Mini marvel

The Mazda2 supermini is one of those cars that gets rather forgotten. Probably not by those working in Mazda dealerships, but perhaps by car journalists ploughing through the weekly diet of crossovers and new EVS. Not by me, however, because

I’m an unapologetic Mazda fan.

The smallest car the company makes isn’t bristling with technical trickery but, like the Mazda3 that we tested recently, it has an engine that combines the advantages of both petrol and diesel units.

Most small hatchbacks – and even some larger ones – tend to be powered by turbocharged threecylinder engines of around 1.0 litre but the Mazda2 is powered by a four-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine.

This motor is available in different power outputs from 75PS through 90PS up to 115PS. Mazda’s policy is to fit engines to its cars that are of a big enough cubic capacity that they don’t have to work so hard.

We’ve been testing the flagship GT Sport Tech model which has the 115PS engine. It costs £20,845 without options, but our test car came with metallic paint at an additional £560.

Sacrifice some power and equipment and you can put yourself in the entry-level SE-L with its 75PS engine for £16,475. Even this cheapo model has Applecarplay and Android Auto as well as sat nav, so it’s still relatively well equipped.

Visually not much has changed with the facelifted-for-2022 Mazda2. There’s a new mesh grille that brings the front of the car’s look into line with the Mazda3 and CX-30 crossover, and at the back there’s a new bumper that makes the rear look closer to the ground. At least that’s what Mazda says.

Inside there are improved seats which in this GT Sport Tech version are leather. Our car also has a head-up display which is unusual in this class of car.

Sensibly, no more than three items of information can be displayed at once recognising that, unlike many car companies, we are not all Typhoon fighter pilots.

The 90PS versions of the car have the option of an automatic transmisison but the GT Sport

Tech comes only with a six-speed manual gearbox.

Its action is smooth and the ratios are well spaced while the engine’s compression ratio has been increased from an already high 13.0:1 to 15.0:1 to improve efficiency.

Mazda quotes an official combined fuel consumption for this car of 56.5mpg which we managed to beat by a few mpg without even having to try hard.

Economy is helped by a mildhybrid system that’s fitted to all manual cars, except the entry level SE-L 75PS.

Mazda has always been good at keeping the weight off, and this

car comes in at 1,154kg including a 75kg driver.

While not exactly a hot hatch or even a warm one, the Mazda2 is fun to drive especially compared to crossovers. A low seating position and its light weight make you feel more in touch with the road.

Hopefully Mazda will make another generation of the car before it has to go fully electric – and therefore heavier.