There are currently so many different models, manufacturers and options that buying a car is becoming similar to wandering into a supermarket with but a sketchy idea of the required product.
Obviously the seasoned motorist knows almost to an engine size what he or she is looking for, and will probably only be constrained by a bank manager with a penchant for saying ‘No’.
We found Mazda 2 to be a grand-looking family car with neatly-sculpted lines, a masculine but not aggressive front and a rear end with a neat little spoiler that must surely be the envy of a great many competitive manufacturers.
Over the past decade or so designers have totally altered their parameters and, apart from an ever-increasing level of safety and magnificent crumple zones, there is a cockpit that can keep the occupants relatively unscathed in a normal crash, thanks to well-designed seat belts and strategic-ally-placed airbags .
The active levels of safety start with anti-lock brakes on all wheels. Dynamic Stability Control is for this test driver of far more interest than ABS brakes, which frankly we had to deliberately use as the car stopped neatly, quickly and evenly under all normal, if slightly adventurous, circumstances.
DSC on the other hand improves driving stability when cornering, especially if the driver is using some of the delightful potential of the car. It also comes into its own during rapid evasive manoeuvres by automatically limiting engine power while applying the brakes on individual wheels, thereby helping avoid understeer, where the front of the car continues forward even with the wheels turned, or oversteer,where the back of the car attempts to overtake the front.
Mazda have spent time and effort in making the Mazda 2 far lighter than models of even a decade ago
Mazda have spent time and effort in making the Mazda 2 far lighter than models of even a decade ago. Obviously, if a car becomes lighter it will use less fuel to reach journey’s end.
If the design team get away from a chunky box shape and make the car far slinkier, combined with weight, it will really make a big difference to the running costs of the car. Mazda 2 has been well designed to enable potential buyers to tick all the interesting boxes, safe in the knowledge that they have a very good car, even down to the Isofix child restraint system.
Under test conditions cars are ‘bullied’ just a little so that the driver can explore some of the engineering features. The suspension always figures highly when it comes to adventurous motoring, and at the front the Macpherson struts, with lower ‘A’ arms and torsion bar, keep the car exactly where we expected it to be.
At the rear the whole package seems complicated, but works well. For those of you interested it’s composed of a twist-beam, coil springs and trailing arms (torsion beam). A first-class suspension needs first-class brakes, and here we have discs up front and drums on the rear with a mechanical parking brake working on the rear wheels. The hydraulic system is composed of a diagonally-divided dual-circuit system, obviously with a power brake unit.
As part of the ABS system one finds electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and emergency brake assistance (EBA).
This car is well equipped with electric power steering, air-conditioner, a trip computer, remote central locking, alarm and CD player with increasingly popular steering controls.
The height-adjustable driver’s seat allows even shorter drivers great forward vision. You get dead locks so the children should remain in the car, alloy wheels to alter the appearance, leather steering and gear lever, slit rear seats so that a large amount of luggage or shopping can be carried easily, and colour-coded door handles and mirrors.
Much has been written over the years by this writer about the interestingly high standards of performance, comfort and sheer driveability that Mazda traditionally puts into its vehicles.
This car seems particularly well suited to the demands that are put on vehicles that must venture off the arterial onto far less than perfect road surfaces. It looks good, handles to perfection and provided us with keen insights as to the way Mazda is progressing through the second decade of this century.
Many large cars handle the absolutely atrocious conditions of many council-maintained roads most easily, but to get the degree of comfort that we did from a car only 3.92 metres long and 1.695 metres wide was something of an experience to be enjoyed. In fact we ventured over more country roads in the Mazda 2 than we have done for quite some time.
Verdict
Comfort
Excellent all round, but as a driver – perfect.
Performance
The 1.3 engine was hard pushed but worth a four star.
Cool
Cool as the rim of a champagne glass.
Quality
Five stars in class.
At a glance
Top speed
170 km/h.
0-100km
13.6 seconds.
Economy
Combined: 5 litres per 100 km.
C02
115 g/km.
Engine
1.3MZR petrol, 1349cc in-line four-cylinder engine, 16 valves, double overhead camshaft.
Power
84 bhp at 6,000 rpm.
Maximum torque
121 Nm at 3,500 rpm.