Mazda2 is a gem of a small car
DRIVING more than 600 miles in two days might not seem everyone’s idea of fun but I recently did just that in a little supermini and had a whale of a time.
I had to go to North Yorkshire overnight and, as usual, ran late leaving, which meant using the motorways all the way – not so much fun.
Except that I kept up with the traffic all the way at normal motorway and dual carriageway speeds, with my usual fairly heavy right foot whenever opportunity offered, and the car still returned an amazing 49.7mpg.
Even better, it had a petrol engine. What’s not to like?
I was driving the marvellous Mazda2 with a sweet-revving 90bhp 1.5 engine under the bonnet and not a turbo in sight.
I drove back from my job, over and through the Yorkshire Dales on ordinary roads and country lanes with sudden bends and corkscrew surfaces.
The “2” loved everything I threw at it, only becoming slightly unsettled over the very worst of surfaces at speed, but otherwise riding very comfortably.
The model I drove was the SE-L Nav, which comes with an excellent array of standard equipment.
The steering wheel is adjustable for height and reach, the driver’s seat adjusts for height, it has electric windows and heated folding mirrors, excellent air con, a trip computer and a DAB radio with aux in and USB port.
There are audio controls on the wheel and it comes with stop-start, cruise control, stability control, hill hold and tyre pressure monitoring.
The list also includes alloy wheels, a 7in screen for the sat nav and stereo, lane departure warning, and emergency city braking.
This Mazda2 is a gem of a small car that sits very close to the top of the supermini class.
The Mazda2 1.5 SE-L Nav I drove costs £15,200.