Vehicle Overview

Launched internationally in 2007, the subcompact Mazda2 arrives stateside for 2011 as Mazda's entry-level offering. It's only available as a hatchback and is slotted below the Mazda3. However, the Mazda2 has more standard features than its larger sibling. The Honda Fit looks to be a major Mazda2 competitor, as do a host of other small cars, from the Ford Fiesta and Chevy Aveo to the Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris. The Mazda2 comes in Sport and Touring trim levels. Both employ a 100-horsepower, 1.5-liter four-cylinder. Manual and automatic transmissions are available.

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    Substantially reduced road and wind noise
    Many improvements were made to structural rigidity and powertrain NVH performance to provide a quieter, more pleasant ride, including the reduction of high frequency booming noise sometimes heard ...

    Hazardous Driving
    WARNING: Be extremely careful if it is necessary to downshift on slippery surfaces: Downshifting into lower gear while driving on slippery surfaces is dangerous. The sudden change in tire speed ...

    Interior Equipment (View A)
    1 Door-lock knob. 2 DSC OFF switch. 3 Passenger air bag deactivation switch. 4 Lighting control. 5 Turn and lane-change signal. 6 Dashboard illumination knob. 7 Instrument cluster. 8 Wiper an ...