Road Test: Stylish Mazda2 delivers supermini sparkle

I grew up in an era when under-age petrolheads dreamed of getting a licence and owning a Peugeot 205 GTi or a Renault 5 GT Turbo. We were a simple folk.

These were the cars that featured on the covers of car magazines alongside the likes of the Ferrari F40 and Lamborghini Countach. Somehow these pocket-rockets seemed attainable. Certainly you were more likely to spot a hot hatch Pug outside Supermac’s than any Italian supercar.

Then, as if mimicking our own ageing process, the superminis started to add on the pounds. In the last decade or so they went from sporty hot hatches to sluggish family hatchbacks. They no longer slotted neatly into parking spots and many even came with parking sensors, the motoring equivalent of bifocals.

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With the Mazda6 as its template, the Japanese brand has rolled out the new look across its family of models and the latest to get the look is its supermini entrant. The end result is a car that may not have the same dramatic head-turning appeal of its larger sibling, but is still one of the best-looking in its price bracket.

Thankfully that’s starting to change and downsizing has become de rigeur among the supermini set. Peugeot in many ways started the cycle with its new 208, but this new Mazda2 is the best example yet.

Even the most ordinary entry-level version looks good, but throw a few euros at the options list and with the help of a set of alloys and the right colour choice the Mazda2 gets some proper sporting charm, all the while retaining the functionality of five-door format. There are rivals to this car that can’t muster such a sharp look in their three-door guises.

Charm

The Mazda2’s charm continues when you sit behind the wheel. The cabin has been de-cluttered, exemplified by the simple single-dial binnacle and the smartly laid out central console. Even on the entry model the format is smart and cleanly presented, while middle- and top-end versions get a smart touchscreen system that can also be operated via a control panel located next to the handbrake.

It's not the ideal location for what Mazda terms its "multimedia commander" but most of the time you will find yourself using the touchscreen.

The sporty styling is also reflected in the feel of the relatively short-throw manual gearbox and its stubby gear lever. Weaving the Mazda2 through a series of winding bends on a country road you get a sense of a nimble agility that’s often missing in rivals. There is a price to be paid in terms of boot space, which is relatively restrictive at 280 litres, but it can cope with a weekly shop.

Admittedly, the test car was the 90bhp 1.5-litre while most Irish buyers will opt for the better-priced 75bhp version, a power output in keeping with most rivals. There’s also a 105bhp 1.5-litre diesel offering but diesel makes up a small percentage of sales in this segment.

Mazda’s big marketing message these days is tagged SkyActiv, a nonsensical term that tells you nothing about what it’s actually all about: incremental weight reduction and improved engine efficiencies. It’s all common sense engineering put into practice in an effort to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, with the added bonus that shedding weight also makes the car more fun to drive.

In the Mazda2, it means emissions of just 105g/km for the 90bhp 1.5-litre engine with a respectable fuel consumption of 5.9 l/100km (48mpg) and a nimble agility on the road that’s on a par with the likes of the Ford Fiesta and VW Polo.

SkyActiv

The engineers have done a fine job in delivering on their side of the deal but whoever decided that “SkyActiv” is the best tagline to sum up their efforts deserves a transfer to the department responsible for purchasing glass hammers.

Mazda is arguably the most underrated brand on the Irish market, despite offering some of the best-looking mainstream models on the road. Take the Mazda6 – it’s a sleek motoring pin-up compared with the frumpy Ford Mondeo or the vapid VW Passat. Yet Ford has sold nearly twice as many Fiestas so far this year as all the Mazdas sold.

Of course, looks aren't everything. But when it comes to cars, they're pretty damn important. And it's not as if the Mazda lacks substance. The brand has a well-earned reputation for reliability, its cars are well-equipped and its engine range, while not extensive, is good enough to fit with most Irish motoring needs. For all its positive traits, the Mazda2 is unlikely to topple the likes of the Ford Fiesta or Toyota Yaris from top spot. It's pricing is not competitive enough to cause the sort of stir in this segment that it needs to remind buyers that it's out there.

There’s also a long line of alternatives, such as the smart-looking Opel Corsa, the well-priced Hyundai i20 and impressive new Skoda Fabia. Yet for a balance of style and substance, the Mazda2 delivers much of the supermini sparkle that used to make this class of cars so much fun.

The lowdown: Mazda2
Engine: 1.5-litre petrol putting out either 75bhp or 90bhp and either 135Nm or 148Nm of torque L/100km (mpg): 5.9 (48) for 90bhp petrol~
Emissions (annual motor tax): 110 g/km (€190)
Specification: Entry-level SE comes with 15-inch steel wheels; radio with USB; power front windows and wing mirrors; dynamic stability control; hill hold assist; alarm; i-stop/start system; tyre pressure monitor. Executive adds 15-inch alloys; manual air-con; cruise control; front fog lights; CD player; 60:40 split rear seats; electric rear windows; Executive SE adds 7-inch touchscreen display, two USBs; lane departure warning system. GT version adds 16-inch alloys; rain-sensing wipers; auto air-con.
Prices: start at €15,995 (GT Leather and LED pack test car was €20,595)