2005 Mazda 2 Antares 1.4
Summary:
A decent car, but not quite up with the best
Faults:
No mechanical or electrical failures at all - the 2 is an extremely reliable little car.
General Comments:
The Mazda 2 is a roomy and dependable little car, with much more attractive looks than its predecessor, the Demio.
Underneath, this car is basically a Ford Fiesta/Fusion and shares its platforms, running gear and engines with the blue oval cars.
The 1.4 litre engine is very reliable, but lacks sparkle, with disconcerting flat spots which become very apparent when driving on even slight inclines - there have been times (even in my low mileage, Mazda serviced car) when the car will not pass 50 in these conditions even with the accelerator down to the floor. Not really good enough on what is quite an expensive 1.4 litre super-mini.
The car cruises well, although road noise is a little excessive - this appears to be a general Mazda problem. Wind noise can be an issue, particularly when it blows through the air vents behind the windscreen - they whistle quite intrusively.
Handling is good and really the excellent Fiesta chassis deserves a much better engine. There is very little lean in corners and grip is superb, with very positive steering feedback.
Build quality is adequate, but not as good as on the large 6. Some items of trim work loose a bit too easily and the plastic panels inside the doors are a bit too cheap feeling for a car of this price.
Seats are very comfortable and adjustable although driver comfort is let down by the lack of a foot-rest next to the clutch - which in itself can be a bit heavy at times.
Paint quality is pretty good by modern standards and doesn't mark as easily as the Renaults or Fiats I have owned. Bumpers do chip a little too easily though.
Practicality and flexibility are pretty good, but not quite a match for the Honda Jazz.
The integrated CD/radio unit is average with CDs often sounding a bit shallow and tinny. Radio reception is very variable - sometimes it can be hard to keep a signal.
Worst feature of all is the fuel consumption. For a small car, the economy is terrible and daily commutes are far more expensive than with any other car I have owned.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 7th October, 2006
6th May 2008, 23:41
It depends which one you get, if you buy an Australian Model, it is actually made in Japan with a Japanese Mazda engine, 1.3 or 1.5L (If it's the First Generation Mazda 2) as a result the Mazda 2 here is much more robust than the Fiesta which we also get. The fiesta has a high "faults in first 5 months" compared with the Mazda 2 (made in Japan version) which is currently the leader in the light car segment.
Its funny because the Spanish made Opels rebadged as Holdens that we got suffered more from problems than ones we had from other parts of Europe.
25th Jan 2009, 06:46
I got my wife a Mazda 2 too, for back-up as our VE Commodore turned out to be very unreliable. The little Mazda is a wonderful car. We got rid of the Holden recently.
11th Apr 2017, 12:54
The Mazda 2 is built on the Mazda DY platform, which was used to develop the Mk5 Fiesta and the Fusion. It is a common misconception that Mazda uses the Fiesta chassis, when it is the other way round.
9th Oct 2006, 14:34
When I wrote the comment above, perhaps I could have made one thing a little clearer. Do not be fooled in to thinking that the 2 is a Mazda. Basically, it isn't. It is essentially a Ford Fiesta with a different body. The chassis, engines, and running gear are all straight from the Fiesta, although it has all been tuned by Mazda for slightly superior refinement. The car is built in the Ford factory on the Fiesta production line in Spain.