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Mazda 2 1.6i

Magic number?

What should you do if a Fiesta is too small but a Fusion is too big? Leave Ford behind, head for Mazda, and ask for a new 2. The five-door hatch will replace both the slow-selling 121 and Demio when it goes on sale in March next year, so we leapt at the chance to sample the first cars to arrive in Europe.

By Chris Thorp

December 2002

What should you do if a Fiesta is too small but a Fusion is too big? Leave Ford behind, head for Mazda, and ask for a new 2. The five-door hatch will replace both the slow-selling 121 and Demio when it goes on sale in March next year, so we leapt at the chance to sample the first cars to arrive in Europe.

Approach the new model and you can't help but wonder about the look. Designers admit it's a compromise, but the tall, boxy stance can only be a good thing for interior versatility.

Inside, the dash is typically Mazda, with a scaled-down version of the 6's facia giving the 2 a stylish finish. Practical touches include a fully folding front passenger seat. The high roofline gives ample headroom, and the low boot floor makes loading easy. But it's not as versatile as rivals, and will be out-flexed by the Honda Jazz and Vauxhall Meriva.

Unlike the 121, the 2 isn't a rebadged Fiesta, but it is based on the same plat-form and shares half of its parts with Ford's latest supermini. That includes engines, with the 1.25, 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol units carried over, as well as the 68bhp 1.4-litre TDCi diesel.

On our test, Mazda was reluctant for us to drive on anything more than a short stretch of road, but it was enough to provide a favourable impression of the 2. Feeling like a shrunken version of the 6, the handling seems sporty yet refined, with a good resistance to understeer and limited body roll.

We drove the most powerful 100bhp 1.6-litre petrol version, which sprints from 0-60mph in 10.5 seconds and goes on to a top speed of 112mph. The powerplant returns a healthy 41mpg, but sounds unrefined at high revs.

Prices are yet to be confirmed, but expect them to be around ΂£9,000-΂£11,000. Honda's similarly proportion-ed Jazz costs a lowly ΂£8,995, but is only available with a 1.4-litre engine.

Will Mazda's 2 make it in the cut-throat supermini market? Dumpy styling won't do the car any favours, but the practical interior and driver-orientated dynamics should make it an attractive proposition.

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FIRST OPINION

    If style is your top priority, the Mazda 2 is not the car for you. Its looks are clearly tailored to the conservative Japanese market, but they do allow for a spacious interior. We look forward to a longer test drive, but feel the 2 will struggle in the face of more practical and better-looking rivals.
 

AT A GLANCE

    New Mazda 2 on sale in the UK in March 2003
    50 per cent of parts are shared with latest Ford Fiesta
     
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