Mazda 2 cars for sale

Frequently asked questions about the Mazda 2

• What is the Mazda 2
• The supermini segment still holds the greatest market share in the UK, and the Mazda 2 is the Japanese brand’s attempt at getting a slice of this lucrative business. There are lots of small hatchbacks to choose from, but the Mazda 2’s biggest competition comes from the UK’s bestsellers: the Ford Fiesta, the Vauxhall Corsa and the Volkswagen Polo. But competition is fierce from elsewhere, including the SEAT Ibiza, Peugeot 208, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Micra and Hyundai i20. The Mazda 2 is elevated above its rivals by focusing on the driving experience. Except for the Ford Fiesta, you’re unlikely to find another supermini that’s this much fun to drive – Mazda’s usual trick of distilling the spirit of its MX-5 roadster into ordinary cars has worked wonders.

• Which versions of the Mazda 2 are available?
• Mazda only offers the 2 Hatchback as a five-door, joining the growing number of brands abandoning the three-door supermini. It doesn’t offer a diesel engine either – they’re becoming ever-rarer in this sector – and its petrol range comprises a single 1.5-litre in three different power outputs: 75hp, 90hp and 115hp, although the most powerful of those was discontinued during 2019. Gradual updates to the standard trim lines mean the range of variants is a bit of a jumble, but currently comprises of SE-L, SE-L Nav, , Sport Nav and GT Sport Nav. Presently only the GT Sport Nav is available with automatic transmission.

• What's under the skin?
• The car's lines are familiar, and don’t have the sophistication of Mazda's newer cars such as the CX-5 SUV and 3 family hatchback. It’s still a neat-looking thing, though, enhanced further as you move up the model range with modern colours and trim details. The LED running lights introduced for the 2017 facelift are eye-catching, and we love how the steering wheel is now basically the same as the one in the MX-5 sports car.
  
  It’s starting to look a little plain inside, however – the freshest here is the GT Sport Nav, thanks to its premium-look trim. Space is only average too, and the dark rear glass fitted to most models makes it feel a bit claustrophobic in the back. A 280-litre boot is also only so-so. Typically for Mazda, there’s a lot of sophisticated engineering beneath the surface, including the Skyactiv-G engine (also used in the Mazda MX-5) and G-Vectoring Control system.

• How does it drive?
• The Mazda 2 is fun to drive. Having 1.5-litre engines that are slightly bigger than the supermini norm helps here, although maybe not for the reason you think. They don’t serve up an immediate big-engine rush of power – but if you rev them, as they encourage you to, a decent turn of pace is released (along with a bit of noise near the redline).
  
  It’s an experience that contrasts with the refined, easy pulling power of, say, a Ford Fiesta EcoBoost, but it complements the 2’s tidy chassis. Snappy five-speed and six-speed gearboxes give a bit of MX-5-like engagement and it’s fairly good fun, without compromising the in-town ride quality. Unless you really need it, though, try to avoid the automatic gearbox. It’s nowhere near as engaging as the manual cars, and both performance and economy suffer.

• How much does the Mazda 2 cost?
• The range opens with SE+ trim at £13,595. It’s equipped to a decent level, with air con, front and rear electric windows, alloy wheels, power-fold door mirrors and engine stop-start all standard. You can spend more than £17,000 on the top-spec GT Sport Nav+ which, as the name suggests, comes with sat nav as standard. Our choice would be to go for mid-range SE-L Nav+ with the 90hp engine, priced from just over £15,000 – or, better still, the Black+ Edition which costs just £500 more.