Lotus Exige auto

Essentials

Mazda 2 1.5 74bhp SE-L

Price: £12,995 Engine: 1.5-litre 4cyl petrol Power: 74bhp Transmission: Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 12.1 seconds

Top speed: 107mph

Economy: 60.1mpg CO2: 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

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

n n ee ee d d tto o k kn nooww...... “Head-up display is available – a“Head-up display is available – a first for a supermini. It’s part of first for a supermini. It’s part of a £400 safety pack, but it only a £400 safety pack, but it only comes on Sport Nav models”comes on Sport Nav models”

James James Batchelor

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.ukJame @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 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 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”

Mazd

FIRST DRIVE Fun-to-

At cruising speed, the new 2 is refined, plus 15-inch alloys look good; rear space is tight, though

d a2

Performance

0-62mph/top speed 12.1 seconds/107mph Running costs

60.1mpg (official) £47 fill-up

drive supermini lives up to our high expectations

Up front, there’s room for six-footers, but cabin materials feel a bit cheap

and rake adjustment and audio controls. For £1,000 more, SE-L adds alloys, foglamps, heated folding mirrors, a leather steering wheel and gearlever, 60:40 split-fold rear seats and Bluetooth.

Both pack a lot of kit for not a lot of money, and their reasonable price tags are further backed up with stylish looks.

The 2 carries on the ‘Kodo’ design language – first seen on the larger Mazda 3, 6 and CX-5 models – and works particularly well on such a small car. The bold front leads on to sharp creases on the sides and there’s a swoopy roofline. A squat rear-end nicely finishes off the sporty look.

It’s really only the dashboard plastics that let the cabin down for us. While the design is pleasantly different from the competition, you won’t find many soft-touch materials on this entry-level car. Things improve on the higher trim grades, but there are vast swathes of scratchy and hard plastics here.

It’s not the roomiest, either. While there’s plenty of space for six-footers up front, the new Hyundai i20 trumps the 2 in the rear, as headroom is a little tight. Boot capacity stands at 280 litres – just 10 litres less than a Fiesta’s – which is adequate.

Mazda feels UK buyers will more likely opt for the higher-powered 89bhp version, and we’d agree it’s the better choice. But if you only have around £13,000 to spend and you want a funto-drive supermini that’s more stylish than a Ford Fiesta, the Mazda 2 is a well rounded and very likeable little car.

Verdict

UNTIL we’ve driven a UK model, we’ll reserve judgement as to whether the 2 handles better than a Ford Fiesta, but it’ll be close. The 1.5 SkyActiv-G is great, while the rest of the package is stylish, offers good value and is fun to drive. Pricier diesel units are more economical, while the higherpowered 89bhp 1.5 petrol is the best all-rounder. Yet if you’re on a budget, this 74bhp version is ideal. ★★★★★