BY JUSTIN BERKOWITZ, PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK M. HOEY
July 2011
Date: June 2011
Months in Fleet: 7 months
Current Mileage: 13,912 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 31 mpg
Average Range: 350 miles
Service: $42
Normal Wear: $0
Repair: $0
On a balance scale, you’d need roughly 19 Miss America winners to level out our long-term Mazda 2. Put another way, we could tow five Mazda 2 hatches behind our long-term Dodge Ram 2500. Perhaps because Americans largely purchase cars by the pound, the 2 is inexpensive, and it comes equipped as such. It’s one reason, even as the logbook fills with love notes, that the little hatch has traveled a mere 13,912 miles during its seven-month stay with us.
We likely would have skipped a sunroof in deference to our taller drivers, but there’s not one available here, so sun-lovers will have to look to other subcompacts like the Ford Fiesta. Considering the 2’s youthful image and accessible price, we also would have expected Mazda to offer more audio options. The auxiliary input jack is appreciated, but there’s no reason for Mazda not to offer an integrated iPod kit or USB port. We’re similarly confused about the unavailability of integrated Bluetooth connectivity or satellite radio. We expect that a fair number of 2 shoppers would be willing to tick the boxes for these, even if it added a few hundred dollars to the bottom line. In our quest to see the 2 used for more long trips, we're investigating some aftermarket audio solutions; no one wants to be forced to listen to a crappy AM broadcast of call-in corn-care show while rolling through Iowa.
Better Cruiser than Anticipated
Contributor Sam Smith was undeterred by the 2's size and relative lack of toys and piloted the little Mazda from Michigan to New York City and back. He was surprised by how comfortable the car was for the journey: “No small-car fatigue, none of the traditional pain that comes from driving a dinky car several hundred miles and back,” he wrote. Part of the comfort can be attributed to the relatively long suspension travel, which minimizes the sting of rough pavement, with more owed to the seats’ soft bottom cushions. Still, there are some dissenters, with another staffer calling the ride quality “dumpy.”
Everyone appreciates the fit and finish of the 2’s interior, however. The dash materials aren’t soft and a knuckle rap on the door panels returns a hollow sound, but everything is assembled impeccably and the various matte finishes and graining avoid looking cheap. Cloth inserts in the doors are a nice touch, as well. Overall, the interior has held up nicely during its stay with us so far, showing nary a scrape or gouge—impressive for hard plastics.
Service, Shaking, and Stickers
On the service front, we spent 42 bucks for a check-up and oil change, but we also had an unexpected dealer visit. At 8700 miles, intrepid road warrior Zeb Sadiq reported vibrations coming through the steering wheel both at speed and while stopping. A trip to the dealership confirmed our suspicion that a front brake rotor was warped, and it was replaced under warranty. Some vibration persisted, so we had the wheels rebalanced, which finally returned the 2 to its chipper, shimmy-free self.
As you can see from the pictures, we're still using the 2 to promote our Save the Manuals! campaign. The livery has prompted a spectrum of reactions: One observer asked associate online editor David Gluckman whether our “outfit” had a phone number he could call to get lessons for his son. On the rough-and-tumble island of Manhattan, the Mazda's decals prompted several onlookers to salute Smith with their longest fingers; some staffers postulate that this was a response to the pilot’s, er, spirited driving.
In any case, the decals are coming off soon. Once the Liquid Silver Metallic paint is the only thing covering our Mazda hatch, we’re confident we’ll give the odometer a workout.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel drive, 5-passenger, 5-door hatchback
PRICE AS TESTED: $16,510 (base price: $16,430)
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 91 cu in, 1498 cc
Power (SAE net): 100 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 98 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 98.0 in Length: 155.5 in
Width: 66.7 in Height: 58.1 in
Curb weight: 2291 lb
PERFORMANCE: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 9.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 33.1 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 10.2 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 13.2 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 15.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 17.0 sec @ 81 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 109 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 178 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.83 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 29/35 mpg
C/D observed: 31 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt
WARRANTY:
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper;
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain;
3 years/36,000 miles roadside assistance
Continued...
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