Washu, which is Japanese for eagle's wing, was built to "showcase Mazda's commitment to questioning the expected in design and packaging." The six-seat touring vehicle was developed as a calculated experiment to determine how customers interact with a vehicle's interior space, according to Mazda.

Central to the Washu's development was Mazda's goal to "make every moment in a car exciting, whether traveling from place to place or just driving for fun." The vehicle works to tear down the barriers that traditionally separate sports cars and family cars, according to Mazda, and hints at the company's next-generation design direction.

According to the automaker, Washu "combines functionality and refined passenger comfort with well-proportioned, modern styling that presents a level of visual excitement previously not found in multi-seat vehicles.