Car Deal of the Day: Mazda 2 gives cheap thrills and a sporty drive for £181 a month

• Sporty handling
• Frugal with low running costs
• £180.83 per month

It's easy to overlook the Mazda 2 in the supermini class in favour of newer, glitzier rivals, but do that and you'll be missing out on a very fine car. It's good to drive, has a classy interior, and is well equipped – plus it's light on the wallet.

As this deal from Blue Chilli Mazda Leasing via the Auto Express Find a Car service goes to show. The 2 can be had for as little as £180.83 a month after an initial payment of £2,529.94. The deal is for 48 months and limited to 5,000 miles – if you want more flexibility, a mileage cap of 8,000 miles per annum is just £5.89 a month more, or the price of a coffee in other words.

It may be getting a little long in the tooth compared with newer rivals from Peugeot and Suzuki, but there is plenty to like about the mini Mazda. This deal is for the entry-level Centre-Line trim, but it's still feature-packed with 15-inch alloys, cruise control, and an eight-inch touchscreen with integrated sat-nav and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity coming as standard. 

Under the bonnet, you won't find a tiny engine with three cylinders and a turbo, as you do in most of the 2’s rivals. Instead, Mazda likes to rely on cubic capacity, believing this delivers better performance and efficiency. 

So, to make the 2 zip along is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 74bhp – it likes to be revved and driven hard, and is matched with a snappy six-speed manual gearbox, making this a fun car to drive. Body roll is kept well in check, and although the ride is a little on the firm side, it just gives the car a lovely sporty feel.

Mazda claims nearly 59mpg, which our testing has shown is pretty much on the money, and that means that along with that low monthly payments, the 2 won’t cost the earth to run.    

The Car Deal of the Day selections we make are taken from our own Auto Express Find a Car deals service, which includes the best current offers from car dealers and leasing companies around the UK. Terms and conditions apply, while prices and offers are subject to change and limited availability. If this deal expires, you can find more top Mazda 2 leasing deals from leading providers on our Mazda 2 deals hub page… 

Mazda 2 for £180.83 per month 

Click above to see today's deal or take a look at our previous Car Deal of the Day selection here…