A Note to the Reader: Before we begin, I should, at the very least, confess to not being an expert car reviewer. I'm a mere mortal, a run-of-the-mill driver. But with that I hope to offer you a review that is detailed and helpful from a user's point of view. This review pertains to the 2008 Mazda 2 DE10Y1 Neo 5-door hatchback (Auto with Safety Pack) as available in Australia at time of writing. It is of Nov 2008 build. Some comparisons may be drawn between this car and my previous one, a 2002 Toyota Corolla ZZE122R Conquest 5-door hatchback (Auto).

An Introduction

In June 2007 when I had just started work and was driving a borrowed car, many thoughts entered my mind on the possibility of driving my own car by March 2009. With only a few dollars in my bank account at that time the search had already begun. A typical young man with hormones raging the first thought in my head was 'sports car'. The Toyota MR2 perhaps? Or what about the Nissan 350Z? Then there were other hot hatches like the Volkswagen Polo GTI, Ford Fiesta XR4 and the Suzuki Swift Sport. Additionally there were old favorites like a Nissan Skyline, Toyota Supra and the limo-like Toyota Soarer. The new Volkswagen Golf GTI made me swoon.

I was definitely after a small car, and a tight budget together with fears of killer insurance premiums meant that a 'sports car' was out of the question. I had to look elsewhere.

It was early 2008 when I first started to look seriously into the Mazda 2. I didn't pay much attention to them on the roads and they were much less common than the ubiquitous Toyota Yaris, which is perhaps Australia's favorite compact car. Then a friend rocked up in a shiny-new red car to give me a lift from the airport.

At once the little toy car endeared itself to me with its smooth edges and sporty appearance, rather like a little bubble on wheels. On the ride back home I couldn't help but notice how surprisingly quiet and powerful the car felt. I was interested to know what it was, but afraid to ask. On arrival at home I went to open the boot and realized this was Mazda's new baby, a revamped version of its old boxy 2.

In no time I had the Mazda 2 brochure in my hands and the charm lasted long enough for me to buy the car nearly 10 months later, and this was after sitting in another friend's Toyota Yaris YR (on three separate occasions), arguably the 2's strongest contender.

The Trims

In Australia the Mazda 2 comes in 3 trims. The Neo is the base model. Maxx adds 15-inch alloys, a rear roof spoiler, body-colored door handles, an in-dash 6-disc CD player and steering wheel mounted audio controls. At the top of the range is the sporty Genki which upgrades the wheels to 16-inch alloys, adds foglights, front aero bumper, side skirts, higher grade upholstery, leather steering wheel and gear knob (in manual only), and features six airbags instead of two.

A Safety Pack is optional on all models. It adds driver and front passenger side SRS airbags, front and rear curtain airbags (except in the Genki, which already has 6 airbags) and Dynamic Stability Control/ Traction Control.

With a wide range of standard features even the base Neo is surprisingly well equipped with air-conditioning, four power windows, power mirrors, remote central locking, an MP3 compatible CD player, an auxiliary jack, ABS, Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA). Neo and Maxx are further available either as the usual 5-door hatch or an even sportier 3-door hatch. Genki is only available as a 5-door hatch. All models are powered by the same engine.

Exterior

At first glance the Mazda 2 should easily qualify as the perfect ladies' car. Smooth edges, tapered headlights, sizeable mirrors, wide honeycomb radiator grill and the little 'bee-sting' antenna define the front profile, making the car look cute as a kitten. It's almost too soft and cuddly to even drive.

Step out to the side of the car and its whole attitude changes dramatically. For a moment or two there's the words 'Sports Car' written all over the Mazda 2. The sloping waistline, beautiful wedge design on the doors, dramatic wheel arches and aggressive 15-inch steel wheels even in the Neo (and they look even better than the Maxx's alloys, in my opinion) are a head-turner...very attractive for what is just a city car. I fitted the optional Slimline Weathershields for both its form and function: it complements the strong lines on the doors and allows me to drive without the air-conditioning while keeping the weather out...not that there's been much rain in Melbourne of late.

Moving on to the rear of the car the view is suddenly more mundane, though sporty nevertheless with its gentle curves and tail-lights that taper like cat's eyes. The rear roof spoiler is an optional accessory that would have added much flair to the Mazda's posterior but I couldn't justify the expense while on a budget. The chrome exhaust extension however was an inexpensive but excellent addition, adding a touch of style. The thing I really like is the small black button that unlocks the boot electronically when pressed. It simplifies the appearance of the hatch while being functional and new-age.

Interior

The Mazda 2 comes with a beautiful key fob housing a retractable key. Pressing the silver button releases the key like a switchblade. The doors swing wide open making it very easy to enter or exit the car and they close with a solid 'clunk' hinting at quality construction.

Settling into the driver's seat I was again reminded of its tiny proportions, the back seat almost within reach of my outstretched arm, but it is not overly cosy. The interior is very pleasant with classy dark tones throughout and occasional matte silver accents. The cloth seats are well-cushioned and the driver's seat is height adjustable, a definite plus.

The instrument panel has a nice black-white-orange color scheme, although I appreciated the standard speedo/ tachometer more than the electronic fuel gauge. The three-spoke steering wheel is similarly uncluttered and only tilt adjustable but that's never caused me any grief.

