Lighter, sleeker Mazda2 targets younger audience

Unlike many new models, the new Mazda2 (more here) is smaller and lighter than the current car. Mazda expects to be able to almost double sales of the Mazda2, with its dramatically different and very appealing styling.

Mazda managing director Doug Dickson says although the company will be supply constrained, it expects to sell between 800 and 900 Mazda2s a year, up from the annual average rate of about 475 for the current model.

"It does represent a more direct entry into a younger customer base," he says.

"The current Mazda2 is very well regarded by the people who purchased it but it wasn't necessarily aimed at a younger generation. Our customers came from all walks of life, in particular those that favoured its utility and interior space. But this new one really does give us an opportunity to grow that demographic."

The new model eschews the current car's boxy styling for a much more sporty look that has been designed to appeal to a global market, particularly Europe where it competes against vehicles such as the Peugeot 207, Volkswagen Polo, Renault Clio, Ford Fiesta and Opel Corsa.

In Australia, however, the car's direct rivals will be the market leading Toyota Yaris, Honda Jazz and Fiesta and although prices have yet to be confirmed, it is not expected to be much more expensive than the current car with the new model likely to start at about $16,500.

While the body and chassis are all new, the drivetrain has been largely carried over from the current Mazda2 with some minor tweaks. Across the three model five-door lineup of Neo, Maxx and Genki, power comes from a 76kW/137Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels through either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

Although power and torque are slightly down on the current engine -- it produces 82kW and 141Nm -- the car is expected to offer better performance and fuel economy thanks to a substantial weight reduction of around 65kg for the Neo model that should see it tip the scales almost spot on 1000kg. Official fuel economy figures are not yet available but Mazda expects the car to achieve between 6.0 and 6.5l/100km.

Overall the car is about 40mm shorter than its predecessor sitting on the same wheelbase and inside it is expected to be fairly well specced with standard equipment including air conditioning, power windows and mirrors and a CD audio system with an auxiliary jack for an MP3 player.

Safety kit will include ABS and dual front airbags across the range with a $1600 optional safety pack including front side and side curtain airbags (that will be standard on Genki) and DSC stability and traction control offered across the range.

Initially the Mazda2 will be a five-door model only but Dickson says Mazda Australia will look at the three-door model that is due to be launched at the Geneva motor show next March. However he says it is not a priority as unless they can get more production allocation, it would probably be substitutional rather than incremental volume.

"We would look at it only to the extent that it would round out the Mazda2 range but we are not looking for an out and out price leader," he says.

What is more likely, is that we will only see a three-door Mazda2 when, and if, a sporty MPS version appears but that could be at least two years away.

Mazda would not confirm or deny that it is working on the development of an MPS model for the 2 but with almost every other manufacturer, particularly in Europe, offering a performance B-class car, it is a strong possibility.

According to Shigeo Mizuno, program manager for the Mazda2, if the company was to develop an MPS 2, it would not simply be a case of using a bigger engine as the car would need to fit in with Mazda's new policy of "sustainable Zoom Zoom". That means an MPS version would most likely use a turbocharged 1.3-litre four or possibly even a turbo version of the new Miller cycle 1.3 that is now offered in the Japanese spec Mazda2.

The Miller cycle engine (more here) uses a clever system of variable valve timing that is able to significantly reduce fuel consumption and mated to a continuously variable transmission, Mazda claims a fuel consumption in the Miller cycle Mazda2 of about 4.3l/100km.

This engine is however, for the short term at least, limited to the Japanese market as the CVT manufacturer Aisin, is not able to provide the service technology and technicians outside of Japan.

Watch out for a full launch review of the new Mazda2 in coming days.

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