The 2011 MAZDA2 is a 4-door, 5-passenger wagon, available in two trims, the Sport and the Touring. Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 1.5-liter, I4, 100-horsepower engine that achieves 29-mpg in the city and 35-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.
The 2011 Mazda 2 has been completely redesigned inside, outside and underneath. The all-new five-seat, front-wheel-drive subcompact was designed to take on a wide range of competitors, such as the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, and Kia Soul and Rio.
Mazda hasn't been a player in the subcompact market for more than a decade, but that didn't stop enthusiasts from calling on the Japanese automaker to import its world market Mazda2 to North America. That wish has finally come true, while the North American Mazda2 gets some minor changes, considered upgrades, in interior materials and revisions to the audio and climate controls compared to world market versions.
First introduced in 2007, the Mazda 2 has been extremely successful, selling more than 400,000 units in Europe and Asia, and being named World Car Of The Year in 2008. Now, the U.S. market gets the third-generation Mazda 2 before any other market.
The North American Mazda2 more or less mirrors the car sold in essentially every other Mazda market around the globe, aside from upgrades to the interior based on consumer focus groups. The Mazda2 is based on the same platform as the Ford Fiesta, but comes only in five-door hatchback form, and with a different engine and with different transmissions.
Mazda says that the Mazda2 is "Zoom-Zoom concentrated," and that it possesses the sporty soul seen in the automaker's other products - but at a lower price point and in a smaller package. The Mazda2 measures just 155.2 inches in overall length.
The Mazda2 is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder unit, good for 100 horsepower. A five-speed manual comes standard, with a four-speed automatic on the options list that will set you back an additional $800.
The styling is fresh and we find it arrestingly good-looking. Like all Mazda products of recent vintage, the 2011 Mazda 2 has been made to look much bolder and sportier than its previous incarnations. The body itself has been reshaped in a much more sporty fashion, with more sculpted sides, a laid-back windshield, and a jaunty little rear roof spoiler on one version. There's a new grille, hood, fenders, lamps, bumper and air intakes up front, with new body-colored door handles, new taillamps, a power liftgate, new 15-inch wheels, and exhaust system outlets at the rear. Underneath, there's a redone suspension and an improved braking system.
Standard features include anti-lock braking (ABS), dynamic stability control (DSC) with traction control system (TCS), electric power assist (EPAS) steering system, 185/55/R15 all-weather tires mounted on 15-inch steel wheels with wheel covers, body-colored door handles and power mirrors, air conditioning, power windows and door locks, AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with four speakers, audio auxiliary jack, tilt steering wheel, remote keyless entry system, rear window wiper/washer and 60/40 split fold-down rear seats.
Available accessories include a rear bumper guard, wheel locks (Touring models only), all-weather floor mats, cargo net, center console with armrest and auto-dimming rearview mirror with compass, Homelink and orange backlit buttons.
Aiming for higher gas mileage without damaging the driving fun, Mazda focused on reducing weight with a vengeance, using a much higher ratio of high-strength steel in the body to lose 50 pounds, or 10 percent of the body's weight, with more welds and more weld-bonded adhesives in the body and its openings. And then they looked for hundreds of places to save a few pounds, like the wiring harness, the door locks and latches, the engine's radiator, the automatic transmission shifter, the pedals, and even the speakers in the stereo system. The final result was a car that weighs just a bit over 2300 pounds in basic form, a five-door hatch that is actually lighter than a two-seater Miata.
We climbed in and found the seats comfortable and supportive and we liked the thick, sporty steering wheel. Although rated as a five-seater, we wouldn't subject a fifth person to the back seat, the same as we wouldn't for any car in this class. The Mazda 2 is relatively roomy for four, though. Fold the rear seats down and it offers good cargo capacity with 27 cubic feet of cargo space and easy hatchback accessibility.
Out on the road, we found the Mazda 2 fun to drive. The little engine is gutsy, with a sporty note at upper revs. Shifting the manual five-speed is easy and enjoyable. The new brakes are responsive, with no annoying slack in the pedal travel. The new electric steering is responsive. The new suspension tuning minimizes body lean in corners yet ride quality is smooth and comfortable. It maneuvers rewardingly in tight driving situations, making it easy to park or thread through thick traffic.
The Mazda2 is available in six exterior colors: Brilliant Black Clearcoat, Liquid Silver, True Red, Crystal White Pearl, Aquatic Blue and Spirited Green.
Specification
Engine
Standard Engine 1.5L I4
Standard Transmission 5 Speed Manual
Cylinders 4
Horsepower @RPM 100@6000
Fuel Economy Cty/Hwy 29 / 35
Combined Fuel Economy 32
EPA Class Sub-Compact
Number of Valves 16
Torque @RPM N/A
Fuel Type System Gas Engine / Electronic Fuel Injected
Turbo (Yes/No) No
Overdrive Transmission Yes
Battery Output N/A
Compression 10.0:1
Displacement 1498 / 91
Bore X Stroke 3.07x3.09
Cruising Range 361.6 miles
Final Drive Gear Ratio Opt N/A
Power to Weight Ratio 23.1
Final Drive Ratio No
Valves Configuration Dual Overhead Cam / Twin Overhead Cam
Supercharged No
Electric HorsePower RPM N/A
Electric Torque Feet Per Pound N/A (foot-lbs)
Electric Torque RPM N/A
Electric HorsePower BHP N/A
Brakes, Steering And Suspension
Brakes (Front) Disc
Brakes (Rear) Drum
Driveline Front Wheel Drive
Driveline (Opt) N/A
Steering Rack & Pinion
Steering Diameter Left N/A
Steering Diameter Right N/A
Suspension (Front) Independent
Suspension (Rear) Semi
Tire Type Passenger
Tire Width 185 mm
Tire Aspect Ratio 55
Tire Construction Radial
Tire wheel Diameter 15 in.
Seating (Standard) 5
Seating (Optional) N/A
Tow Capacity (Standard) NR
Tow Capacity (Maximum) NR
Headroom (Front) 39.1
Headroom (Row 2) 37.0
Hiproom (Front) N/A
Hiproom (Row 2) N/A
Legroom (Front) 42.6
Legroom (Row 2) 33.0
Shoulder Room (Front) 52.8
Shoulder Room (Row 2) 51.2
Seating (Maximum) 5
Headroom (Row 3) N/A
Hiproom (Row 3) N/A
Legroom (Row 3) N/A
Shoulder Room (Row 3) N/A
EXPERT RATINGS SUMMARY
Category Sport, manual Rating Subcompact Car Average Rating
Acceleration 3 3.3
Fuel Economy 8 7.5
Ride Quality 5 4.4
Steering/Handling/Braking 6 5.1
Quietness 5 4
Controls 7 5.9
Details 6 4.6
Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front) 6 5.4
Room/Comfort (rear) 3 3.3
Cargo Room 5 4.9
Value within Class 10 6.8
Total Score: 64 55.2
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