 2011 Mazda2 . Click image to enlarge |
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2011 Mazda2
Montreal, Quebec – Colin Chapman once said, “Simplify, then add lightness.” It was a mantra he preached and the philosophy behind Lotus cars.
Mazda has attempted to follow the same philosophy with its new B-Segment, or subcompact class, competitor, the 2011 Mazda2. It will be the lightest B-segment vehicle for sale in Canada when it reaches dealerships in late July at only 1,043 kg (2,299 lbs), more than 100 kg lighter than the new 2011 Ford Fiesta hatchback, which is built on the same platform.
 2011 Mazda2 . Click image to enlarge |
Overseas, the Mazda2 is even lighter: North American safety standards and a few tweaks to cupholder sizes increased the car’s weight by approximately 34 kg.
For sure, many consumers and journalists will compare the 2011 Mazda2 with the 2011 Ford Fiesta because they do share a platform, but these vehicles do differ quite a bit, especially in marketing philosophy.
Where Ford decided to bring the Fiesta to North America as a subcompact car with available luxury and entertainment features such as leather seating, Bluetooth and Ford’s Sync system, Mazda is taking a different approach by addressing the typical B-segment buyer’s wish for basic transportation at a low price point.
Mazda considers the 2’s direct competitors to be the Honda Fit (starting price of $14,450), Toyota Yaris ($14,920), Nissan Versa, ($14,198) and Ford Fiesta ($16,799). This makes the 2011 Mazda2, at a starting price of only $13,995, one of the least-expensive cars in its class; the Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio sedan and Chevrolet Aveo come in at slightly lower starting prices.
 2011 Mazda2 . Click image to enlarge |
Available only as a four-door hatchback, the 2011 Mazda2 is available in three trim levels: the GX at the aforementioned $13,995 starting price with standard features including power mirrors and door locks, 15-inch steel wheels, anti-lock brakes, dynamic stability control (DSC), traction control, dual front air bags, side airbags and curtain airbags, and a two speaker AM/FM/CD player with MP3 capability. The GS adds: body-coloured door handles, rain-sensing wipers, chrome exhaust, side sill extensions, fog lights, body-coloured rear spoiler, air conditioning, trip computer, leather steering wheel and a six-speaker stereo instead of two. All this extra gear bumps the price to $18,195.
The third trim is the Yozora Edition for $19,280, which is based on the entry-level GX trim with added air conditioning, heated door mirrors, remote keyless entry, steering-wheel mounted controls, four speakers, trip computer and interior silver accents throughout. On the outside, it features a unique rear spoiler, short stubby antenna, chromed tailpipe and 195/45R16-inch Toyo Proxes T1R performance tires mounted on special edition alloy wheels. In addition, the Yozora Edition includes a second set of 185/55R15-inch winter tires mounted on Mazda steel wheels. All trim lines come standard with a five-speed manual transmission or an optional four-speed automatic for $1,100.
    2011 Mazda2. Click image to enlarge |
With the five-speed manual transmission, fuel economy ratings are 6.8/5.6 L/100 km (city/highway), making the Mazda2 best-in-class in city fuel consumption. With the optional four-speed automatic, ratings are 7.5/6.0 L/100 km (city/highway).
The Mazda2’s interior is a pleasing and simple design; controls are well laid out and easy to use with a few cubbies for change and cell phones or iPods. Most of the interior materials are solid plastic. That’s not really bothersome on the dash and surrounding areas, but the armrest on the door panel is not padded and I found that uncomfortable.
The front seats are well-bolstered and comfortable; we spent four hours on a scenic drive from old Montreal to Granby, Quebec with no complaints about seat comfort. The rear seats are adequate for the class, with enough space for an average-sized adult.
The 60/40 split rear seatbacks allow for extra cargo carrying capacity if needed, and they fold quickly but not completely flat. The rear head restraints don’t have to be removed before folding down the rear seatbacks (not so in the Fiesta). Another notable difference between the Mazda2 and its loosely-related Ford competitor is the “completeness” of the interior. In some locations, the Fiesta had bare metal showing while the Mazda2 was completely finished with plastic trim pieces.
When you peruse the specification sheet for the 2011 Mazda2, you may be underwhelmed by some of the figures, notably the 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that produces a mere 100 hp at 6,000 rpm and 98 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. However, because the car is so light, it still manages to feel peppy and having 90 per cent of the engine’s torque available at only 2,500 rpm makes for a surprisingly responsive throttle pedal. Mazda’s ability to inject “zoom-zoom” into their cars shines through once again with the Mazda2’s sporty driving feel.
Typically the one drawback to “adding lightness” is reduced sound insulation, which translates into road noise, and lots of it. However, this is mitigated partially by headliner material that absorbs noise readily. On the broken and battered streets of Montreal, road noise was very minimal but the tires could be heard. Out on the highway, wind noise is practically non-existent, and engine noise is kept to a minimum with the small 1.5-litre engine turning approximately 3,000 rpm at highway speeds with both the four-speed automatic and five-speed manual transmissions.
  2011 Mazda2. Click image to enlarge |
Although the Mazda2 can be fun on twisty country lanes, it is only so with the manual transmission. The four-speed automatic spoils your fun with either quick gear changes that make the car feel sluggish, or, if you keep your foot in it, excessive revving of the engine to reach typical country road speeds. To be fair, though, on flat, straight highways and in city driving the four-speed automatic makes driving the Mazda2 effortless.
The city is really where the Mazda2 belongs: it has a tight turning circle (9.8 m curb-to-curb) and great visibility all around due to some clever design tricks such as lower side mirrors that eliminate some of the trickier blind spots around the A-pillar area, and one-position head restraints that push flat for more rearward visibility.
Mazda has been missing a subcompact entry in its line-up for quite some time; last year alone, Mazda lost 14 per cent of their customer base because of the lack of a B-segment vehicle in its showrooms. With a quarter of all B-segment shoppers looking for a vehicle that delivers great value, Mazda is hoping to regain that 14 per cent in 2010 and turn their new lightweight contender into a sales heavyweight in this rapidly growing small car segment.
