Mazda 2 – city car by mazda

Recently, Mazda has been producing cars that impress with their design, innovative technology, driving characteristics and, last but not least, excellent fuel consumption. We received the smallest representative of this brand for the test – the number two. I was curious if the two would confirm the positive qualities we had already experienced in his older siblings.

From the outside

It is a typical representative of the small car segment and does not even try to hide it. From the profile, the wheels pulled into the corners of the body and the long front hood, typical of the brand’s models, are striking. The black 16″ wheels (with 185/60 R16 tires) fit the car extremely well and match the gray metallic finish perfectly. I was a bit taken aback by the use of drum brakes on the rear wheels. I will see that it does not negatively affect their effectiveness.

The front is dominated by a large, chrome-framed radiator grille and oversized headlights. In my opinion, they would fit the car a little narrower, like the larger models. This is most evident from the rear of the car, and I like the large taillights on the contrary. I praise the admitted exhaust, but I would welcome its nicer end.

Inside

The design of the interior is tasteful and high-quality for its class. We will not find softened plastics here, but the assembly and fitting of individual plastic parts is not to be faulted. The steering wheel is familiar to me from other models of the brand, and it also fits the interior of the car. The advantage of the instrument panel is its clarity. The large analog speedometer is followed by a digital tachometer and an on-board computer display. On the dashboard, circular vents and a decorative bar imitating carbon will attract attention. A 7″ infotainment display according to the latest fashion in the shape of a tablet protrudes into the space.

I like the simple solution of automatic air conditioning without a digital output, but the automatic mode must be set with up to two rotary controls. The simple central tunnel is sensibly used as a space for a short control lever with a nice head, a manual handbrake lever and several folders.

I was satisfied with the design and quality of the interior of the door, which does not lack a part with textile upholstery. The use of piano varnish in this case does not matter, because it does not come into contact with the driver’s hands.

The textile seats are already relatively small at first glance, and their backrests are even narrower in height. I was therefore worried about the comfort of the seat, especially on longer journeys.

Driving

However, my fears were overblown. You could get used to the narrow seats. Fortunately, the sides on the top of the backrest are no longer prominent and therefore do not press into the back. I appreciated the shaping of the backrests despite the lack of an adjustable lumbar support. However, the short seats and the insufficient height adjustment of the headrests clearly indicate that the car is intended for drivers of shorter stature.

The seat behind the wheel, on the other hand, was surprisingly almost perfect even at my height of 185 cm. He sits low with his legs stretched forward to the properly spaced pedals. It’s a shame that the “plastering” of the left leg rest was forgotten. The posture is supported by a wide range of steering wheel adjustment. I had to get used to the internal width in the shoulder area, which, however, is determined by the dimensions of the car. In addition, the front seats are placed close to each other, and thanks to the missing armrest, you and the passenger will be “very close”.

The legroom and headroom met my expectations, as did the view outside and the large rear-view mirrors. I appreciated the ergonomically arranged buttons and especially the possibility of controlling the infotainment system in addition to touch (when the vehicle is stopped) with the combined controller on the central tunnel.

I liked the location of the shifter. It is short, has a precise gear shift and smooth operation.

On the road

The driving characteristics of the brand’s vehicles are a very important parameter for the manufacturer, and their sporty character is presented at the forefront of marketing materials. Were the same demands applied to the development of the little two?

The chassis is stiffer, but still comfortable enough even on worse roads. It handles bigger bumps worse and lets the crew feel them. In corners at higher speed, you can feel a light ass, on a bumpy road a little more nervous, the car nevertheless stubbornly keeps track. It was downright difficult to get the little Mazda into a situation where the stabilization system had to intervene.

I was very satisfied with the steering, which was direct, properly stiff and its connection with the front axle could be felt. The car reacted quickly even to the slightest movement of the steering wheel. The brakes, despite the “drums” at the back, did not have much to do with the light car (975 kg) and their effect could be reliably measured. I appreciated the short and absolutely precise shift lever paths of the 5-speed manual transmission. She didn’t protest even when shifting quickly at high revs. The clutch engages exactly in the middle and has an easy operation.

