Mazda 2 impresses
10/12/08 09:38 Filed in: Road
tests
The Mazda 2 is a neat and attractive looking
supermini. Not that that it is going to cause a stir anywhere you
park it, but it looks good in a straightforward, unpretentious
way.
I settle in to the driver’s position. Unusually the steering wheel adjusts even lower than I want it. That’s a surprise. The interior is neatly laid out, again with no nonsense and the only disaster is that the FM signal on the radio seems to produce no sound. So, with the nostalgic fuzzy sound of AM filling the car, I head off down the road.
Pretty soon I begin to realise that the Mazda 2 has deeper talents than I had expected. This little car feels like something from a bracket higher.
It rides well, performs well and corners in a satisfying and confident manner.
The road test car was the Mazda 2. 1.3 TS2. If you are one of those bar-room car critics that judges the performance of a car by the 0-60 time, then you might be tempted to walk on by your Mazda dealer. The 0-62 sprint time of 12.9 seconds won’t give you any bragging rights with your mates.
But the truth is that the 0-60 sprint is not really that indicative of the actual performance of a car. So, the Mazda 2 proved much more satisfying to drive than this figure might suggest. I found it responsive and willing. This engine is very happy to rev to provide good acceleration from standstill, but more importantly good overtaking pep.
It combines this willing performance with good economy. The Mazda 2 will easily top 40 mpg average on a mixture of driving and, with care and restraint, it should be feasible to top 50 mpg on country roads. Who needs a diesel?
The CO2 emissions are also pretty low, although, annoyingly, it does creep into the second bracket, just 9g/km over the 120g/km limit of the £35 tax band.
Mazda is on a bit of a weight-loss crusade at the moment. While other manufacturers seem to put on the pounds with each new model, the new Mazda 2 is actually lighter than its predecessor.
That helps the fuel efficiency and it also helps the handling. On twisty country roads the Mazda 2 feels sweet, eagerly turning into corners and inspiring confidence. It is equally happy, though, to keep up a good cruising speed on dual carriageways for hour after hour.
The test car was the two-door, but it is still a spacious vehicle in supermini terms. Round the back there is a good deep boot.
Mazda 2 prices begin at £7,930, with the 1.3 TS 3-door coming in at £9,408. It will be interesting to compare this with the closely-related Ford Fiesta which is due to head my way shortly.
I settle in to the driver’s position. Unusually the steering wheel adjusts even lower than I want it. That’s a surprise. The interior is neatly laid out, again with no nonsense and the only disaster is that the FM signal on the radio seems to produce no sound. So, with the nostalgic fuzzy sound of AM filling the car, I head off down the road.
Pretty soon I begin to realise that the Mazda 2 has deeper talents than I had expected. This little car feels like something from a bracket higher.
It rides well, performs well and corners in a satisfying and confident manner.
The road test car was the Mazda 2. 1.3 TS2. If you are one of those bar-room car critics that judges the performance of a car by the 0-60 time, then you might be tempted to walk on by your Mazda dealer. The 0-62 sprint time of 12.9 seconds won’t give you any bragging rights with your mates.
But the truth is that the 0-60 sprint is not really that indicative of the actual performance of a car. So, the Mazda 2 proved much more satisfying to drive than this figure might suggest. I found it responsive and willing. This engine is very happy to rev to provide good acceleration from standstill, but more importantly good overtaking pep.
It combines this willing performance with good economy. The Mazda 2 will easily top 40 mpg average on a mixture of driving and, with care and restraint, it should be feasible to top 50 mpg on country roads. Who needs a diesel?
The CO2 emissions are also pretty low, although, annoyingly, it does creep into the second bracket, just 9g/km over the 120g/km limit of the £35 tax band.
Mazda is on a bit of a weight-loss crusade at the moment. While other manufacturers seem to put on the pounds with each new model, the new Mazda 2 is actually lighter than its predecessor.
That helps the fuel efficiency and it also helps the handling. On twisty country roads the Mazda 2 feels sweet, eagerly turning into corners and inspiring confidence. It is equally happy, though, to keep up a good cruising speed on dual carriageways for hour after hour.
The test car was the two-door, but it is still a spacious vehicle in supermini terms. Round the back there is a good deep boot.
Mazda 2 prices begin at £7,930, with the 1.3 TS 3-door coming in at £9,408. It will be interesting to compare this with the closely-related Ford Fiesta which is due to head my way shortly.