All the usual amenities like the air-conditioning controls, MP3-compatible CD player, audio controls and digital clock adorn the center console, the highlight being the orange backlit LCD screen that greets the driver with 'Hello' on ignition. Fitting perhaps, when your 'Zoom-Zoom' experience is about to begin. The gear stick is mounted high and near the center console and the handbrake lever is situated more forward than usual, both within easy reach and with minimal effort.

An added nicety is the auxiliary port situated in the floor console that allows any portable media device to plug right in. No gimmicky 'iPod-only' docks here! The port is perfectly positioned, in contrast to some that are curiously fitted to the audio system itself, high on the center console. The 4-speaker system is awesome for a car in this price class with reasonably clear definition in the highs and convincing bass, enough to be appreciated when driving at higher speeds.

For a small car the Mazda 2 has a fairly competent glovebox, and its quirky design means its open rack will hold maps and magazines that can be retrieved without opening the glovebox itself.

Rear passenger space is sufficient for two teenagers or even small-sized adults but the reduced legroom and high waistline may leave the experience feeling somewhat claustrophobic for bigger passengers. It'd be good enough for ferrying friends around, but mostly for short trips, I'd imagine.

Boot space would suffice for a couple of suitcases and houses the space saver tyre, repair kit and car jack. While the back seats split 60:40 and can be folded forward to increase boot space, they do not lie completely flat. Boot space is obviously not one of the 2's strengths and buyers needing more of it would probably look at the Honda Jazz.

Overall I am impressed with the fit and finish of the 2's interior. It's a cheap car in the relative sense so I was pleasantly surprised.

Performance

Mazda applied the 'Gram Strategy' to the baby 2, causing it to shed weight with the arrival in its current guise. Weighing some 50-60kg less than the older DY10Y2 model, the featherweight of compact cars achieves a respectable power to weight ratio despite the rather modest engine. The Mazda 2 houses a tiny 1.5L 4-cylinder petrol engine producing just 76kW @ 6000rpm and 137Nm of torque @ 4000rpm.

Looking at these paltry figures on paper is enough to make me tear, but on the road this might well be 'The Little Engine That Could'. The engine is gutsy, more than willing to rev, and able to do so with surprisingly little noise intrusion into the cabin.

Floor the pedal and the 2 makes for a spirited drive, rapidly sprinting away from the lights to hit the legal speed limit. There's almost a perceptible wave of extra power as the engine revs past 3500rpm plus a charming hum that's a pleasure to hear.

With relatively low torque (and this is compared to the larger car like the Corolla I used to drive) the Mazda 2 doesn't offer much pulling power. It has not put a significant dent in its acceleration and with just one person in the car it's a little ripper. But just to test it I stuffed both my parents in and took to the hills. Predictably performance took a hit, but this is behavior I would have expected from any other small capacity engine.

The 4-speed auto gearbox is smooth-shifting and well-behaved, shifting upwards decisively under hard acceleration. The engine appears to have been tuned for fuel efficiency as the gearbox occasionally forgets to shift down a gear even when tackling a moderately steep incline. Initially I found this to be a minor annoyance and a bit of a letdown, but soon learnt that with the right amount of pressure on the pedal the engine is easy to wake.

Handling, Ride and Braking

A light but sturdy chassis and nimble handling add to the joy of an excellent 1.5L engine. Steering is Electric Power Assisted, is light and twirls quickly; braking hard and pointing the 2 through a corner is child's play. In doing so there's also little body roll while the Dynamic Stability Control (as part of the optional Safety Pack) reduces the chances of skidding.

The 2 is supremely poised and stable on the road for such a small car. Cruising on the highway at 100km/hr with the engine at just over 2500rpm, cabin noise is impressively low. When idle at the lights the car is so still I hardly know the engine is running, like a quiescent ball of fire waiting to burst into life.

The ride is engaging with firm suspension that is never harsh. Over the large potholes leading up to my driveway the suspension is supple enough absorb vibrations and prevent my stomach from lurching.

Braking is powerful with both EBD and EBA on board but takes a little while to get used to; a less-attuned driver could be in for a jerky stop.

Safety

Fitted with the optional Safety Pack the Mazda 2 achieves a 5-star NCAP crash test rating. The increased use of high tensile steel in this car have not only helped to reduce its weight but also create excellent protection within the passenger cell. The 2 is probably the safest car in this segment and Mazda should be applauded for their efforts.

Summary

Pros:

- gutsy performance with a willing 1.5L engine
- precise handling and fun-filled dynamics
- endearing styling
- smooth and quiet ride, much more pleasant than a Toyota Yaris
- a dream to park with its tiny proportions
- great build quality considering the price
- top-notch safety
- good range of standard features

Cons:

- wish it had more torque when going over hills
- high waistline of the rear doors and thick A-pillars obstruct vision (acceptable in the 5-door, worse in the 3-door)
- open center console won't win everybody's hearts
- cozy experience for rear passengers and offering little storage space for them

Conclusion

The Mazda 2 has some definite strengths and only a few niggling faults. At the drive it's a class act and truly deserving of its 2008 World Car of the Year award. It will no doubt appeal to women but also young couples, teenagers and possibly young men like myself who want to get as close to a hot hatch as possible without bearing the associated costs.

The 2 is a sweet city car and the exciting drive is real icing on the cake. If you are after a car in this segment then you owe it to yourself to test drive the Mazda 2. The experience is pure 'Zoom-Zoom'.
Amount Paid (US$): 13000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2008
Model and Options: Neo Auto with Safety Pack, Weathershields and Chrome Exhaust Extension