ANDREW HAMILTON is the first Irish journalist to drive Mazda's new supermini
Mazda has more zoom-zoom for us. It's the 2 which will be taking over from the Demio and the 121 and making an Irish debut in March next. Mazda hopes that it will reap the same sort of adulation as the bigger 6 sibling.
The 2 is positioned in a different and more populous sector of the motoring market, with a target audience that the company sees as not just active singles and young families but older, young-at-heart empty-nesters.
"We think we have a car that appeals not just to young people but to active retirees as well," says Peter Birtwistle, the Englishman who is its chief designer.
"These parameters are a real challenge. If you go too wild, you can easily lose the interest of one customer group and, of course, vice versa. With the 2, I think we have achieved the right balance in design."
The 2 cuts a neat profile on the road, although there's nothing profoundly radical about the appearance. The emphasis predictably, has been in the packaging and there's a shape that is 125mm longer, 30mm taller and 10mm wider than the Demio. It all adds up to much more head and shoulder room and more space between the front seats.
The power line-up has three low-weight petrol units and one diesel, represented by 1.25, 1.4 and 1.6 engines with 75, 80 and 100bhp respectively while the 1.4 diesel 68bhp turbocharged common-rail engine that does service in the new Fiesta and was developed by Peugeot, promises frugal consumption.
The official EU average is given as 6.8 litres per 100km which is around 60mpg. Mention of Fiesta is a reminder of the all-important Ford connection. Ford effectively controls Mazda, even though it has minority equity. The new 2 will soon be rolling off Ford's Valencia plant in Spain where the Fiesta is also produced. It's Mazda's first real European-built offering. (The 121 which was built at Ford's Dagenham plant, was simply a rebadging of the old Fiesta).
What of the driving? A brief 15 kilometre drive close to Mazda's European research centre outside Frankfurt, showed the 2 to have slick and easy-revving driving manners and even on steep gradients, the 1.6 engine wasn't labouring or sounding strained.
The front-wheel-drive chassis felt agile, the steering precise and there was reassuring empathy with the road. The interior exudes a good seat-of-the-pants feel: it's spacious and materials and switches have a quality touch. We will have to wait until next year for a more comprehensive and detailed test.
Safety features include front, side and head airbags and there's a special brake pedal mechanism which decouples the pedal and pulls it away from the driver in the case of a major front impact. Thoughtful touches abound like a low flat cargo space floor which Mazda claim to be among the lowest sills in the class.
The rear seat itself comes with a 60:40 foldable and split arrangement. Wider opening rear doors-they have a 80 degree angle-make it easier for the rear seat occupants to enter and exit.
The 2 should enjoy double the popularity of the Demio, if Mazda projections are right. The Valencia plant will produce 40,000 2s in a full year: Demio sales have been under 20,000. Peter Birtwistle pragmatically says that it isn't overdesigned nor unconventional.
"The exterior and interior were both designed to meet the widest variety of user needs and yet we think we have a modern and practical design statement."
It's far too early to talk about Irish pricing but it will almost certainly be above the Demio, currently retailing here from €15,175 to €20,800 ex works.
During the brief test last week, the man from Mazda Austria revealed that the entry-level 2 version would sell for €12,500 on the road. Even more illuminating was the fact that it would be cheaper in neighbouring Germany, where motoring costs are lower. He admitted that he hadn't heard about the unhappy lot of Irish motorists!