MAZDA Brand Glossary

The rear badging of the 2026 Mazda CX-5

A new Mazda model comes loaded with unique features to enhance safety, performance, and more. But what exactly do each of those trademarked terms mean? This guide from The Autobarn Mazda of Evanston breaks down five of the most common ones you’ll encounter across the lineup.

i-ACTIV AWD®

As its name implies, i-Activ AWD® stays active at all times, sampling 27 real-time data inputs (including wiper speed, steering effort, outside temperature, and brake pressure) to anticipate traction loss and distribute torque before a slip can occur. You get grip that’s already optimized when conditions shift rather than reactive correction after the fact.

i-ACTIVSENSE®

i-Activsense® is the umbrella term for Mazda’s active safety and pre-crash technology, covering Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane-Keep Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Smart Brake Support, each drawing from cameras and radar sensors. These systems work in the background to flag hazards and reduce collision severity.

G-Vectoring Control Plus®

G-Vectoring Control Plus® reads your steering input and makes continuous adjustments to engine torque and braking force, shifting the vehicle’s weight across the tires as each corner demands it. This feature gives you steadier grip, fewer corrections at the wheel, and noticeably less fatigue in a new Mazda model over longer drives.

Kodo Design®

Translated from Japanese as “Soul of Motion,” Kodo Design® shapes every surface of new Mazda models, sculpting the body so that light and shadow suggest movement even when the vehicle is parked. Inside, the same restraint governs control layout, reducing visual noise so your attention stays on the road.

Active Driving Display®

The available Active Driving Display® projects vehicle speed, navigation turn cues, and driver-assist alerts onto the windshield at the same focal depth as the road ahead, so you receive critical information without pulling your gaze to the instrument cluster.

Test Out New MAZDA Models in Evanston, IL

Our Mazda dealership in Evanston, IL, carries the full new Mazda lineup so you can experience each of these systems on a test drive. Stop in and our team can walk you through whichever terms or trims you’re still sorting out. The Autobarn Mazda of Evanston also offers Mazda financing options to help you get into the right vehicle.