Mazda photos

AutoMazda

For the European market, the Mazda2 can hardly be called an absolute novelty — the model was presented a year ago, and now it shows quite confident sales, even exceeding the company's own expectations.

The "two" reached Russia only in April, noticeably lagging behind Europe. And it's not that the Japanese forgot about our market or consider it secondary. It's just that in our country, B-class cars, to which the Mazda2 belongs, are traditionally perceived as women's, so starting sales without an automatic transmission would be a mistake. The "automatic" appeared on the model only this spring. And spring, you'll agree, is the perfect time to take a closer look at a light and cute little car.

Let's Recall

If you're interested in the technical content of the Mazda2, I recommend referring to my colleague Mikhail Tsymbal's October article — it describes in detail both the "hardware" and the car's behavior with a manual transmission.

The Mazda2 developers constantly emphasize its lightness and compactness. The new model is smaller and lighter than its predecessor with the same name (which was not sold in Russia), and, according to the Japanese, lighter than most classmates. Hence — modest appetite, low CO₂ emissions, and a lively response to the steering wheel. You can also read about how engineers shed extra kilograms in our October material.

The light visual image and bright body colors give marketers every right to call the "two" a "fitness car." In commercials, billboards, and press, the Mazda2 invariably coexists with gymnasts, runners, and breakdancers — in short, with people who are in great shape and know how to move effectively.

I was about to shower compliments on how fit and nimble the Mazda2 is, but then my eye fell on the specifications table. It turned out that the praised "curb weight under a ton" is not entirely true. Mazda uses outdated European standards in measurements, which do not account for the driver (those same 75 kilograms), and they modestly mention this in a footnote. If you calculate according to modern rules, with a driver on board, the Mazda2 weighs 1030 kilograms. That's a decent figure, but far from a record.

"Manual"

In Russia, the "two" is offered only with a 1.5-liter petrol engine. There are two trims (Energy and Sport) and two transmissions: a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.

The Mazda2 Energy, devoid of air conditioning, fog lights, alloy wheels, and even an onboard computer, but equipped with an mp3 radio and a player connector, costs 424 thousand rubles. We got a richer version for the test — with fog lights, 15-inch alloy wheels, climate control, and a price tag of about 500 thousand.

I really liked this "two." It's spacious, stylish, and the interior is interestingly designed — with many references to the MX-5 roadster. But the main thing is that it's just pleasant to drive. Why? Perhaps it's the 1.5-liter engine, which instantly responds to the gas and becomes more spirited with every thousand revs... Or the precise manual gearbox... Or maybe the sharp steering and light but informative gas pedal. Most likely — all of it together.

In Krasnodar, where the Mazda2 test drive started, my colleague and I got lost and ended up in a giant traffic jam. After getting out of it a few hours later, I was surprised to find that I wasn't tired, but even enjoyed it. Remember when you first picked up a clamshell phone? You probably opened and closed it endlessly. With the same enthusiasm, I was pressing the clutch in the jam, clicking through gears, and rejoicing at how harmoniously everything works here.

Outside the city, the Mazda2 also didn't disappoint. Obedient, lively, but at the same time — not a "stool." The engine is enough in any mode. I admit, the 1.5-liter unit of the "two" pleased me even more than the 1.6-liter in the "three."

"AutoMazda"

The main heroine of this material is the Mazda2 with an automatic transmission. Such a car came to us in the top Sport trim, where the standard equipment list includes climate control, 16-inch alloy wheels, a contactless chip key, a stability system, an onboard computer, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an audio system with six speakers instead of four.

The "automatic" on the "two" is not the most advanced: only four gears and no manual mode. But it's not even about the number of gears, but the algorithm of operation. The gearbox is in no hurry to lock the torque converter, so there's almost never a rigid connection between the engine and wheels, and the engine's power seems to drown in hydraulics. This is especially annoying in the mountains: the tachometer goes off scale, the engine roars, but the car... doesn't move.

In addition to the usual "drive," the Mazda gearbox has a sport mode. But I wouldn't say the car becomes faster in it. The main change is that the cabin gets even noisier, because the "automatic" always tries to drive in lower gears.

On the automatic gearbox lever, there's a Hold button. If you press it, the gearbox will stop shifting down, no matter how hard you press the gas. This is a truly useful mode that saves the "two" with an automatic from unnecessary nervousness on country roads.

What Else?

Good "automatics" are rarely installed on cars of the Mazda2 class — it's too expensive for manufacturers. Therefore, dear women, learn to drive a "manual," take an example from European women! Believe me, it's not difficult at all and much more pleasant.

The cabin of the "Mazda-two" is indeed spacious, but an adult better not sit in the back seat. The problem is the door armrests — they are purely decorative. A hand won't fit there even for a miniature girl, and holding it in the air or on your knees is very uncomfortable. I understand the complaint may seem funny, but it's really important.

In terms of ride quality, I preferred the cheaper Energy. On high-profile 15-inch tires, ride smoothness is noticeably better, and handling almost doesn't suffer compared to cars on 16-inch wheels.

I sincerely don't understand why the Energy lacks a trip computer. It's a penny item. Why save on such trifles?