| First Drive | Caithness,Scotland | Mazda2 |
One hundred kilograms. That's how much Ferrari managed to shave from the
Scuderia's kerbweight in its bid to make a sharper, faster car. But weight reduction isn't only good for high end supercars; it's good for any car. So it's not just Ferrari that's been putting its cars on a diet, Mazda has been at it too, and the Japanese supermini has clearly been on the same Weightwatchers plan as the Italian supercar, it boasting a near 100kg drop in weight when compared to
its predecessor. Think about that for a moment; that's the weight of a very hefty passenger or several bags of cement. Losing that bulk makes for a sharper, more economical car.
The 2's not just been on a strict diet, but it's been down to the gym, toned up and is wearing an all new look too. So instead of the forgettable, bread-van style of the previous 2, the new car gets an edgy new look. Its flanks feature a bold feature line sweeping up from behind the front wheel, which is echoed by a sharp crease high up below a glasshouse that tapers dramatically to the rear. The front wheels are housed in chunky arches that are topped by prominent headlamps. Park the old Mazda 2 alongside the new car and aside from the badge there's little in common. That's no bad thing.
For all the old 2's styling shortcomings it always drove rather well. More glamorous looks hasn't meant that the 2 has lost this ability, the weight reduction actually meaning the 2 is more entertaining than ever. The steering is light and sharp enough, the high-mounted gearshift moving through its gate quickly and accurately. Grip is good, body control impressive and the ride is nicely judged too, the 2 proving to be an enjoyable drive when outside its natural city limits. At least it would be if it wasn't for the rather asthmatic engines.
There are initially three engines on offer: two petrol-fuelled choices of 1.3 and 1.5 litres, the 1.3-litre being offered with two power outputs. So the choice is 74, 85 or 101bhp at launch. To enjoy the 2 it's the 1.5-litre with its 101bhp that's the choice. The 1.3s feel underpowered and need working hard to produce decent performance out of town. They're peppy enough in city traffic but sustained cruising on motorways needs planning, and a fair bit of gear dropping. That's perhaps to be expected, and in fairness even when pushed hard the 1.3s remain refined, it's just that with less than 1,000kg to haul around those engines should deliver more lively performance than they do. The 1.5 is an improvement, but even it doesn't give the sort of all-round ability that might be expected.
Perhaps the problem lies not in the 2's performance figures, but its new grown-up feel. For a supermini, it feels big, almost in the class above where expectations for performance are higher. It's this that makes the engines feel lacklustre rather than any real lack of willingness on their part. The more mature feel is no bad thing either, particularly as people are increasingly downsizing in a quest to reduce motoring costs and their impact on the environment. And all 2s have relatively planet-friendly figures, economy in the 1.3s being over 50mpg, the 1.5-litre unit sneaking up to the 50mpg ceiling on the official combined cycle, but not quite managing to break it. Super economy fans will be offered a 1.4-litre turbodiesel, it being the same unit that sees use in a number of supermini rivals.
Although none of the 2s feel particularly fast they're all very refined. Road and wind noise is nicely insulated, though very oddly when it's raining there's a fair bit of noise created by water hitting the B-pillar. If it's not raining then it's nicely hushed inside, and when it's raining the stereo system with its auxiliary socket and MP3 CD capability can always be put to good use to drown out the sound. Equipment levels are comprehensive, with all but the entry-level car coming with alloy wheels, air conditioning and curtain airbags. Range-topping Sport models come with executive car-rivalling specifications including climate control, dynamic stability control, cruise control and automatic wipers and lights.
All that kit is housed in a neatly styled interior that offers lots of space and light - up front at least, the relatively small windows at the rear making the back seats feel a touch claustrophobic. Similarly, some of the storage solutions aren't as clever as they sound; the optional split boot floor doing little to aid practicality, instead eating up usable space; and the glovebox with its magazine rack is just plain odd. The seats up front aren't hugely comfortable on longer drives either. These are small complaints on an otherwise impressive supermini competitor. Now all Mazda needs to do is create an MPS version...
