Mazda2 from Postmedia News.... hits Canada

Tiny Mazda hatch has huge personality

This compact works well for anyone looking for a head-turning vehicle that doesn't cost an arm and a leg

By Graeme Fletcher, For Postmedia News July 22, 2010

The Mazda2 is long, long overdue. In other parts of the world, the subcompact has been wowing its owners with its fun-to-drive quotient and fuel efficiency. Throw in the smiley-faced grille, paint it a vibrant Spirited green and it shouts its presence to the world. For anyone looking for a head-turning car that does not cost an arm, leg and first-born, the new Mazda2 fits the bill -- it is impossible to prowl about town with any sort of anonymity.

The Mazda2 also comes with some pleasant surprises. First, it is remarkably roomy given its subcompact dimensions -- it is just 3,950 millimetres in length, although it rides on a generous 2,489-mm wheelbase. This latter measurement makes the difference. Up front, there's plenty of head and shoulder room, as well as enough rearward movement in the seats to accommodate a taller driver. The rear seat can be a little tight, especially if the front seats are fully rearward, but, again, for a small car, the space is admirable. Its ability to accommodate four adults in relative comfort certainly surprised me.

Obviously, being a hatchback, the Mazda2 comes with plenty of versatility.
With the rear seats in the upright position, the 2 offers up 13.3 cubic feet of space. Drop the seats down and volume grows to 27.8 cu. ft. There are also cubbies galore, the liftover is low and the hatch opening is larger and nicely squared off. There is, however, one oversight -- the seats don't fold flat or tumble forward out of the way. As a result, a larger box tends to teeter-totter on the folded seatback.

The Mazda2's interior design picks up on the perky exterior. It is attractive and the materials are pretty good (especially the piano black and silver inserts). Likewise, the front seats are very accommodating; the base and backrest bolsters deliver the sort of support expected of something far sportier. As for the rest of it, the comfort and convenience items are all in place. The air is conditioned and the audio package is solid, although it needs a USB input to go with the input jack.

It all comes together such that there really are only two minor beefs.
First, the most obvious cost-cutting measure is the flimsy fresh air/recirculation lever. Second, the hatch has a quirk I learned to dislike.

It's electric lock mechanism takes about a second or so to cycle. If the hatch does not shut the first time, one has to wait until it clicks or risk leaving it ajar -- which I did repeatedly.
As for power, the Mazda2 has enough. No, the 1.5-litre four-cylinder's 100 horsepower and 98 pound-feet of torque are not going to knock anyone's socks off, but it delivers a surprisingly sprightly turn of speed (the car weighs only 1,075 kilograms). If you don't mind stirring your own gears, the standard manual gearbox makes better use of the power. The advantage is that it comes with five speeds. The optional automatic ($1,100), which has an overdrive on/off button, makes do with four.

The tester arrived with the auto box. It slipped through the gears in a seamless fashion, but accessing the engine's meat requires the driver to take a pretty big whip to the gas pedal. Under these conditions, the Mazda2 boasts decent off-the-line performance and reasonable mid-range pep -- zero to 100 kilometres an hour takes about 10.5 seconds, which is enough for the cut and thrust of the morning commute. However, the engine gets a little busy at highway speeds, revving away at around 3,000 rpm at 110 km/h.

Where the little 2 comes into its own is with the zoom-zoom engineered into the suspension, making the car both comfortable and sporty at the same time.

The setup is fairly basic (MacPherson struts up front and a twist beam in the rear), but it has been tuned to limit body roll without beating up the occupants. Kudos for the steering's feel and feedback, too. It is nicely weighted and keeps the driver up to speed when pushing the limits. The latter is somewhat of a rarity, as the Mazda2 uses an electrically assisted system. The Mazda2's P185/55R15 tires then deliver the desired lateral grip.

Beyond that, the anti-lock brakes deliver both plenty of stopping power and an easily modulated pedal. Ditto the electronic stability/traction control --
it stays out of the picture until there is a real need for intervention. The likable part is that the Mazda2 darts wherever the driver points it. At this end of the price ladder, there are few cars that are as nimble or as much fun to drive.

It took Mazda a long time to bring the 2 to Canada. The wait was worth it.

Yes, it would benefit greatly from a five-speed (or six-speed) automatic, and the rear seats should tumble out of the way, but that's about the extent of its shortcomings. In many respects, it can be likened to a front-drive version of the MX-5 -- drive the tires off the Mazda2 and it comes back for more.

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