For years, car enthusiasts in America have complained about the cool toys in Europe never making their way to this side of the Atlantic. Who would’ve ever thought that a global economic downturn would be the determining factor for our dreams to come true.
Earlier this month, I took a trip to Montreal Canada to drive the new 2011 Mazda 2, a car that’s been one of those toy’s out of our reach here in the United States since 2007. The entry level car may be new to my eyes and feet, but it’s actually just a mid-life refresh for the rest of the world. That said, Mazda’s timing couldn’t have been any better – the 2’s distant cousin, the Ford Fietsa, just started reaching Ford dealerships across the country late last week.
Even though that distant cousin of the Mazda 2 may be mistaken to be the same car, Mazda is quick to point out that the two have very few things in common outside of the basic architecture. After driving the Fiesta, I came to realize that although it is a fun car to drive, its purpose equates to more of an entry level vehicle that tries to do everything to the best of it’s abilities. It wins in some areas while fails at others. The Mazda 2 on the other hand retains a core competence you see throughout the brand: Zoom-Zoom.
I encourage all of you to come after me for that in the comments, but you must agree that Mazda has done a fantastic job at branding their products. Zoom-Zoom is inherently the most basic form of communicating the feelings you have when driving a Mazda. Fun-performance: Vehicles that are not only capable of assuring a capable driver can reach driving nirvana, while at the same time allowing your little brother to toss the key’s to your mom and making sure they both get home safe for dinner.
While driving the Mazda 2 through the European-like city streets of Montreal, I had the sense as if I was being thrown into an action-thriller staring either Robert Dinero or Matt Damon. The 2 made me want to jerk the wheel while hopping down cobble stone streets in Old Montreal. My want to have fun won over my body and the little kid in me got the pay off. Zipping and zooming safely through traffic, trying to avoid the all too stubborn Montreal locals as they refused to understand J-walking was punishing by death in some countries. At least it was them that got me mad and not my lower-back over the cobble stone streets which the 2 seemed to remarkable just float over. I had an awkward feeling at one point as we dipped into a tunnel beneath Montreal only to find a Mercedes G-Class two car lengths behind. All too much like the Moscow car chase scene in The Bourne Supremacy. Only this time, I didn’t end up smashing into a wall.
The seating position, gear shift knob, and overall feel of driving the small Mazda still made me feel as if I was in a vehicle that was truly capable of performing the same maneuvers you’d find in action thrillers like that in Bourne or Ronin. The best way to describe the sensation was that the car was light on its feet. Quick reactions, tight steering, all while being easy to drive in tight quarters at slow speeds. I’d heard a few comments that the C-pillar on the car was restrictive, making the blind spot dangerous. With a proper seating position and mirror adjustments, I couldn’t find anything further from the truth.
If I was living in an action thriller with the Mazda 2, I most certainly would be transporting something in the back seat or trunk while tossing the car around the tight European-like street circuit of Montreal. In reality, bag and camera was all I had on hand for this press trip, but in the event I had other goods or bodies that needed to be transported, the 2’s cargo area and back seat arrangement was comparable to the rest of the class – about 28 cubic feet of cargo space. The one thing that does separate the 2 out from the rest of the lot was the 60/40 split folding rear seats.
Looking at the interior, you’ll find many of the same parts from the Mazda parts-bin decorating the interior’s dash, instrument panel, and steering wheel. That’s good news for you entry level buyers. To the untrained eye though, you’ll miss the things that make this car add up to be more of a performance breed. Lotus has always stood by their cars to be performance through lightness. The less weight you have in the car, the better balance it will be, and thus the less power you’ll need to put through the drivetrain. Compared to the previous Mazda 2, all the small bits like gear shift linkage, air box, and even speakers have been lightened substantially. Adding those bits and more make a big difference – shedding nearly 240lbs from the previous Mazda 2, bringing total curb weight to just over 2300. That’s MX-5 territory.
Powering the lighter Mazda 2 is a 1.5 liter four cylinder that pushes out about 100hp. Even though the engine with the reduced weight of the car does provide good fuel economy, 27/33 MPG with the automatic transmission, there’s something to be said about driving around with only 98 lb/ft of torque. This is probably my biggest concern with the new 2: Driving around in the hills with such a setup could be challenging, even with the most experienced of drivers. The Fiesta had difficulty with big hills too, but it still had 20 hp and 20 lb/feet of torque over the Mazda all while achieving slight better fuel economy figures.
Stripped out with the basics of power windows locks, keyless entry, and sport trim, the new Mazda 2 will run you just under $ 14,000. A good bargain if your looking for nothing but the basics to get you around town in a comfortable and sporty way. Add alloy wheels, better seats, leather steering wheel, and a six speaker audio system, your looking at an added $ 1,500. Still cheaper than what you’d find from cousin Ford, but does that necessarily make it better buy? Well, if you want a basic vehicle that is also fun to drive and provides good fuel economy while not wanting to fork out $ 21,000 for something described as “entry level”, the Mazda 2 will be a good fit for your life.