Mazda MAZDA2 Review

As the latest in a series of pint-sized models to enter the market, the Mazda 2 four-door hatchback is an effort to capitalize on two intersecting developments. First is the increasing importance of fuel economy to both automakers and car buyers. The second is a new sense of frugality, which contains the idea that most Americans -- who seldom carry a full load of passengers or cargo -- are driving around much more car than they actually need.

The Mazda 2 addresses both of these realities head-on and throws in a bit of sportiness for good measure. It's not the most spacious model in its class, nor the most premium. But for an inexpensive set of wheels that'll get you where you need to go without being a complete snooze to drive, the Mazda 2 is worth a look.

Current Mazda 2
The Mazda 2 is a subcompact four-door hatchback that's new to the United States for 2011. Power comes from a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 100 horsepower and 98 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, while a four-speed automatic is an option.

The Mazda 2 is offered in two trims. The entry-level Sport comes with a number of desirable standard features like keyless entry, air-conditioning, full power accessories and a four-speaker CD/MP3 stereo with an auxiliary audio jack. Stepping up to the Touring gets you more goodies that include alloy wheels, foglights, a leather-wrapped wheel, cruise control and a six-speaker stereo. While this is a good amount of stuff, it bears mentioning that many of the latest cutting-edge features available on competitive models, including a navigation system, iPod interface and Bluetooth aren't even offered here.

From a design perspective, the Mazda 2's cabin is modern but simple, with no elements to fawn over or bemoan. Hard plastics are plentiful, but that is to be expected. The front seats are relatively comfortable and offer enough room for taller adults, though the lack of a telescoping steering wheel is a notable omission. Also disappointing are the rear seats, which are flat and cramped. With those rear seats in place, cargo capacity is 13.3 cubic feet, which is small for a hatchback. With the 60/40-split seats folded (they don't fold completely flat), that figure goes up to 27.8 cubes -- Honda's Fit can hold 57.3 cubic feet.

In our reviews, we found the Mazda 2's 100-hp four-cylinder engine left the car feeling a bit underpowered, especially when paired with the four-speed automatic transmission. Despite this small engine, though, fuel economy -- one of the big selling points for small cars -- is just so-so for this category, with EPA estimates of 29 mpg city/35 mpg highway for manual-equipped versions and 27 city/33 highway for automatic models.

However, with the five-speed manual gearbox, the car's precise steering and a well-tuned suspension deliver both nimble handling and decent ride quality, which makes up somewhat for the engine's shortcomings.