the MAZDA symbol has been transformed to accurately depict what the MAZDA brand is about. In March 1934, the old MAZDA logo was a simply italicized font. Years later, the MAZDA car symbol became the “M” from the Latin alphabet. The old MAZDA logo represented its hometown of Hiroshima, characteristics of the brand, and “MAZDA Motor Manufacturer” since the M was replicated three times. The MAZDA logo history is quite extensive, take a look:

• 1934-1959: an italicized lettering mark, introduced in 1934 and used into the 1950s before transitioning to the circular emblem
• 1959-1974: the stylized circular ‘M’ corporate emblem introduced alongside the launch of MAZDA passenger cars (such as the R360 Coupe in 1960).
• 1959-1974: The 1959 classic circular emblem featured a circle with a central stylized lowercase “m” (or “M” with elongated outer legs extending to the top and bottom of the circular border).
• 1975-1991: MAZDA adopted a clean, blocky wordmark/letterform logo without a standalone emblem.
• 1991-1997: The ‘diamond flame’ logo was introduced, followed by the current winged ‘V’ emblem in 1997.
• 1997-2015: The iconic winged ‘V’ emblem was introduced in 1997 with blue text, and in 2008, MAZDA shifted toward a more modern metallic emblem treatment.
• 2015-current: In 2015/2016, MAZDA updated its visual identity to a three-dimensional metallic silver emblem paired with a bolded custom corporate wordmark. In 2024, MAZDA introduced a simplified flat, monochrome digital logo design for modern brand touchpoints.

For a little more brand history, the story behind the name of MAZDA came from its origins of being a cork manufacturer in the 1920s! Toyo Kogyo Co., Ltd. was not an acquiring company; it was the exact name that MAZDA’s parent company (Toyo Cork Kogyo) adopted in 1927 after dropping its cork business. The MAZDA-Go three-wheeled truck was developed in-house by Toyo Kogyo in 1931.

MAZDA Logo History: What’s the Story Behind the Name?

The V-shape winds that you see in the MAZDA car symbolize improvement and growth. The story behind the name of MAZDA is that it stems from Ahura MAZDA, the supreme deity of Zoroastrianism, which originated in ancient West Asia (Persia / Iran), not East Asia. The name was also chosen as a phonetic alignment with the surname of company founder Jujiro Matsuda. The MAZDA meaning also includes a tribute to the people who helped found MAZDA as a company. The MAZDA logo symbolizes the vision the founders had for the company. The flexible wings represent confidence, continuous growth, and creativity.

Learn More About MAZDA Logo History with Cox Mazda

There’s so much to learn about the MAZDA logo and history behind the name. Sarasota drivers can learn about the old MAZDA logo as well as who makes MAZDA.