Mazda 2
Owner Reviews
Photo: Drive's photo sample
My Rating:
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Search for used Mazda, 2
Owned for how long?
Less than 1 year(s)
Price and equipment
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Generally good. We also looked at the Jazz and Yaris. Whilst we would have liked bluetooth tech found in the Yaris and the Jazz's full sized spare, we were sold on the fact it had a bigger 1.5 engine (which is a feature in itself) and standard cruise, given we do a lot of highway kms. We were a little surprised the second key was a door-lock only type key without remote function (the Jazz gets two remote keys) but for a $16k car thats not too bad. The stereo system is pretty reasonable, not mind blowing but audio quality is reasonable. The USB port which offers MP3 playback is great.
Under the bonnet
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Excellent. Love the engine on this car. Love how it sounds a bit rorty when pressed though is quiet when up and running, even when cruising at 110km.It feels assured in both in the city and on the highway. We wouldn't have minded the smaller fuel consumption of the smaller Jazz and Yaris 1.3 litre motors, but the extra performance is worth it for not much more fuel (6.4L/100km against 5.7L/100km). The 5 speed manual gear shift is great; sporty and precise. A 6th gear would have been better but again, not something you see in many small cars.
How it drives
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
I call it the go kart and scooter of small cars. It feels so nimble and light, and tucks into corners and across roundabouts brilliantly. It cruises along the highway well and feels at home in the city. Braking is good, and pulls up quickly. Only areas it could improve include better noise suppression at higher speeds, and its ride quality on course roads, higher profiles tyres would probably help here too. The cruise control works well and responds to the controls quickly.
Comfort and practicality
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
This car has plenty of room for four adults. If it had the boot space of the Honda Jazz or the old box shape Mazda2 that would have been even better, though it would have impacted on the cars shape and looks. The boot is enough for most of our needs. We like the high mounted gear shift lever and ample space between the front seats to store your fuel dockets, CD's etc. The front seats are comfortable over long trips. I daresay they are better for long trips than the 2009 Mazda3 I had.
Servicing and running costs
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
The running and servicing costs aren't expensive though its a pity Mazda doesn't offer capped price servicing like Toyota does. Most of its services have been around $250 against the Yaris' first six services of $130.00. Insurance costs are reasonable and so is fuel consumption. There have been no unpleasant suprises and the car has been 100% reliable so far.
Aesthetics & styling
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
It looks good and still looks modern enough considering it first came out in 2007. I wouldn't mind if the rear styling looked a bit more "masculine" and more like a Mazda3. The inner styling is great I love the large motorbike style speedometer. The high mounted gear shift lever gives you more space in the cabin and falls to hand very easy - its a single hand span away from the steering wheel.
Safety and security
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
We like how this car has six airbags and ESC standard. I think dual stage unlocking or a panic button should be standard, especially given the high number of female drivers that drive them. We admire that the handling is secure and feels as though it would do a good job avoiding a crash to begin with; it feels as though it could safely maneouvre around objects well. The car has never been broken into.
Quality and reliability
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Virtually bullet proof. Hasn't missed a beat. This car has covered 15000km in just over 7 months over highway and city drives. The car feels tight and the quality of materials are proving hardy - nothing is wearing prematurely or has fallen off. The only quirk is that it makes a slight thumping noise when moving off if it has been parked all night on a hill, though we are told the car is perfectly fine, and is still mechanically A1.
Overall verdict
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
After owning this car for half a year we are still really happy with it. We love the way it drives, that it has been 100 reliable and teh car's comfort over long distance driving. We'd recommend it to anyone looking for reliable, well built transport that is fun to drive - its nimble and is more enjoyable than one would guess. We would seriously consider one in the future.
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