- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.5i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
82kW, 141Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 6.6L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Used car review: Mazda2 2002-05
When we think of effective or cutting-edge automotive engineering, it's usually the performance or big luxury cars that we consider.
But when you examine the way cars are designed and the complex tasks they need to handle, it's often the smallest cars that present the greatest challenge for engineers.
In an age where even budget-conscious new-car buyers expect central locking, electric windows and reasonable levels of performance, safety, economy and comfort, it can start to get pretty busy on the drawing board of a small-car designer.
Cramming all that technology into a small package is the main problem and not all manufacturers get it right.
But if you ever needed an example of a company that has nailed the concept, you need look no further than the Mazda2.
Launched right at the end of 2002, the Mazda2 was a spiritual successor to cars like the old 121 in both its hatchback and mini-people-mover (Metro) forms.
But rather than draw inspiration from either of those cars, the 2 was a clean-sheet design. And it showed.
The hatchback body was not only good-looking, it was also rigid despite its tiny dimensions.
Available only as a five-door hatchback, the 2 was initially offered in three trim levels with some pretty out-there names.
First was the Neo which had air-conditioning, central locking, power mirrors and a decent stereo. Power windows would have been nice, but weren't standard until mid-2003.
The Maxx was next and added 15-inch alloy wheels, a CD stacker, remote actuation for the central locking, power windows and a rear spoiler.
The very oddly named Genki was the range topper and brought with it a body kit and fog lights to justify the higher price.
On the safety front, even the base-model Neo got dual front airbags and seat-belt pre-tensioners, although the absence of anti-lock brakes as standard was a bit of an oversight.
Even more surprising was that the Maxx mid-range model also lacked anti-lock brakes and it wasn't until you upped the ante to the Genki that ABS was fitted along with electronic brake-force distribution.
Mazda kept things nice and simple mechanically by offering only one engine, a 1.5-litre four-cylinder.
Not only was a 1.5 a bit bigger than a lot of cars in the same category, it was also a ripper little motor. With four valves per cylinder and variable vale timing, the engine cranked out a very handy 82 kW of power and a decent serve of torque for extremely good flexibility.
A five-speed manual gearbox was the default setting and it worked extremely well, but for those who prefer an automatic, the Mazda2 was a godsend because it's one of the very few small cars to work well with the optional auto fitted.
The other thing Mazda got right was the car's dynamics. It rides better than something of its size should, yet handles faithfully and feels very secure on the road.
We've yet to find anyone who doesn't like the look of the 2, and the interior is a lesson in designing a car to be both functional and funky.
Throw in Mazda's trendy exterior colour palette and you can see why the 2 was such a hit with its target market. And thanks to good build quality, there's absolutely no reason it shouldn't still be a popular choice as a second-hand vehicle.
Need to know
- Lighter interior trim colours could be looking a bit grubby now.
- Check for poorly repaired crash damage as metallic paint can be hard to match.
What to pay
Model | Year | New | Now |
Neo | 2002 | $19,510 | $11,000 |
Neo | 2003 | $20,210 | $12,500 |
Neo | 2004 | $19,210 | $13,400 |
Neo | 2005 | $17,940 | $15,200 |
Maxx | 2002 | $22,290 | $12,700 |
Maxx | 2003 | $22,290 | $14,300 |
Maxx | 2004 | $21,390 | $15,800 |
Maxx | 2005 | $20,575 | $17,400 |
Genki | 2002 | $23,915 | $14,100 |
Genki | 2003 | $23,915 | $15,800 |
Genki | 2004 | $23,435 | $17,400 |
Genki | 2005 | $22,535 | $19,000 |
Source: Glass's Guide