- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.5i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
76kW, 137Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 6.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Mazda2
Who says small has to be boring?
Most people buy small cars because they want a vehicle that's affordable, economical and easy to park. But car manufacturers are now trying to make us want them because they look good and are fun to drive.
As our appetite for small cars has grown, newer models have become more comfortable and better equipped than the buzz-boxes of the past.
Several brands have begun injecting style and driving flair into the budget end of the new-car market. Suzuki released a revitalised Swift hatch in early 2005 and, later that year, Toyota brought out the Yaris. Both cars breathed new life into what were previously dull models.
But no car sums up the transformation of city cars as well as the new Mazda2. The previous model was designed by men in white coats who tried to disguise its box-like shape by putting rounded edges on it.
The new model, however, with its sweeping curves and pronounced wheel arches, looks as if there is a sports car under its skin, trying to escape.
That's what happens when you put the sports car guy in charge of the small car program. The Mazda2 was designed by Ikuo Maeda, whose father designed the original RX-7. Luckily for Mazda, it seems Maeda couldn't design a boring hatch if he tried.
Mazda claims the sloping lines along the flanks of its new baby car look like an athlete on the starting blocks. If that's the case, the previous model was a couch potato.
The new model has trimmed plenty of fat; it's about 60kg lighter than the model it replaces, bringing its overall weight on par with its main Japanese rivals.
Every aspect of the Mazda2 has been carefully analysed to save weight. The radio aerial is long and thin because it was lighter than a short, stubby aerial. Engineers shaved 690 grams from the car by making the bonnet latch smaller and its hinges thinner. The biggest weight saving, though, has been achieved by making the new model smaller.
It looks taught and terrific but not everyone is a fan. Some older readers have lamented Mazda's decision to increase the model's appeal to "young whipper-snappers". They have a point, as the previous Mazda2 was roomier. Owners absolutely love them. But times have changed.
We hope Mazda builds a slightly larger small hatch to sell alongside the Mazda2, just as some European car makers have done, such as the Volkswagen Golf and the slightly larger Golf Plus.
Meanwhile, you can pick up some good, low-kilometre used examples of the previous model Mazda2 if you're prepared to be patient and shop around.
For those hip young things who want a zippy, fun-to-drive small car though, the new Mazda2 won't disappoint.
There are three models, starting at $16,500 for the Neo, $18,710 for the middle-of-the-range Maxx and $20,845 for the flagship Genki. A five-speed manual is standard; a four-speed automatic transmission adds $1650 to each model.
Standard fare includes air-conditioning, remote central locking, an MP3-compatible CD player as well as an auxiliary audio input. The more expensive models gain a six-CD player, audio controls on the steering wheel and larger wheels and tyres.
The two cheapest models come with dual airbags. However, front seat-mounted side airbags, curtain airbags and stability control are available in an option pack for $1100.
The flagship Genki has the full airbag kit; the only option is stability control, at $700.
The availability of stability control (which can detect when a car is travelling too fast around a bend and can prevent a skid) in the baby-car class is significant; Mazda is one of the first among its peers with this technology.
Ideally, all of these safety features would be standard but Mazda says it would prefer to let customers decide rather than have to charge a higher price by including the full gamut of safety systems on all cars.
Drive Life strongly recommends buyers opt for these extra features. The Mazda2 that scored five stars out of five in the New Car Assessment Program crash tests was equipped with the full complement of airbags. And, besides, you may have a say in where you're going to crash but you can do little to avoid someone else hitting your car side-on. Head-protecting curtain airbags are crucial in minimising the risk of fatal injuries in side-on crashes.
There is only one catch: although Mazda Australia keeps modest stock levels of cars equipped with the extra safety features, it can take up to three months for a car to be built to order. Unfortunately, the take-up rate for the extra airbags is only about 15 per cent, so not all dealers have such cars ready to go.
Given how well the Mazda2 drives, it's easy to understand why some buyers might be impatient to get behind the wheel.
The Mazda2 makes good use of the modest power from its 1.5-litre, four-cylinder engine and turns out reasonable fuel consumption figures. It's not the most frugal in its class but it's not the thirstiest either. And, happily, it takes regular unleaded petrol.
The manual has a beautiful, precise shift. The auto works also well, with smooth, predictable changes.
Forward vision is good thanks to the low, sloping side front windows, although rear three-quarter vision can be obscured by the smallish rear windows.
The quality of materials in the cabin is superb and the presentation is excellent. All buttons and dials are logically placed and the controls precise to operate. It doesn't feel like a budget car at all.
There is a reasonable amount of storage space although others in this class (such as the Honda Jazz and the Yaris) likely have the edge in this regard. The Mazda, oddly, has an open glove box which means it's not secure. There is also a chance someone could poke a magazine through the opening and, possibly, block the path of the front passenger's airbag if it were to be deployed.
Rear seat room is slightly tighter than some of its rivals but it makes up for this with a bigger boot. Unfortunately, the boot floor conceals a space-saver spare.
Road noise has long been a criticism of Mazdas but the company has addressed the issue with each new model. Mazda even quotes an improvement of "2.3 decibels" less road noise than the previous model on coarse surfaces.
It's not hush-quiet but it's an improvement that has brought the Mazda2 into line with its peers. The grippy tyres are the main reason for the noise, although it should be noted that there is one exception. The tyres on the base model have substandard grip in the wet and we're not the only ones to report this.
Nevertheless, the new Mazda2 is an impressive overall package and would easily make the pointy end of our shortlist of cars in this class (along with the Suzuki Swift and the Yaris).
The Mazda2's combination of style, quality, efficiency and fun-to-drive dynamics makes it a fresh change in what was once a staid market. The availability of potentially life-saving safety features such as curtain airbags and stability control is also a huge plus.
Winner of its class in the 2007 Drive Car of the Year awards, the Mazda2 very nearly took out the overall honours. Had the optional safety features been standard, it might have been a different result.
Fuel type Regular unleaded (91 octane).
Safety The Mazda2 scores a five-star crash rating by independent test body NCAP when equipped with extra airbags. Dual airbags are standard on the two cheapest models and curtains and stability control are an $1100 option. On the flagship model, dual front, side and curtain airbags are standard and stability control is a $700 option.
Resale value Independent valuer Redbook forecasts it will be worth between 51 and 65 per cent of its purchase price in three years, depending on distance travelled and condition. This is on par with the other class leaders, the Toyota Yaris and Suzuki Swift.