Rating
Quick Summary
Recommended. Stylish, space efficient, low-weight supermini that makes sense and is also fun to drive.
Road Test
Mazda was not traditionally strong in the supermini segment before the introduction of the current Mazda 2, but with the 2008 winner of World Car of the Year, it had a very pretty, competitively priced model with which to make an impact on the market.
That was a couple of years ago though, and with some 30 rivals, the manufacturer has decided it's already time to update the original package for a new batch of customers.
Fresh buyers will have to squint to spot the difference, though. Mazda hasn't so much reheated its supermini as breathed hard on it from ten paces away and given it a buff. The visual alterations are limited to different foglights and a gently altered grille, which do nothing to alter the fact that the car remains conspicuously good looking from almost every angle.
Inside there is a smattering of new trim materials and some revisions to the finishes on certain surfaces, but the interior remains a testament to the economic benefits of cheap plastic. It's well laid out though, and feels solidly functional in an orderly Japanese kind of way.
On the road the Mazda 2 remains very tidy. The manufacturer has made a number of detailed suspension changes and improved the car's overall rigidity, but the latest version exudes the same neat dynamic handling of its predecessor.
Three familiar powerplants are available; a 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre petrol (the former is offered in two states of tune) and a 1.6-litre diesel. All have been revised to ensure compliancy with the Euro V emissions standard, and all benefit from marginal improvements in economy and CO2 emissions. The higher powered 1.3-litre petrol variant would be our pick of the bunch for its all-round versatility.
Despite having no pretensions in the performance department, Mazda has added a trim level called Tamura to the established TS, TS2 and Sport models that includes 16-inch alloys, a beefier styling pack and halogen headlights. The new variant might seem a little redundant given the established appeal of some of the car's competitors in that particular niche, but Mazda is obviously keen to keep all bases covered.
Fortunately for the manufacturer, this is one supermini which doesn't require extraneous styling garnish to increase its appeal. The Mazda 2 remains a handsome, agile, efficient and affordable car close to the top of an incredibly competitive class.
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