Ryan Haines / Android Authority
It’s that time of year once again. Along with blooming flowers and chirping birds to mark spring’s arrival, Motorola has also announced some new Razr phones. And this year, we have more new Razrs than ever before.
Alongside the new baseline Razr and Razr Plus for 2025, Motorola also introduced the Razr Ultra for the very first time. It has upgraded performance, cameras, battery capacity, and charge speeds to justify its “Ultra” branding — in addition to a whole lot of AI. While those things are fine and dandy, they’re not what has me the most excited about Motorola’s newest Razr.
Instead, my excitement is focused solely on something Motorola’s been nailing for the last few years: design. Last year’s Razrs were some of my favorite smartphone designs of 2024, and it looks like the Razr Ultra will handily carry that title forward in 2025.
Which Razr Ultra finish do you like the most?
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The Razr Ultra reminds me why I love Moto phones
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
While Motorola’s phones have been far from perfect over the last few years, design has been a notable strong suit — whether we’re talking about a Razr foldable, an Edge series device, or a budget Moto G. Last year’s Razrs came in gorgeous vegan leather and suede finishes, the Edge 60 Fusion has a trio of stunning pastel colors, and even the Moto G Stylus (2025) is available in a bright blue vegan leather material.
That design expertise is once again present on the Razr Ultra, and this time, Motorola has cranked things up to 11. There are four colors to choose from this year, and each one feels more unique than the last.
It starts with the Rio Red color, which has Motorola’s familiar vegan leather finish and comes in a wonderfully deep red/maroon. It’s a darker red than the Hot Pink color we saw on the Razr Plus (2024), and I really like it.
There’s another red color available for the Razr Ultra called “Cabaret,” and this is where things start to get interesting. It’s a brighter, more pinkish red than Rio Red, paired with vertical streaks across the back to give it a sense of movement. It also ditches the vegan leather material for a “satin-inspired” finish, which I’m fascinated to try for myself.
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Razr Ultra in Scarab
Even more exciting is the Scarab finish. It’s made out of Alcantara (making it the first smartphone to ever use the material), and paired with a dark green color and a stitched pattern around the edges, it’s unlike any other phone design I’ve ever seen. How it holds up throughout long-term use is a potential concern, but it’s a striking design regardless.
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Razr Ultra in Mountain Trail
And, finally, we have the finish I’ve been looking forward to since it first appeared in leaked renders last month: Mountain Trail. It’s the first Razr phone with a real wood backside, and it takes me right back to the days of the Moto X. Motorola was the first company to bring wood to a major smartphone release over a decade ago, and it’s incredible to see the company go back to its roots with the Razr Ultra.
Each Razr Ultra color is impressive on its own, but when you step back and take a bird’s eye view of everything together, what Motorola has done this year is beyond impressive. Here, we have not only four unique colors but also four unique finishes/materials for each one.
What Motorola has done this year is beyond impressive.
While it may not be the same as a resurrected Moto Maker (which I’m still hoping for), Motorola’s commitment to have each Razr Ultra finish be distinctly unique from the other is something not present from any smartphone brand, and it’s something I’m thrilled the company decided to focus on. In a world where phones like the Galaxy S25 series (and, from the looks of it, the Google Pixel 10 lineup) are coasting on by with familiar, repetitive, and uninspired designs, Motorola going in the complete opposite direction is exactly what I want to see.
What about the Razr and Razr Plus?
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
That’s the Razr Ultra, but what about the Razr and Razr Plus? One of them is a bit disappointing, while the other is quite exciting — and it’s not the one you’d expect.
Interestingly, the Razr Plus (2025) arguably has the dullest color selection. All three colors use the same vegan leather finish, and they’re ones we saw last year with the Razr Plus (2024). They all still look fantastic (particularly Mocha Mousse), but it’s certainly the least creative of the bunch.
The baseline Razr (2025), meanwhile, has a lot more going for it. It comes in three finishes (vegan leather, a nylon-inspired option, and Acetate) and four new colors. Gibraltar Sea and Lightest Sky are dark blue and white-ish shades, respectively, each with a unique pattern. Parfait Pink and Spring Bud ditch the patterns for more vibrant pink and green colors, each looking perfectly suited for the spring season.
I’m not sure why Motorola went so hard with the “cheap” Razr colors this year, but I’m all for it. The company could have easily phoned it in after going all out with the Razr Ultra design, but it didn’t, and I commend it for that.
This is Motorola at its best
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Looking at this year’s Razr 2025 family — and specifically at the Razr Ultra — I really couldn’t be happier with Motorola’s design team. When’s the last time a phone was available in four unique materials? When’s the last time you saw a phone with a wooden back? A phone made out of Alcantara? It didn’t exist until the Razr Ultra came along.
The Razr Ultra erases any lingering doubt we may have had that Moto remains an expert at its craft.
Motorola was a master of smartphone design in the 2010s. The last couple of years have been proof that the company is still very skilled in that department, and the Razr Ultra erases any lingering doubt we may have had that Moto remains an expert at its craft.
There are reasons to criticize the Razr Ultra, namely the questionable AI features and ultra-high price, but the design isn’t one of them. It’s easily my favorite thing about Motorola’s newest foldable, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it — specifically that new wood back.
