12Daily Record, June 13, 2008ROAD RECORDDriven byAD
DING a three-door
v
ersion to the
M
azda2 supermini
l
ine-up is a big deal
f
or the Japanese company.After all, you8217ll have to motor
back to 1996 to find a three-door
compact made by this marque.
A
lot of what the three-door car
is about is very similar to that of the
five-door Mazda2. However, with
considerable praise already
heaped on the former, this isn8217t a
car to instantly dismiss.
Long story short, the fun element
has been boosted with Mazda8217s
latest small car. Enjoyable small
cars are surprisingly difficult to find,
what with the addition of improved
crash protection, boosted cabin
refinement and a general shift
towards premium motoring and,
hence
,
w
eighty and bulky cars.
Broadly speaking, this new 2 is
100kgs lighter than its predecessor 8211
that8217s more than an extra passenger
to haul about every time you drive.
And it
8217
s
another reason why the
car
8217
s
engines 8211 petrol and especially
diesel 8211 deliv
er some ser
iously good
economy figures.
The result, whether you8217re
interested in economy or spirited
dr
iving, is something that will put a
smile on y
our face
.
If you
side airbags, alloy wheels, a
split/fold rear seat, air conditioning,
steering wheel-mounted audio
controls plus a leather-trimmed
wheel and gear knob.
With Sport models gaining all
sorts of fancy kit, including a trip
computer, rain-sensing wipers,
s
ports bodykit, stability control,
bigger alloys, cruise control and
auto climate air con, you can8217t say
that Mazda have cut any corners in
the creature comfort department.
Despite the only cut being the
car8217s weight, there8217s never any
suggestion that the Mazda2 driving
and ownership experience is
anything but a rewarding one.
Boasting low emissions, high
fuel economy, a refined and willing
character and generous
equipment levels, five minus two
(doors) doesn8217t equal three but the
Mazda2.
of the front seat and slide it forward
to minimise the hassle of sitting in
the back. Not that it is any hassle,
mind. Knee and legroom is pretty
good thanks to the ability to put
you feet under the front seat.
Easy living of a different kind is
in evidence thanks to the generous
l
evels of standard kit present. The
familiar TS, TS2 and Sport trim
levels are carried over from the
five-door car 8211 the latter is reserved
for the 1.5 petrol car.
All cars get ABS, EBD and twin
front airbags plus a Thatcham
approved alarm and immobiliser
and Isofix child seat mounting
points. Electric front windows and
mirrors, driver8217s seat height
adjustment, remote central
locking, variable rate power
steering, glovebox with magazine
slot and a CD audio unit with aux
jack for an MP3 player complete
the package.
TS2 spec cars gain twin
Engine performance aside, two
fewer doors have done nothing to
diminish the car8217s appeal in the
context of living with it.
In fact, from an aesthetic
perspective, the little three-door
Mazda has the edge over its
five-door cousin.
T
he car8217s bold, chiselled looks do
much to help it stand out, and now
the sweeping line from front to rear
can dash uninterrupted and
upwards to the rear window, thanks
to the absence of a rear door.
At a time when so many car
makers are playing it safe, it8217s the
little things like the various exterior
design features that can make all
the difference. The Mazda28217s nose
and tail are equally bold 8211 the
former wearing the new company
face to good effect.
Of equal importance are the
not-so-little things in the cabin
that can make a difference.
Granted, much is the same as in
t
he five-door car, but if you want to
access the rear seats you can pull a
lever on the base
enjoy driving, you8217ll enjoy the
Mazda2.
For the record, the three-door
car can be had with a 1.3 petrol
(75bhp, 86bhp), a sporty 1.5 petrol
(103bhp) motor and a frugal 1.4
diesel (68bhp).
It8217s five-speed manual gearboxes
a
ll round, and from the units
sampled (1.3 petrol, 1.4 diesel),
refinement and performance go
hand in hand to produce one of
the best superminis around.
Worthy of considerable note is
the Mazda8217s 1.4 diesel. Without any
hype or drum-banging, the car
maker have produced an oil burner
with a lowly CO2rating of 114g/km
8211
amazingly without any space-age
aerodynamic aids or rock-hard low
rolling resistance tyres.
The upside is that you get to save
money on car tax and at the pump.
Combined fuel consumption is a
pleasing 65.7mph. However, thanks
to the engine8217s generous torque, the
c
ar feels brisk in town and on the
motorway, and this performance
seems to contradict the on-paper
figur
es 8211 101mph top speed and
0-62mph in 15.5 seconds
.Being 100kgs
lighter than
the five-door,
the Mazda2
three-door
returns great
fuel figures8230
and plenty of
driving fun,
writes IAIN
DOOLEY82168216Refinement and performance go hand in hand to produce one of the best superminis around
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