2023 Mazda Touch Up Paint (14 OEM Colors)

The 2023 Mazda Vibe

By 2023, Mazda wasn't just making cars; they were making "art on wheels," or so the marketing gurus claimed. Whether you were carving corners in an MX-5 or hauling the whole suburban squad in a CX-90 or CX-50, you were likely draped in what I call "Tactical Chic." The palette moved away from the neon screams of the past and into the sophisticated grit of Zircon Sand and Polymetal Gray. We've tracked 16 distinct shades from this year, and while the grayscale dominance of the era was real, Mazda's Bright Red Tricoat (that famous Soul Red Crystal) remained the undisputed heavyweight champion of the parking lot. It was a year of deep pearls and "flat-look" metallics that made even a Mazda3 look like it belonged in a high-end gallery.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the peak of the Thin Paint Era. Those factory robots in Hiroshima and Alabama are marvels of efficiency, but they're stingy with the product. They spray a basecoat and clearcoat finish that is as precise as a laser-and about as thin as a Sunday newspaper. The reality is that your 2023 finish is gorgeous but fragile. Because the factory application is so lean, these cars are rock-chip magnets. If a pebble so much as glares at your hood, you're looking at a nick that goes straight to the primer. The tricoats, like Snowflake Pearl and that deep red, are particularly tricky; they rely on light passing through multiple thin layers to get that "glow," meaning a deep scratch ruins the optical illusion.

Restoration Tip

When you're fixing a chip on a 2023, you have to fight the urge to "blob and go." Because the factory finish is so thin, a standard heavy drop of touch-up paint will sit on the surface like a sore thumb. Therefore, you need to build your layers slowly. Use a fine-tipped applicator to dab a tiny amount of color into the center of the chip, let it dry, and repeat until the level is just below the surrounding clearcoat. If you're working with one of those tricky Tricoats or Zircon Sand, patience is your only friend. Don't try to fill the hole in one shot-modern paint needs to be built up, not dumped on.