MAZDA 2
Three letters spell a safer, more refined baby
Better for the addition of TLAS
THE MOTTO at Mazda HQ in Hiroshima seems to be that three-letter abbreviations improve everything. The Japanese automaker has thrown a bevy of TLAS at its light hatch in an effort to sweeten the package.
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and the handling-enhancing G-vectoring Control (GVC) systems are now standard across the range, as is improved Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH) suppression. A digital radio tuner (DAB+) now features from Maxx up.
The most important of these additions is the first. The Skoda Fabia pioneered standard AEB in this segment, but Mazda sells significantly more units that its Czech counterpart, which means many more drivers will benefit from the bingle-avoiding tech.
There’s more buyer choice in the showroom, too. Joining the three existing variants – Neo, Maxx, and Genki – is a new flagship, the $ 21,680 GT. Prices otherwise remain unchanged, starting from $14,990 for the entry-level Neo fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox. Want an auto? That’s an extra $ 2000.
The GVC system provides a subtle power reduction during turn-in to sharpen steering response, building on the 2’s fundamental handling talent. It gels with the uprated suspension and a recalibrated electromechanical power steering system. Revised dampers allow the chassis to soak up most undulations while dealing well with potentially jarring bumps and potholes.
Mazda has made big strides in quelling NVH. Coarse-chip tyre noise – a previous Mazda 2 Achilles heel – is now much less intrusive, hushed to acceptable levels via extra sound deadening for the luggage and engine compartments. Improved suspension bushings, meanwhile, reduce road vibes and harshness, and a noise-insulating windscreen cuts wind noise.
All Mazda 2 variants use the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in one of two states of tune; 79kw/139nm for the Neo, and 81kw/141nm for the others. In both iterations it is a perky unit, with plenty of mid-range and a revvy yet tractable personality.
Both the transmission optionss are gems. The three-pedal version’s precise shift action adds to the driving enjoyment, though choosing the six-speed torque-converter automatic won’t n’t ruin the fun.
The Maxx looks to be the sweet et spot. Its $ 3000 premium over the Neo nets the slightly more powerful engine tune with a fuellsaving idle-stop function, a largerr touchscreen with an intuitive controller dial, a reversing camera, ra, a leather-wrapped steering wheel l and 15-inch alloys in place of plastic-capped steelies.