New cars
Mazda 2
Essentials Mazda 2 1.5 74bhp SE-L Price: Engine: Power: Transmission:
0-62mph: Top speed: Economy: CO2:
£12,995 1.5-litre 4cyl petrol 74bhp Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive 12.1 seconds 107mph 60.1mpg 110g/km
ON SALE March
EQUIPMENT Entry-level SE and
mid-spec SE-L cars get a screen with an integrated radio, plus standard air-con, electric mirrors and a steering wheel with reach and rake adjustment. Bigger central display (right) features on higher-spec cars
PRACTICALITY Boot space
measures up at 280 litres, which is 10 litres less than a Ford Fiesta’s capacity. Fold the seats down, and the load capacity swells to a respectable 950 litres – 24 litres less than Ford’s
n e e d t o k n o w. . .
Mazda handles superbly, while the five-speed gearbox is precise and fun to shift up or down. Revvy engine is also a very willing performer James Batchelor
Jame James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk
@JRRBatchelor
WE’RE already big fans of the allnew Mazda 2, having driven a pair of pre-production versions late last year. But this is our first chance to take the wheel of the full production car, fitted with the entry-level petrol engine. You can order the 2 with a 1.5-litre SkyActiv-G petrol unit, producing 89bhp or 113bhp further up the range. But for base S and mid-spec SE-L models, the 1.5 can be selected with a modest 74bhp and 135Nm of torque. As a result, it takes 12.1 seconds to go from 0-62mph, returns fuel economy of 60.1mpg, emits 110g/km of CO2 and slots into tax band B – meaning that a year’s road tax costs just £20. Just like its more powerful brothers, and the upgraded 129bhp version we
34 Special Issue
drove in the new MX-5 in Issue 1,356, the 74bhp 1.5 is well suited to the job in hand. It feels a little sluggish from a standstill, but once past 2,000rpm, the power kicks in and the engine revs cleanly all the way up to 7,000rpm. We wouldn’t get too close to the red line, though, as the dinky engine gets vocal past 4,000rpm and it’s a din that quickly becomes tiresome. But there’s no doubt that it’s willing and loves to rev, even if it’s noisy when doing so. Show it a series of corners, and, as we’ve come to expect from all modern Mazdas, the handling has a sparkle to it that few rivals can match. It’s brilliantly agile, there’s loads of grip and the
available – a “Head-up display is It’s par t of . ini erm sup a first for but it only a £400 safety pack, models” v Na ort Sp comes on
Mazd FIRST DRIVE Fun-to-
steering is direct, if a bit light. The fivespeed box has a precise mechanical action, just like the MX-5’s, that makes changing gears a pleasure. Once at cruising speed, the longgeared manual helps to settle the car down, and thanks to 15-inch wheels wearing tyres with deep sidewalls, plus good sound insulation, the interior is hushed and comfortable. The car in our pictures is a Europeanspec model, so isn’t representative of UK versions, but the 1.5 comes in two trim levels – base SE and mid-spec SE-L. Go for the SE at £11,995, and you’ll get electric mirrors, an adjustable driver’s seat and a steering wheel with reach
“Show it a series of corners, and the handling has a sparkle to it that few rivals can match” www.autoexpress.co.uk
