TV personality Tezara Camilleri finally makes it out of stressful traffic to enter the silent, smooth and relaxing world of the Mazda 2 IPM 3.

New Year, new set of wheels! [Ok, I know it’s February… but the Mazda 2 is my first test drive for 2019]. Wouldn’t that be something? Changing your car every time a New Year draws near? Anyway, I certainly wouldn’t be able to afford that, but I suppose I can pretend I’m changing cars every month every time I pick up a new car to be tested.

I didn’t have time to get a brief about the car, as I normally do, before I drove it as I ran super late due to traffic [surprise, surprise] from work in Mġarr to the Gazan Zammit Motors Ltd showroom in Mrieħel, and I didn’t want to keep anyone waiting longer than they had to for Her Royal Highness to arrive. So, the photographer and I set off to find a location for some cool pictures the second I pressed the engine start/stop button.

I know that automatic cars are known to be super easy to drive. But consider that I was quite flustered after being late and I didn’t have a clue about the specs of the vehicle I was driving. Nevertheless, I found myself surprisingly calm and relaxed as we drove through the windy roads of Attard.

There is a particular ease to it, as though you’re driving it out of habit, it’s been yours for years and you don’t have to think anymore. The gears changed from one to the next so smoothly that I almost didn’t realise they changed at all; not to mention the close-to-silent transition. I also didn’t feel most of the bumps, which is saying something, especially on Maltese roads.

A soft spot for blue. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The Multimedia Commander and the MZD Connect system give the car a very high-tech, modern feel. Naturally, one would compare the previous model of the Mazda 2 to this newer version, so here are a couple of key upgrades: there is significantly more shoulder and leg room for the driver and also for the passenger, making it more comfortable to sit in especially during long drives.

I have a slight soft spot for blue, so I was quite content with the model I drove in Dynamic Blue. It is, of course, available in other colours, namely Jet Black, Soul Red and Snowflake White. You can also opt to add a navigation system and Apple CarPlay.

Sadly, it seemed my journey to pick up the car was longer than the actual time I got to drive around in it, but for the short time I did, it was a thoroughly pleasant experience.

This article first appeared in Pink magazine. 

The car has a high-tech, modern feel. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli