2020 Mazda 2

Driving in a long journey, but the performance still great + More - Less

Mazda 2 has given me a wonderful driving experience with quality suspension, brakes, speed and handling, very nice and sporty exterior look and paint, quality cabin, comfortable front seating, huge storage. Afterall I'm very satisfied with the car. + More - Less

Elegant look and awesome design with higher fuel efficiency + More - Less

1)Price - when I bought the car (lowest spec) it is cheaper than vios & city of lowest spec. 2)Exterior & interior design - very nice, pleasant to my eyes 3)Handling & safety- I really like the linear acceleration, cornering not so bad, it has GVC technology. It has brake disc for front & rear, unlike vios and city still using rear drum. (except highest spec vios). Acceleration is so so, but what do u expect from 1.5 NA engine. I like the manual mode, so u can shift the gear manually but without the clutch. 140km/h on highway is okay. 160km/h a bit shaky though. Steering is light and can be adjusted. Suspension acceptable,not too hard not too soft. 4) space is just not mazda thingy. Front passenger acceptable, rear passenger actually not so bad for us Malaysian, unless u are taller than 175cm, at rear seats, it has middle hump jus like in other car, some say rear seat can be too claustrophobic, but not for me, I like it as it makes me easier to sleep.boot space for me is acceptable, 5) fuel consumption - I'm impressed, if u maintain on highway about 100-110km/h u can get 20km/L aka 5L/100km, that is impressive If u maintain 130-140km/h u can get FC around 15-16km/L. Driving in the city, bout 10-12km/L some disadvantages -lowest spec : only has 2 airbag -no rear aircond -no rear cabin light -no built-in smart tag like myvi - no keyless entry for lowest spec altho it has push start button, it kills the purpose of keyless. - NVH : quite bad haha, once raining u can hear very loud noise at the roof, engine sound quite OK though. -no reverse camera coz it's lowest spec, but I don't mind about reverse camera as I'm using side mirror as my main. -no built in dashcam - I think nowadays all cars need built in dash cam. -resale value - I'm not sure,but I guess can't compete with Honda and toyota. For me. I'll keep the car for 10 years or maybe more if no major problem. + More - Less

I got the Mazda 2 Skyactiv 1.5L High Spec Sedan new about 2 years ago (2018) and it has been my daily driver up till the time of writing this review (2020). The notable main points of this car are as follows: Performance - this car is easily among the best-in-class when it comes to handling. Throw it into a corner and be greeted with a surprising amount of eagerness and agility. The "jinbai-itai" (rider and horse as one) feeling is really present when taking on winding roads and gives one confidence when driving spiritedly along twisty roads. It has considerably less bodyroll when compared to its peers (Honda City 2017 and Toyota Vios 2017 that I test drove). Genting climbs are definitely fun in this car. The engine and gearbox have been mostly trouble-free so far, although I have had to have the engine mount replaced (under warranty) as the car would shudder when idling occasionally. The engine itself being a 1.5L engine will require one to push it a bit harder as it leans towards fuel savings rather than performance. Driving in a light-footed manner should get one around 600-700km on a single tank while mashing the pedal and accelerating around every bend will lower the mileage to around 350-400km so it really depends on how you drive. The gearbox is intelligent and usually selects the appropriate gear without fussing around much. One other thing is the suspension/lower arms are beginning to make a certain sound, a "kruk-kruk" sound when the steering wheel is turned especially when going up a slope or incline. A search on the forums and FB pages reveal this is a common problem among Mazda 2's and 3's. The service centre mentioned the dust cover needed to be replaced with no problems being found in the suspension and so I am waiting for the replacement part to be shipped over (thankfully under warranty). Interior design - the dashboard and centre console look as though they may have been taken from a German car rather than being of Japanese origin (in my opinion). Though mainly plastic, the way the interior panels are moulded and shaped give the car an air of quality and a solid "feel" not to mention the slab of stitched leather on the front passager side dash add to a feeling of plushness that most cars in the segment do not offer. Of course, this all adds to an increase in the perceived quality of the car and may not reflect the actual quality especially that of the leathers used. I've had the leather on the steering wheel flake and tear off within 1.5 years into ownership but thankfully it was replaced under warranty. Interior space however, especially in the rear, is severely lacking. Rear passengers above 150cm in height will be miserable in the back seats especially for long commutes. Safety - the car comes with 2 air bags, one for the driver and one for the front passenger. This falls short of current standards as its competitors have as many as 7 airbags. With regards to other driver safety aids, it has ABS and traction control, the former successfully preventing me from getting into a crash so I can attest it works when needed. Exterior design - looks are subjective, however in my eyes, it's one of the better looking cars in its class and its size. I like the look. Though of course a Mazda 3 looks even better in terms of proportion. In conclusion, the Mazda has served me well thus far, and it provides a significantly more entertaining drive when driven enthusiastically. Handling is fantastic (for its class) and the engine provides decent (not great) power. The interior rear space is its biggest weakness so if you're someone who'll have to carry more than 2 people regularly, I'd skip this car. But if you'll be doing most of your driving alone or with 1 other person, appreciate a "premium-looking" interior, enjoy the occasional Genting climb and have RM80k++ to splash (or qualify for the loan), then well, it's a very good option to consider. + More - Less