The 1.5 petrol engine, likely to be the most popular version, is adequate without ever feeling spectacularly quick, and is helped by a well-positioned gear lever that offers a decent shift. Early impressions of the steering on the preview event at a private test track are mixed: the light action is likely to combine with a decent turning circle for easy town driving, but at higher speeds it’s slow to react and uneasily lightweight, though we’ll wait for a full on-road assessment later this year before passing judgement.
The 2 rode well over the various track imperfections that offered a pretty good impersonation of British roads, and the body roll was well controlled. Interior quality is decent for this budget and rear space is good, certainly big enough for four adults to travel comfortably, although boot space is compromised and significantly smaller than all major rivals. It’s also a shame the rear seats don’t fold completely flat.
As mentioned earlier, Mazda is getting serious and the new 2 make the company competitive for the first time in the supermini segment. The brand is targeting 2.5% of the sector, compared with the old model’s 1%, and should achieve this while finding favour with a significantly younger audience. We won’t know how the whole-life costs stack up until later this year, but for now we’ll conclude that Mazda is on the right track.