Mazda - 2

2003-07 

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The Mazda 2, which replaced the Demio, shares its underpinnings with the Ford Fusion. At least this makes it roomy, if not much fun to drive. It's better-looking than the Ford, too.

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	Classier than Ford's Fiesta or Fusion
	Very roomy for its size with good headroom
	Nice to drive with precise handling
	1.4 feels underpowered when fully laden
	Body styling and interior are a bit dull
	A bit expensive alongside Fiesta

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Mazda 2 is a spacious, practical car somewhere between a supermini and a mini-estate car, like its sister model, Ford Fusion. With a high roof, flat-folding seats and a wide cabin, four adults (five at a push) can travel in comfort with room for their luggage. It isn't quite as smooth-riding as a Fiesta, but refinement is acceptable. Cabin quality isn't great and there is some noise intrusion.
It comes with 1.25-litre, 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines; the excellent, revvy 1.25 is all you need, and it's less harsh than the 1.4. As with the Fusion, pick of the bunch is the smooth, strong 1.4 TDCi diesel. The 2 drives a bit better than Fusion, but its boxy shape and soft suspension settings mean it isn't as sporty as a Fiesta, nor as responsive as its sharp-edged styling suggests. It's not a bad car, but a bit of an oddball lacking a clear purpose.