Mazda2 – TESTED! - wemotor.com

We were able to get our hands on the new Mazda2 R-Grade Sedan, which is also available as a hatchback in either V-Grade or R-Grade as well, and ‘boy!’ were we impressed with what it had to offer.

Overview:

Our test vehicle was the Mazda2 R-Grade Sedan, and we can’t help but to love its ‘zoom-zoom’-ability. The impression we got from it was that this car makes you feel as if you got more for what you paid for. At RM$82,937.50 (including insurance) you get sport-tuned McPherson Struts with Torsion Beam suspension, 16′ alloy rims with 195/45 rubbers, Front parking sensor (with on/off switch), front passenger & driver airbags, fog lamps and a body kit. All of which will be included atop of the standard list of goodies that come standard from the Mazda2 V-Grade.

Such goodies do include:
1) Leather steering wheel with Audio control switches
2) Gear Shift Knob (PVC + Silver)
3) 60:40 split fold down sear (Rear)
4) Power Window with One-Touch switch control on driver’s side only.
5) ABS
6) 4-wheel ABS + Electronic Brake Distribution and Brake Assist
7) 14″ Space Saver Tyre

Our first impressions were and are still highly positive, because the fit and finish of this car is nothing but excellent. Its doors seal shut without the hollow resonance of metal, the provisions of a smooth engine coupled with good handling characteristics and a very rigid high tensile steel chasis makes this car more valuable than the money you’ve put down for it.

Styling

We found the initial impression on this car’s design cues to be somewhat reminiscent of the Mazda 121, to a very slight degree, because it does happen to have a certain bulbous creation/re-creation to it – depending on how you see it ofcourse. Having a low-slung rounded nose that’s abruptly connected to a slender body may seem rather peculiar to the eyes. But look at it long enough and you’d notice how the lines communicate its character over.

Soon, you’d realize it’s sporty presence comes from its low-slung nose, low profile-tires (It stands at 1476mm high which is 7mm lower than the 2′s V-Grade), highly flared wheel arches and its side-profile as its line starts low and extend high towards the rear which personifies its sporty nature. This is why you’d also understand why this car has a very respectable 0.30 Cd ratio.

The 2 is compact, light (thanks to its high-tensile steel chassis), the controls are accurate, and the steering wheel is sufficiently weighted for the guys, but light enough for the ladies too.

Interior

The 2′s R-Grade provides wonderful detailing on the seats. It’s embossed ‘MAZDA’ wording on the all-leather upholstery’s backrest is thick, comfortable, borderline plush and has a nice grippy feel to it which does help in holding you in place during a spirited drive, but try not to expect too much from it.

The plastic dash doesn’t feel cheap to the eyes, but finds itself well blended within the grey-silver combination of colours. Occupants may find the glove compartment to be quite out of the ordinary because it happens to have a gap that allows you to slide documents or small knick-knacks in without having to open and close it all the time.

The control stubs feel soft to the touch, but rest assured they are sturdily built and the controls are very much centred, which makes it easy for occupants to reach for both in-car-entertainment and climate controls.

However, we felt that the gear-knob was rather more forward-placed and higher than necessary and perhaps a little too close to the air-conditioning blower’s speed-control when the gear knob was placed in P.

You do want to be wary about the use of leather, especially in our climate, because the sun can really heat up the leathers, giving your ‘bottom’ a hot surprise.

The leather-clad steering wheel is height adjustable but sadly its reach was not.

The choice of materials used within the cabin is undoubtedly commendable, because looking at how they’ve combined the use of different materials of plastic and leather, Mazda’s main aim was obviously gravitating more towards durability whilst keeping affordability in mind.

All was well until a decision was made to be a rear passenger instead. At 174cm and 75kg with a fairly average-to-athletic build, it was realized immediately that there was inadequate space for myself when the front driver’s seat was set at my own driving position. I literally could not fit behind my own self and my head was touching the rear section of the roof, which was why i could not lean my head back fully, as indicated. Thankfully, my colleague Farah was able to, but she’s as small as a potato and weighs as much as a twig!

Taking a peak into the 450L boot, it was evident where the rear passenger’s space had went.

How it Drives

Travelling around town, we found the 2′s engine silky-smooth with sufficient torque that the RPMs comfortably stay below 2,500rpm, but prod the accelerator pedal half way, and the throttle-body opens fully for a sudden surge of power that lets the engine rip through 3,000rpm till red-line with smoothness.

The 1.5L engine may only have 100bhp and 135Nm, but it also has a lighter chassis to pull. The engine feels very light, vibration free and power can be felt at low-end.

One thing we were very much impressed about was how vibration-free and silent this car was whilst stationary. Having driven by a friend’s place to show-off my new ride for the weekend, she too wanted to get behind the wheel and have a go, but what she failed to realize was that the engine was still running and consequently she turned the ignition key again…“oh the pain!”. But lets see how long the engine can maintain its ‘silent treatment.’ Who says you need a luxury car to be that silent and vibration free? So unless you’ve got a seismograph built into your “derrier”, you wouldn’t know if the engine is at idle, so do be wary.

Although the car did come with new tires, we couldn’t really explore further at higher speed levels because the tires still hadn’t been broken in yet. But from what we gathered, its potential was fairly great. Straight line stability is on the spot,

Under heavy braking, the car’s nose won’t dive too much, thanks to the stiffer suspension on the R-Grade, but although the 2 had rear drum-brakes, it still retained a firm bite even after being slightly abused going down Genting’s slopes.

Verdict

The rigid chassis gives this car great character and the styling is nothing short of noticeable. The compactness of this car, general all-round visibility and a zippy-natured engine helps you get around town with ease and satisfaction. The steering has great feedback and the brakes do their job very nicely. Tyre noise can be somewhat of an issue here, and becomes blatantly apparent on rougher roads, but heck! This car isn’t performance driven, but it sure does make you feel it’s almost there and fuel consumption remains at 6.8 litres per 100km for the auto, which literally gives both the City and VIOS a real run for the money.

We give two thumbs up for the MAZDA2!

Pricing:

Sedan (V-Grade): RM79,859.50 (Incl Insurance)

Hatchback (V-Grade): RM82,111.50

Hatchback (R-Grade): RM85,189.50