Mazda supermini continues with appealing old-fashioned qualities while its rivals forget about fun or are canned
When the third-generation Mazda 2 came out, almost a decade ago now, back in 2014, it impressed enthusiastic drivers in many ways, but still it was never going to be a leading light in the supermini market.Coincident with its second facelift (2023), though, it’s gaining greater relevance as the Ford Fiesta – which similarly focuses on driver engagement and was until recently Britain’s best-selling car – edges towards retirement and other superminis’ futures look rather shaky, for various and interconnected frustrating reasons.While rivals have been bloated in size, given smaller and turbocharged engines and been stuffed with ever more technology, Mazda has remained resolutely old-school. Still the 2 is truly diddy and comes with a rev-hungry atmospheric engine; while inside you will find only a modest touchscreen accompanied not by digital dials but a big central tachometer and seven-segment readouts.There’s not been a diesel model for a while now, but there’s still a good amount of choice, with four variants of Mazda’s own Skyactiv-G engine, a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol. These make 74bhp, 89bhp, 89bhp and 113bhp, the latter two being fitted with a mild-hybrid system to boost the fuel economy – although it’s already impressive, especially considering the lack of a turbo. You can have an automatic gearbox if you fancy, too, although that would seem to rather conflict with the ethos of this car.As of facelift number two for the 2, there are also four trim levels, each of them changing the styling somewhat, most notably in the front grille (with some models getting a blanked-off look) but also in the wheels, trimming, badging and interior materials.
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