The Mazda 2 joins a growing list of subcompacts being sold in the U.S.
Americans have had a rather sordid history with subcompacts. For generations, automakers have built them, only to have them wither on the sales vine as fuel prices rise and then fall again, causing buyers to go back to their Hummers and other creatures of cheap fuel.
But this time could be different. Fuel prices are now about triple what they were just a dozen years ago and a growing thirst for oil around the world means prices will probably never return to such low prices.
So subcompacts may have a chance this time. What will help is if automakers can resist the idea that small cars also have to be tinny penalty boxes. Give buyers more style, inside and out, and at least the option to get the features they want, and maybe they’ll give them a try.
The Mazda 2 is such a car. It at least makes an effort to be stylish, has tons of feature and it has the added benefit of being a Mazda, meaning that it should be endowed with the sportiest handling in its class.
So, let’s take a look.
The 2's styling seems to make it look small.
in what Mazda calls Spirit Green, the 2 is certainly eye-catching. But it could be more so. Built on the same platform as the Ford Fiesta, Mazda took a more conservative approach than Ford in the design studio. The front fenders are reminiscent of other recent Mazdas, taking their cue from the now-defunct RX-8 sports car.
But the design loses its luster moving toward the back end. There are upswept character lines running toward the back of the car, but generally, the design tends to make the car look small.
The 2 is powered by a 1.5-liter, 100-horsepower four cylinder.
Inside, the 2’s design is typical Mazda. All of the controls are easy to use and are in the right places, but it isn’t as stylish as some other subcompacts, most notably the Fiesta and the Chevrolet Sonic.
There’s plenty of space for stuff and people in the front seats. Rear-seat space is a little tight, but doable for adults. There’s plenty of space to wiggle toes under the front seats, but kneeroom and headroom are limited.
Cargo space is decent. There’s 13.3 cubic feet with the rear seats up; 27.8 cubes with them folded. The seats do not fold flat with the rear load floor. It compares well to others in its class, except the Honda Fit, which is somehow small on the outside, but gargantuan on the inside.
The 2's interior has standard Mazda design cues, but on a smaller scale.
The 2’s handling was a bit of a surprise. There’s more body roll than might be expected in a Mazda. The ride is good for a small car, but it isn’t as composed through the turns as some other subcompacts.
The 2 is powered by a 1.5-liter four cylinder with 100 horsepower. That doesn’t sound like a lot of power, but it only has 2,306 pounds to tout around, so acceleration is decent.
What would help is a sixth gear, so the rest of the cogs in the five-speed manual transmission could be more closely spaced. As it is during hard acceleration, you’d better plan to rev the mighty-mite motor to its 6,300 rpm redline or else it will fall out of the sweet part of the powerband – above 3,000 rpm – when you grab the next gear.
A rear spoiler is part of the 2's Touring package.
At least the clutch and transmission work well. The clutch is light and easy to use and the shifter slides through its gears as well as the best gearboxes in any front-wheel drive car. A surprise is that the optional automatic transmission is a four-speed slushbox. A six-speed automatic would help fuel mileage.
What the 2 really needs is an injection of Skyactiv technology. Skyactiv is Mazdaspeak for series of technology improvements that will touch everything from the chassis to the transmission to the engine. A smaller version of the Skyactiv engine that was recently introduced in the 2’s big brother, the 3, is rumored to be headed for the 2. Mazda is already putting the Skyactiv in the 2 in the Japanese market, but with just 83 horsepower, it might not have enough oomph for American drivers.
Skyactiv combines a high compression ratio, direct injection, innovative combustion chamber design, weight and friction reductions and a four-into-two-into-one exhaust manifold to offer increased power and fuel economy. But fuel economy would surpass everything else in its class.
Right now, the 2’s fuel economy is a bit disappointing. The 2 is rated at 29 mpg city and 35 highway and we saw 32 in mostly freeway and rural two-lane driving. But the larger Fiesta is rated as high as 29/40 and we saw 39 in similar driving.
The 2 comes with an impressive array of equipment. Standard features include air conditioning, power windows, locks and mirrors, six airbags and a 60/40 split folding rear seat. Prices start at $15,165, including destination for the base Sport model. The Touring trim level adds fog lights, rear spoiler, chrome exhaust tip, red piping on the seats, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and upgraded stereo with six speakers instead of four and adds $1,485 to the price. Throw in the test car’s lone option, a $170 armrest, for an as-tested price of $16,820.
Right now, it’s hard to recommend the 2, since there are more attractive subcompacts on the market. But adding Skyactiv technology would make the 2 a far more proposition.