A discussion of car design in the smartphone era was held, in which former Audi designer Wada Satoshi (和田智) described the fifth-generation Prius as a “masterpiece” and the Mazda3 as being “of national-treasure calibre.” The Prius has an overall height of 1,430 mm, 40 mm lower than the previous model, and uses 19-inch tires.
As part of a series presenting key issues in automotive design, former Audi designer Wada Satoshi (和田智) described the fifth-generation Prius as “Toyota’s masterpiece.” First unveiled globally in November 2022, the vehicle features a low-slung, sports-car-like profile. Its overall height is 1,430 mm, 40 mm lower than the previous model, and it uses large 19-inch tires.
Automotive economics commentator Ikeda Naoto (池田直渡) and motoring journalist Okazaki Goro (岡崎五朗) took part in the discussion, which examined how to achieve both beauty in vehicle design and an impact that is immediately apparent. Using the Prius and Mazda3 as examples, Wada Satoshi (和田智) offered his views on the direction of contemporary car design.
Wada Satoshi (和田智) began his career in Audi design, working on the design of key models including the A6, Q7, A5 and A7, and helped enhance the brand’s presence through the design of its single-frame grille. This discussion explored the connection between information transmission in the smartphone era and the way automotive design is expressed.
The article is part of an explanatory series titled “Automotive NEWS That Everyone Leaves Unsaid,” which aims to interpret the latest automotive news from a design perspective.