Mazda 2 - The Perfect Start

By: Scott Newman. Images: Nathan Jacobs

If you’re anything like me, your first car was probably of a similar vintage to yourself – a 1984 model for this 1986 baby, if you’re curious. It was most likely slow, almost certainly incredibly unsafe and possibly questionably reliable. And again, if you’re anything like me, no doubt you absolutely loved it.

A first car is more than metal, plastic and rubber. In many ways, it’s more than a car. It’s freedom, it’s independence, it’s a concert hall, it’s a haven. But time moves on and while we love classic cars, most parents these days would have concerns about their children venturing off into the motoring world alone in a car without some modern conveniences.

Many manufacturers have departed the light car segment, so brand-new options for first-car buyers have reduced significantly in recent times. Mazda isn’t one of them, the Mazda2 remains the entry point to its lineup and benefits from continual investment and improvement.

Despite its size and price tag, the entire Mazda2 range is packed with the latest i-ACTIVSENSE safety technology. Even the base model Pure has autonomous emergency braking in forward and reverse, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert to warn of approaching vehicles, blind-spot monitoring, a rear-view camera and parking sensors.

If you stretch to the range-topping GT you also receive radar cruise control, that automatically adjusts your speed to the car in front, a 360-degree monitor and a head-up display (also standard on Evolve), equipment that was the preserve of luxury limousines until very recently.

You might not expect much design flair at this end of the market but you’ll get it anyway. The interior of the 2 is not a sea of hard grey plastic, built to a price. Leather covers the steering wheel, handbrake and gearknob, textured white trim livens up the dash and centre console and a pair of digital displays flank the central tachometer.

Let’s not pretend this is going to be the ideal conveyance for the Australian Boomers or Wallabies, but the front seats are comfortable and finding the ideal driving position is easy thanks to a steering wheel that is rake (up and down) and reach (in and out) adjustable.

The back seats can easily accommodate a pair of friends as long as they aren’t too tall and baby seats are no problem thanks to ISOFIX mounts on the outboard seats and a trio of top tethers. A 250-litre boot expands substantially if the 60:40 split rear seat is folded down.

Hop in, press the starter button to bring the 2 to life and plug in your phone to select either smartphone mirroring (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard) or simply choose your favourite digital radio station from the list and you’re set to roll.

The car you see before you does require one other step before setting off – pressing the clutch. True to its ‘zoom-zoom’ ethos, Mazda retains the option of a manual gearbox in its smallest car and it’s one of the best you’ll find.

Many have abandoned the manual as sitting in traffic with one can be a chore, but that’s not the case with the 2. The clutch is light, the gearshift is so sweet it almost changes itself and it’s the perfect partner for the willing and enthusiastic 1.5-litre petrol engine.

Another benefit for first-car buyers is the frugality of a light car with a small engine. During my time with the 2 Pure I tried to get it to use more than 6.0L/100km in daily use but it refused to budge and less enthusiastic driving would reduce that further.

What’s most remarkable about the 2, however, isn’t its equipment levels or safety credentials or practicality or even the fact it still offers a manual, it’s how much fun it is to drive. Some may read this and scoff, seeing only a small white hatchback, but they will miss out.

It is of course at home in the city, zipping through narrow alleyways and squeezing into carparks that other cars must abandon, but the open road holds no fear. The suspension is expertly tuned so long journeys can be completed in comfort and six speeds in both manual and automatic mean the engine isn’t humming away unnecessarily either.

To stick to the highway is a shame in this car, though, for it encapsulates the Jinba-Ittai philosophy, that of horse and rider – or in this case car and driver – as one. There’s a reason Mazda engineers chose the 2 as the basis for the Bio Concept, an experimental race car that runs on biofuel to continue internal combustion development while reducing exhaust emissions.

Crisp, accurate steering, a rev-happy engine, that delightful manual gearbox and a beautifully malleable chassis, obedient to the driver’s every input, create a package that punches well above its weight and price when it comes to driving enjoyment.

As power outputs and weight tickets spiral upwards in the modern age, the Mazda2 Pure is a delightful reminder of the joy that comes from a lightweight and finely engineered car that focuses on what it does, not how fast it does it. The experience is, dare I say it, Pure.

Forget first-car buyers, the Mazda2 is a sound choice for anyone that doesn’t have overall size as a prerequisite. And those first-time buyers whose budget doesn’t quite stretch to the new market should find solace in the fact that the 2’s attributes won’t be dulled by age, allowing young drivers of the future to start in a car that’s safe, reliable, comfortable and fantastic to drive. Kids these days, absolutely spoiled they are.