Form and function: Details of the Mazda2 revealed
Although they won’t go on sale in the UK until early 2015, the latest details about the 16 cars in the Mazda2 range have got consumers buzzing with anticipation. With prices between £11,995 and £17,393, there’s sure to be an option to suit all budgets and needs, with plenty of areas that can be customised.
The range will have a five grade structure, with SE, SE-L, SE-L Nav, Sport and Sport Nav levels available, with a choice of 12 petrol and four diesel engines. These are 1.5-litre, 75, 90 and 115ps petrol and 1.5-litre, 105ps diesel engines, which have been optimised to offer plenty of power, combined with excellent fuel economy.
All models will feature Mazda's unique SKYACTIV technology with its signature 'KODO-Soul of Motion' design philosophy. The result is set to be a sleek and highly driveable car that will appeal to a wide range of motorists.
While the Mazda2 is a new range, the design is clearly a natural extension of the Mazda look. The trademark front wing grille and headlight shape mark it out as a part of the Mazda brand, although the B-sector supermini departs from convention by using a rear-cab design as opposed to a monobox. Sports-Nav models also come with 16-inch alloy wheels.
The Mazda2 will also be the first car to feature a head-up display in the B-segment. Furthermore, all the cars will have a comprehensive package of safety features as standard. This will include Hill Hold Assist, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control System.
For SE-L grade and upwards, the safety system includes a Lane Departure Warning System, and Smart City Brake Support, which uses a front sensor to automatically brake if it detects an obstacle in the vehicle’s path.
There is also the option of an additional set of safety features, which includes High Beam Control, an Advanced Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert system, and an Active Driving Display.
For those concerned with comfort, there is plenty of legroom, ergonomic seat design and a variety of luxury interior finishes. Climate control and air conditioning ensure a comfortable ride in all conditions, along with automatic front and rear wipers and keyless entry as additional options. Drivers can also choose to have heated door mirrors to help maintain maximum visibility, regardless of the weather.
For the higher grade models, there is a 7-inch full colour dashboard touch-screen. This is enhanced with a rotary multimedia commander, which helps to create a safe, intuitive interactivity and infotainment control panel. DAB radio features for the first time in the Mazda2 and, in SE-L Nav and Sport Nav grades, a new navigation system offers improved directions, and includes three years of map updates.
The seamless driving experience is further improved by a feature known as MZD Connect. This allows drivers to access a variety of free content via eligible smartphones using a cloud service. The system also supports MP3 players, iPods, CDs, text messaging readouts and radio.