Mazda2 sedan revealed

Mazda has just launched its new sedan version of the Mazda2 at the Thailand International Motor Expo in Bangkok, revealing an almost identical design to the Mazda2 hatch, except for the obvious addition of a boot.

The Mazda2 sedan's frontal styling is identical to the hatch model's, while the rear end features a gently sloping rear window and a stubby boot to maintain its sporty attitude. The brake lights are slightly longer and flatter than the hatch's, reminiscent of its bigger brethren, the Mazda3 and Mazda6 sedans.

Mazda has not revealed how much boot space the Mazda2 sedan proffers but it's likely to be more than the hatch's 250 litres. The previous Mazda2 sedan, sold in Australia back in 2011, had 450 litres of boot space.

The interior also appears identical to the hatch's cabin, with a minimalistic, clean motif clearly demonstrated in the instrument panel and dashboard design. Advanced phone connectivity and infotainment options will be available too, including a full-colour centrally-mounted LCD screen on high-end models.

Propulsion for the new Mazda2 sedan will be supplied by a trio of engines, all of them SKYACTIV, which is Mazda speak for 'very efficient'. Along with the 1.3- and 1.5-litre petrol engines, a 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine, rated at 77kW/220Nm, will be offered in some markets. It also uses just 3.4L/100km and emits CO2 at a rate of 89g/km – very clean and efficient.

For the time being, however, it is not clear whether the Mazda2 sedan will be headed here. The hatch currently retails for between $14,990 and $21,990, plus on-road costs.

As we've previously reported, Mazda Australia is considering its options when it comes to the Mazda2 sedan, and has ruled out offering the frugal but more expensive 1.5-litre turbo-diesel here.

Mazda Australia's Public Relations Specialist, Tony Mee, reiterated past statements surrounding the compact sedan, and said to "watch this space".
"It's being looked at, but we're yet to make a decision on its suitability [for the Australian market]," he added.

If the Mazda2 sedan did get the green light, it's unlikely it would sell in large numbers as hatchbacks traditionally outsell their sedan cousins in the light car segment by orders of magnitude. Nevertheless, if the compact sedan does get the green light, it'll likely be fitted with the same 1.5-litre SKYACTIV petrol engine seen in the new hatch, producing between 79 and 81kW, depending on the model.

The new Mazda2 sedan will be built in Thailand alongside the hatch model and goes on sale in that country in early 2015.

Mazda Australia sources the Mazda2 hatch from Thailand, and the model is currently Australia's second best-selling light car, its 10,920 registrations for the first 10 months of 2014 representing 12.7 per cent market share. However that tally is down 16.9 per cent on last year's 13,136 sales for the same period.

The top-selling model in the segment is the Hyundai i20, with 12,613 sales so far in 2014, or 14.7 per cent market share.