Mazda2 2009 review

The 2011 Mazda2 may very well be the cutest car I've driven to date. Despite its more than adorable look, the Mazda2 and I took a few days to get to know each other. Upon my first drive, I have to admit that I wasn't a fan of the all-new subcompact.

It was because the five-speed manual transmission and I didn't get along. On more than one occasion, I accidentally shifted into 5th gear, rather than 3rd, from 2nd. That wasn't my only complaint. Shifting felt jerky; the hollow sound the door made when it closed didn't instill a sense of confidence, and the loud road, wind and engine noise pouring into the cabin was exhausting to my senses.

With its 100-horsepower 1.5-liter engine and manual transmission, I can't really say that there's any zoom-zoom with the Mazda2. The other thing that is kind of puny with this car is its EPA-estimated fuel economy of 29/35 mpg city/highway. I expected more mileage out of such a small, lightweight car.

After the initial annoyances I reminded myself that with a starting price of $14,180 for the base Sport trim level and $15,635 for the Touring trim level, this car is one of the cheapest I've driven to date and reset my expectation level. My test car, a top-of-the-line Mazda2 Touring, cost $16,000; it packed in a few extra features that were surprising for this price point.

See also:

Mileage, Safety & Reliability
As I've said, the Mazda2 is related to the Fiesta, but one area where there's a noticeable difference between the two is in the mileage department. Where the Mazda gets an estimated 27-29 mpg in t ...

Supplemental Restraint System Components
The supplemental restraint systems (SRS) have two basic subsystems: - The air bag system with inflators and air bags. - The electrical system with crash sensors and diagnostic module. The air bags ...

Automatic Transaxle Fluid (ATF)
Inspecting Automatic Transaxle Fluid Level The automatic transaxle fluid level should be inspected regularly. Measure it as described below. The volume of fluid changes with temperature. Fluid m ...