2 for the road

MANILA, Philippines - In 2004, Mazda under the new tutelage of Ford Group Philippines nearly hit a home run with the launch of the Mazda3. At the time it stood out from its class with its taut looks, polished driving dynamics, and attractive pricing. Now the “Zoom-Zoom” brand hopes for a repeat of that performance with the official launch of its small compact, the Mazda2. It faces off against popular competition like the Honda Jazz and City siblings and the Toyota Yaris and Vios. And what a face it has.

The Mazda2’s trump card is its most obvious: fresh, funky styling that adroitly sidesteps the generic jellybean look by virtue of subtle accent lines and curves and a not-so-subtle front end. The latter sports Mazda’s latest corporate “face”; slightly exaggerated grille, foglamp surrounds, and headlamps with upturned edges to give it the look of a “smile”. It’s complemented by wheels pushed out to the edges, occupying wells that have been sized just right for the relatively small 15-inch tires to avoid that “under-tired” look. Combined with shoulder creases on the front fenders, character lines just above the rocker panels, a crease at the mid-line, and relatively large window areas, it avoids the slabsided profile typical of a small and inexpensive car.

The 2 is now officially available in 4-door and 5-door variants, and while latter has a more restrained look (a bit like a Mazda3 reduced to 75% of its size), it certainly has its share of interesting angles and curves. Both variants have a look that says “fun” and “fresh” in the same breath, and will definitely appeal to buyers looking for a change from the usual Jazz-City and Yaris-Vios choices.

Inside, some concessions to cost-savings are evident in the predominant use of black and gray plastics, but buyers in this class of car won’t find any glaring sins of omission. Neither will they find too many radical design choices. Instead, they will find a conventionally styled cockpit with some handy features.

The instrument panel is on the driver’s side (not at the center as in the Yaris/Vios), and the major gauges are housed in a motorbike-style binnacle. Circles are the dominant geometrical motif in the cockpit, as evidenced by the central LCD panel for the stereo, the slightly oversized A/C vents, and the nice, thickly-rimmed 3-spoke steering wheel. At night, red lighting illuminates the cabin to effect a European ambiance.

The compact body of the 5-door means the 2 won’t be setting any records for cargo capacity, but it’s roomy enough for most urban owners. Small shelves and pockets populate the cabin, and there’s modest room behind the backseat for shopping bags. The cockpit is equipped with an AUX jack and a 12V power socket.

The split rear seatback also folds flat, but if that’s still not enough, then that’s where the 4-door comes in. Mazda quotes luggage-area capacity comparable with the competition at 250 liters, but we’ve yet to test it for ourselves.

Whereas Honda and Toyota offer entry-level models with 1.3-liter engine displacements, Mazda offers just one for both 4-door and 5-door: A 1.5-liter, DOHC 16-valve inline four of the “MZR” engine family. This smaller version of what you’d find under the hood of the Mazda3 is rated at a respectable 103 PS at 6,000 RPM and maximum torque of 13.5 kg-m at 4,000 RPM. The 4-door is available with 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmissions, while the 5-door is only available with the latter.

True to Mazda’s reputation for sporty handling, the 2 does not disappoint with its suspension setup. It consists of MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam axle at the rear. High chassis rigidity contributes to a nimble yet solid feel on the road, while the electric power assisted steering does not feel too anesthetized as in similarly equipped competition.

A short drive of the 2 revealed a suspension with a nice compromise between comfort and stability. The suspension has just enough compliance to absorb bumps and other imperfections without feeling floaty at moderately high speeds, and the steering has good path accuracy with effort that firms up nicely as you go faster.

The drivetrain of our 5-door unit also had enough pep to get us up to speed fairly quickly, with negligible noise, vibration and harshness. Instead of the eager-beaver zippiness of, say, the rival 1.5-liter Honda City, it has the more composed demeanor of its bigger brother, the 1.6-liter Mazda3. One thing missing from the 2’s automatic is “manumatic” shifting as in the Mazda3 or Mazda6. Instead, the only available forward speeds are “D”, “Sport”, “2”, and “L”.

Pricing for the Mazda2 is competitive. The 4-door with 5-speed M/T is just P725,000 while the 4-speed A/T is at P785,000. The 5-door is P795,000. Standard features on all models are ABS and dual SRS airbags. Eye-catching colors abound too. The Mazda2 5-door can be had in Spirited Green, Aurora Blue, True Red, Cool White, and Black, while the 4-door is available in Cool White, Black, Metropolitan Gray, and Highlight Silver.