Honda Design Boss: Go Easy on the Emotion

Washington DC October 20, 2009; The AIADA newsletter reported that shortly after taking over as Honda Motor Co.'s global design chief in 2004, Nobuki Ebisawa had a curious epiphany about the look of his company's cars.

According to Automotive News, Honda's styling was becoming too dynamic, flashy, and emotional, he thought. Strange words indeed for a brand often criticized for just the opposite: preferring bland functionality over inspirational beauty.

"As I looked at the proposals being made by our designers in my day-to-day work, there came a point where I said, 'Uh-oh, this is turning critical,' " Ebisawa recalled. "I got really concerned that if we kept pursuing only emotion, people would forget Honda's core values."

Ebisawa wants his cars to convey efficiency, not just emotion. As he spearheaded a back-to-basics push for efficient functionality, his new design language debuted in 2007 with the FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle and now forms the basis for such models as the redesigned Fit small car and the Insight and CR-Z hybrids.

To appreciate Ebisawa's philosophy, consider the 32-year Honda veteran's all-time favorite vehicles: the first Honda Civic, which set a new standard in clean-burning engines, and the first-generation Volkswagen Golf, which he considers the epitome of compact economy.