For dynamic driving, it is necessary to turn the engine above 3500 revolutions. Gears are relatively long and therefore it is advisable to wait and shift higher until above this limit, when the engine reacts immediately to each press of the gas pedal. Due to the atmospheric filling and volume of the engine, you cannot expect breath-taking dynamics, but the engine power is sufficient for brisk driving, and that in the presence of a quite pleasant sound background.

It is a four-cylinder unit with a volume of 1496 cm ³ , a maximum power of 66 kW at 6000 revolutions and a torque of 148 Nm at 4000 revolutions. As is usual with Skyactiv engines, after starting, the rpm stays at a high value for a while. After they fall, the engine is quiet and vibration-free. The engine does not protest when driving, even when the revolutions drop to 1500, but to maintain dynamics, it is necessary to keep them above 2000. Considering the class and focus of the car, I was satisfied with the engine’s performance. When working with the gearbox correctly, I did not feel like a “brake” in traffic in the city or on county roads. Perhaps the only thing I missed was higher performance on the highway, where at higher speeds the willingness of the car to accelerate was already lost.

However, the highway is unlikely to be a place where the Mazda 2 will be found regularly. Up to a speed of 120 km/h, the car is relatively quiet. Above this limit, aerodynamic noise penetrates into the interior as well as engine noise. Consumption depends on the direction of the wind and the long-term rising or falling nature of the road. At a speed of 130-140 km/h, it was in the range of 6.6-7.5 l/100 km. In the table below, I list the engine speed in fifth gear at individual speeds:

The potential of the engine in combination with an excellent chassis could be fully utilized on the circuits. Before the turn, I apply the brakes gently, put it in second gear, and with a slight incline from the middle of the turn, I add up to 100 km/h. I shift into third gear and brake before the next corner… The chassis is legible enough to keep the driver from overstepping his limits and still playful enough to have fun with the car. When driving at night, I appreciated the excellent performance of the high beams, on the other hand, the intensity of the dipped beams does not seem quite sufficient.

Thanks to the atmospheric filling of the engine, fuel consumption remains at a low level even with a more aggressive driving style, when I did not exceed the value of 6 liters on average. With a calm but still brisk ride, it hovers around five. By driving “for consumption” I even came close to the value of four liters.

In the city, I drove in average heavy traffic with a consumption of 6.5 liters. Thanks to the dimensions of the car, driving in narrow streets is not a problem, but the turning diameter of 10.4 meters is a bit larger than I would expect from a small car. An excellent view from the vehicle, large rear-view mirrors and a rear camera contribute to comfortable parking.

I handed over the car with an average consumption of 5.7 liters. I drove briskly and fully utilized the engine’s potential. I believe that with calmer driving, I could easily achieve the declared consumption of 4.9 l/100 km.

Practical side, price

For a car of this segment, one cannot expect voluminous storage spaces or a large number of them. However, I put the half-liter bottle in the door and put my mobile phone in the folder at the end of the central tunnel. It was also no problem to store larger purchases in the 250-liter luggage compartment. However, I would welcome at least simple hooks for hanging shopping bags. Folding the rear seats creates an ugly step, but increases the volume to a respectable 882 liters.

With my height of 185 cm, of course I could not sit comfortably “behind myself”, but the child in the child seat had no problem with the space.

The price of the tested two in Takumi equipment is EUR 13,190 (+ EUR 500 for navigation and EUR 560 for metallic). I consider this amount to be reasonable compared to the competition. In the richly equipped car, the only thing I missed was the front LED headlights.

Verdict

The Mazda 2 doesn’t just stand out in the crowded small car segment with its design. It differs from its competition mainly by focusing on the driver and emphasizing the driving experience. It will please those who appreciate a sporty sitting behind the wheel, the torquey nature of the engine and, in this class, above-average driving characteristics. However, its consumption will also satisfy those who do not like to pay unnecessarily much at the gas station.

In my opinion, the number two bravely fulfills its role, and its older siblings do not need to be ashamed of it.