Small Mazda goes big on safety
engine revs out – which it does, often, if you’ve selected the rather aggressive Sport mode – and road noise remains an issue on coarse chip seal, but ultimately the Two is still a smile-inducing small-car. The slightly tweaked steering is crisp, the chassis firm(ish) and faithful.
As promised, Mazda is bringing its G-vectoring Control technology right across its model range and the technology is now in every Mazda2 variant. Wish we could tell you that it’s sharpened up the handling package even further, but of course the whole point of GVC is that it makes life better without actually making its presence felt. Refresher: GVC delicately reduces engine torque as you turn into a corner, smoothing out steering movement and therefore also reducing body roll.
The Mazda2 was fairly understeer-proof during our test, most of which took place in wet conditions. It’s a hoot regardless of road surface, even if Mazda has never bothered to make a truly sporty version. Our flagship Limited might have extra kit but it’s little different to drive to any other model, save slightly larger (but still very modest) 16-inch footwear.
The Two has also picked up extra active safety equipment in its 2017 incarnation. Advanced Smart City Brake Support – Forward (ASCBS-F) is now standard across the entire Mazda2 line-up. The Limited model also comes up with excellent adaptive LED Headlamps (ALH), Smart City Brake Support-rear (SCBS-R) and Driver Attention Alert (DAA).
Inside, the little Mazda is still sheer class: clearly built down to a price, with hard plastic on the dashboard and door trims, but still beautifully designed and built. In terms of cabin environment, there’s arguably not a better supermini out there.
The Limited has also picked up the colour head-up display fitted to larger Mazda models – still delivered via a flimsy piece of flipup Perspex, but pretty sharplooking all the same.
Mazda is continuing with the tablet-like MZD Connect screen, which works well and serves up crisp and clear graphics. But it’s still one of the last mainstream brands to stick with a proprietary operating system and ignore the industry-wide move towards phone projection. No complaints about the ease-of-use of MZD, but it’s starting to feel a bit old-hat compared with Apple Carplay and Android Auto – especially when these systems could be integrated right into the existing MZD menu.
Overall, it’s hard to think of a supermini package with a greater of sophistication and style than the Mazda2. It’s certainly a car with an aspirational quality – one that makes no apologies for being small.
Then again, as you read this Suzuki will be launching an allnew version of the best-selling Swift – another small car that’s not short of character or broad appeal. The latest Suzy has striking looks, a very hi-tech three-cylinder turbo engine in the range and a good count of active-safety kit.
Plus there’s a properly driverfocused version of the Swift on the way, the Sport. We’d love to see Mazda do something like that with the Two; the car deserves it.
Things in this segment are hotting up... in a small way.