Mazda claims to have reduced internal frictions within the new 2’s 1.5-litre engine by fine-tuning piston skirts and redesigning oil passages, and it takes just one trip to the redline to confirm as much. The 1.5-litre motor spins smoothly, with little inertia and a pleasant zing, and feels every bit as strong as the headline outputs of 102bhp and 101lb ft suggest.
The 2 also pulls smoothly from low revs with little protestation. Find yourself confronted with an open road, or needing to accelerate at motorway speeds, and there’s every encouragement to use all of the available power. Drive the 2 in this vain, and 0-60mph is possible in 9.7sec, ahead of both Mazda’s claims and the competition.
All petrol Mazda 2s get the same braking configuration: 258mm ventilated discs at the front, but only drums at the rear. That explains the mediocre stopping distances recorded.
The way this Mazda rides and handles is reminiscent of certain classic French hatchbacks: it’s softly sprung, with reasonable body roll, a cushioned ride but surprising ability through the twisty stuff.
The Mazda’s reduced weight allows for softer springs and greater wheel movement than the norm, to the benefit of ride quality, while still keeping the 2’s body in check.
Only high frequency transverse ridges caused a little nervousness in the car’s ride. This may have been aggravated by our test car’s optional 16in wheels; we expect the standard 14in wheels to fair much better. The primary ride, a car’s ability to control body movements down a tumbling road, or over crests or into compressions, is difficult to fault.
It’s what happens when you turn the steering wheel that has left us most impressed with Mazda’s 2 though. Firstly, despite being electrically assisted, the steering is remarkably satisfying, decently weighted, quick without feeling nervous and, best of all, intuitive to use. It’s the best system in the sector we’ve tried yet.