Mazda Mazda2 1.3 TS 3dr Car Review - March 2012

The Mazda 2 1.3 TS is powered by a 4-cylinder, 1349cc petrol engine, which proves to be nippy around town. It goes from 0-62mph in 14.9 seconds and has a top speed of 104mph. With 74bhp, it is a bit slow on the motorway but composed nevertheless.

It handles extremely well and has tonnes of grip. The steering is light and accurate and, coupled with its small size, this makes parking and manoeuvres in tight spaces easy. The suspension is firm and the ride gets unsettled on rough roads. Body roll, however, is well tamed.

The engine runs quietly, but the cabin is not well insulated against wind and road noise. Narrow pillars ensure that all-round visibility is good.

Sporty looks give the Mazda2 1.3 TS a stunning profile. The steeply raked rear screen creates a distinctive shape. It is a 3-door, 5-seater, and its doors are longer than those of most super-minis. The rear side windows are narrow and sharply styled, and soften the car’s appearance.

Inside, hard and cheap plastics have been used on the dash but, despite this, it does look neat and should prove durable.

The level of standard equipment is better than in most small cars. Standard fits include power steering, central locking, air con, immobilizer, alarm, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, driver airbag, passenger airbags and front side airbags. The stereo comes with a CD player and MP3 connectivity.

A number of crucial features such as stability control, Satnav and cruise control are not available at all, even as cost options. Only metallic paint is available, for £420.

Mazda is one of the world’s most trusted car makers. It has consistently performed well in reliability tests and its cars tend to last a long time.

The Mazda2 1.3 TS comes with six airbags, emergency braking aid, electronic brake-force distribution, deadlocks, engine immobilizer, alarm and ISOFIX child-seat mountings.

The steering wheel is set high enough to give a good driving position, but it is fixed and cannot be adjusted either for height or reach. The pedals and gear lever are well positioned so you won’t have a problem operating them. The dashboard is clear and the controls are large and clearly marked.

The Mazda2 is class-leading in cabin space. Five adults can squeeze in and sit without banging their head on the roof or folding their legs tightly. Storage space is adequate too and there is even a magazine rack right in front of the large glove box.

The boot is small compared to rivals. You only get 250 litres with the seats up and 787 litres with the seats down, making it suitable for small loads only. The boot opening is small and oddly-shaped, making loading difficult.

The Mazda2 1.3 TS is competitively priced at £10,305 and offers really good value for money. Strong resale values make it doubly attractive. With CO2 emissions of 119g/km, the Mazda2 1.3 TS falls under VED band C and group 9 insurance should make for cheap premiums.

Fuel economy is excellent. On the combined cycle, the Mazda2 will return 55.4mpg, which is higher than the Fiesta’s 50.4mpg. You get a 3-year warranty up to 60,000 miles with the purchase. Servicing is affordable and must be done every 12,500 miles.