One of Mazda's basic development principles is to ensure plenty of interior space without sacrificing beautiful design. We study a range of human body sizes and movements as we effectively arrange the interior equipment. We aim to increase the sense of space, maximize visual openness, and ensure that getting into and out of our vehicles is as easy as possible. In this way we create a stress-free and spacious cabin environment.

One of Mazda's strengths is the ability to ensure both a comfortable cabin and the low roofline that is key to Mazda's hallmark athletic design and sporty performance. Mazda uses a three-dimentional simulator to create a virtual cabin that reproduces all the sensations a person would feel in an actual car. We study the cabin ergonomics to identify any specific body parts that would be subject to unwelcome stress and investigate ways to avoid it. For the new Mazda6, the designers focused on reducing any visual sense of constriction and securing all-round space for all occupants. By redesigning the windshield to flow smoothly into the roofline, and by adjusting the front seat occupants' head position backwards, the new cabin feels roomier (1 in the right image). Additionally, space on either side of the occupants is assured by greater shoulder room. We also increased rear-seat knee room (2 in the right image) to ensure passengers in the back also enjoy a relaxed ride.

Even in our three-row minivans, and even when all the seats are occupied, we aim to ensure occupants can enjoy an open view. This is why we make the second-row seats higher than the first, and the third row higher than the second. Our "Theater Layout" is a feature of all Mazda minivans. In addition, Premacy and Biante feature large side windows and compact saddle-shaped headrests for the second- and third-row seats. The headrests are very low, ensuring the forward and backward views are not blocked. Both these features improve visibility from every seat.

In order to make getting into and out of our vehicles as easy as possible, we use motion capture technology to record human movements. Many of these virtual humans are fed into a database from which a standard model is determined. With this, we simulate movements needed to get into and out of each vehicle and thereby refine various vehicle dimensions, such as the height of the floor. We also develop a mathematical model that computes forces acting on the upper body (neck and lower back) and lower body (leg joints). Mazda uses this data to minimize forces on the body and make getting into and out of our vehicles as easy as possible.