Mazda has been running hot in Australia for several years, often topping the overall sales list with its midrange Mazda3. The ‘3 is being offered in an ever increasing number of models to suit more and more buyers, the most recent being the addition of a high-performance diesel to the import list.
Now an all-new Mazda2 has joined it big brother and is an impressive small car that feels a size larger than it really is.
Unmistakably a new generation Mazda in its shape, the latest Mazda2 has a strong family resemblance to the Mazda3, as well as other recent releases.
With their big flat radiator grilles, swooping front and rear guards and tall tails, the Mazdas are like a matching set of upmarket luggage.
The interior has a modern look that features a smallish instrument binnacle with a single round dial centre and twin squared-off displays beside it. These electronic displays can be configured in different ways by the driver, even more so in the topline Genki models.
One of our favourite options is a colourful interior by courtesy of the Mazda2 ‘Colour Pack’. Aimed at those who can get away from the conservative norm, the colour packed cars have red seats, high-gloss red finishes on the sides of the centre console, the front-door armrest side, the highlight panel on the dash and, finally, the ventilation surrounds.
All this red stands out all the more as it’s complemented by high-gloss white details.
The seats are also red, which makes a lovely change from the seemingly endless black in most current vehicles.
We love the Mazda2 Colour Pack, and can’t believe it only adds $250 to the price. Go on – have a go at it yourself!
Unusually, the Mazda2 is offered with two engines that appear almost identical on paper, but vary significantly in performance. Both are four-cylinder units displacing 1.5 litres, but the one used in the entry level Mazda2 Neo has a lower compression ratio (12:1), resulting in less power and torque (79 kW / 139 Nm) than the powerplant in the midrange Mazda2 Maxx and top-spec Genki, which have a compression ratio of 13:1 and 81 kW and 141 Nm.
Though the numbers indicate the two engines are similar, on the road during our 250 kilometres of testing in southern Queensland and northern NSW we found a distinct difference in performance. The 79 kilowatt unit has enough power, but not a lot to spare; whereas the 81 kW has a sense of sprightliness in its nature. The latter is no sports machine, but it will suit most people.
As always try for yourself, but we suggest finding some hilly roads to see what you think of engine performance.
It looks to us as though Mazda was keen to strip the price of the Neo down to an impressively low $14,990 (plus on-roads) with the intention of selling buyers up to the higher grade models following their personal road tests. Fair enough, that’s standard marketing on just about all products.
Prices of the Mazda2 Neo begin at $16,990 for the Maxx and $19,990 for the topline Genki.
Our road test was done on some pretty demanding surfaces at times, chiefly in the hills behind the striking beaches of the east coast inland from the Byron area. We were most impressed by the rigidity of the body. While there is some pitter-patter on poorly patched bitumen the overall feel was that of a car from the next price range upwards. That’s impressive.
Incidentally, one reason for the low cost of these new Mazdas is that they’re built in Thailand rather than Japan. Build quality looks alright to us, and we are well aware of how seriously Japanese quality inspectors take their work when it’s moved to factories outside Japan.
Anyone looking for a sophisticated small car for a modest price should have the all-new Mazda2 high on their short list. It’s as much at home on the open road as in the suburbs and can cover long Aussie distances in the bush.
Indeed, if the kids are in their preteen years the Mazda2 really can be used as a family car.
The complete Mazda2 range is:
Mazda2 Neo 1.5-litre 79kW petrol five-door hatch: $14,990 (manual), $16,990 (automatic)
Mazda2 Maxx 1.5-litre 81kW petrol five-door hatch: $16,990 (manual), $18,990 (automatic)
Mazda2 Genki 1.5-litre 81kW petrol five-door hatch: $19,990 (manual), $21,990 (automatic)
Note: These prices do not include dealer or government charges. Contact your local Mazda for drive-away prices.
