Mazda2 (ENG) - Test Drive and Review

Mazda2 is a very special supermini. It is expensive, but handles brilliantly. The problem with Mazda2 is how the interior is designed.
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[@cameron7303]

"My girlfriend doesnt have this problem but she is 15..." im glad you didnt stop there yikes

[@lukem9707]

Great honest review and not just an ad for a car. Subscribed..

[@yhou24]

i like the way you do your reviews marek!keep it up bro.

[@expert_procrastinator]

Happy Christmas Marek! Mazda seems to make the most charismatic cars these days, I like.

[@niksatan]

Great review, you mention things other reviewers don't - very honest and unique! Keep up the good work!

[@louthepoo4436]

Love this review! Not trying to be smart, just giving us the real information we need!

[@nicologarcia]

awesome videos. this channel deserves more subscribers!

[@ayabulelajoseph8836]

I'm so loving this new MAZDA 2, I believe it is comfortable as it look.

[@paulsun1001]

Yes we have one, the Sat Nav is fine by the way,is there when you need it, does not impede, it has a comfortable driving position, I'm six foot, I had to change very little.

[@lindanimpilomthembu327]

But iyabiza wethu compared to cars in its segment

[@evilmario6061]

Great review Marek. I'm watching because my sis is thinking of getting one. Glad you mentioned details like headroom and wind noise, though in her case, at 165cm and changing from an old Polo, she probably won't notice.

[@MarekDrives]

She should be fine. My gf loved Mazda2 driving position. I was uncomfortable all the time.

[@JaasonAnthonie]

Very good, very thorough review.

[@southstar577]

This was an excellent review.

[@Max-fd4px]

Great review

[@AqeefZafran]

very very good review.. very honest...

[@israelsantos1582]

hi, why did you said that this is better than the swift? This one sounded like it has more negatives?

[@DonkeyBuzzard]

details like the rear wiper being on the wrong side is why i love watching marek. and my girlfriend is also 15...

[@ItsBrendo]

Months or years?

[@carlsonrangey3329]

This car intrigued my mind about owning a hatchback

[@jonasv1998]

I tried reaching 150 kph it felt scary when driving over a small bump you know those at bridges, i feel like the gears Can feel quite stiff sometimes

[@Max-fd4px]

So is steering wheel adjustment in both area. Maybe not in Poland?

[@jonasverbelen8654]

i just got one with the aero pack in full option, a 2018 model with less than 50000 km on it. i payed only 12k euros. it's a fantastic car.

[@RiverBrat]

Congrats on a great car. I stumbled upon a silver 2016 G115 revolution, with 35.000km for 10350 euros. Love it!

[@andrewshore262]

Surprised your Polish version doesn't have horizontal adjustment on the steering wheel, here in the UK they do?? Compared to the previous model the steering is no where near as precise and the suspension is softer although the car is much more refined. Agree with visibility issues and I use the blind spot monitoring all the time it's essential, I get six gears on the top range UK model fuel consumption is good, my model is starting to rattle a bit after 4000 miles, paint seems to chip very easily. Overall a good car but not German in its quality. On the infotainment system works really well in my humble opinion, I like your reviews they're entertaining keep up the good work!

[@MarekDrives]

+Andrew Shore I just found out it does. But on the test model it was very hard to move the wheel horizontally. After I flimed this I spent another week in the car as a passenger, and there were some annoying squeaks, especially when the interior was still cold in the morning.

[@manishaharbias942]

Great review! I am thinking to buy a 2017 plate, 74bhp. But haven’t been able to find one locally to test drive yet. Any ideas as to whether this is as fun to drive as the higher bhp models? also worried about drive noise - do you know if this is as loud as the dacia Sanderos? dacia test drive was really fun but road noise was awful. Just had a Chrysler ypsilon red & black (2013) which felt quite sluggish and nowhere near as fun to drive as my little 2008 fiesta zetec. it’s a toss up between the Mazda 2 and possibly fiesta zetec 1.25 (2017 plate). Just wondering which you’d recommend?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

It's been ages since I've driven any of these. Whatever I said in this review stands true. I think I later drove a FL model, so you might want to check this one out as well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qX6Xk2yKmpWdbJY

[@Vascololada]

How is the road noise at highway speed? My Mazda2 from 2008 makes a lot of noise from 100km/h up, do this new version improves that? and is it quieter than the Peugeot 208?

[@martijnvanspaendonck7989]

Vasco_C I would like to see this answered also.

[@daves2hd]

I'm considering a Mazda2, haven't done a testdrive yet. But my main concern is that slope on the side and my head bumping in to it on sharp corners. Or my passengers on the backseat for that matter. It just feels a little too small on width on the inside compared to competition. Great review, thanks!

[@MarekDrives]

It's not the biggest of cars in the segment. TBH I have a feeling it's been designed with women (or generally not very tall/bulky people) in mind.

[@AC-db4ek]

@@MarekDrives typical japanese. They are short people.

[@getnyrb]

Bought a 66 plate a few weeks ago. 1.5 petrol. It's basic but a well put together fun car. Remapped to 128 bhp

[@johnflavin1602]

How different is it with the remapping?

[@getnyrb]

@@johnflavin1602 0 to 60 acceleration has not improved much however after 3000 rpm it's bizarre. The torque appears to have improved and you can feel the acceleration kick in and it will happily do 85 mph. I'm impressed with the fuel economy as well. Very frugal even when driven hard. I also use E5 fuel which appears to help economy. I'm sorry but I have No facts and figures to compare to pre remap.

[@johnflavin1602]

@@getnyrb Thanks for the reply.

[@MichaelWebber]

Good observation on the big blind spot - it hid an entire car.

[@ast5515]

Keyless start is standard over there? Well, it's only available in the top trim level here. We have no option packages or anything. We have 5 trims levels, done. But at least we get a reverse camera in the top trim level. No cross trafic monitoring though. For the price, I think it's a joke. But priced like the normal Fiesta for example, it would be a lot more desirable.

[@JimboRustles]

It's cheaper than a Fiesta.

[@morishogo144]

The car is great!

[@user-rk5ib2on3h]

Marek, what's your height?

[@xxSuccubusIncubusxx]

Which year mazda was this?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

2014/DJ

[@Fruitarian.]

are you driving a MT variant?

[@MarekDrives]

Yes.

[@BoatOfPorn]

Nicely neutral review; very professional. I definitely agree with the points you raise. My experience with living my new Mazda 2 115 Sport Nav, over a twelve month period, has been terrible. When I picked the car up, the driver's side B pillar had a rattle which took 9 months to sort out and was eventually traced to a poorly made joint in the B pillar bodywork where two metal edges were vibrating against each other. Almost as soon as that was cured the passenger B pillar started rattling, at around 8,000 miles, albeit making a slightly different noise. At the last visit it was reputedly fixed, but less than 400 miles later it's rattling again. Also, when I picked the car up the driver's side door card buzzed when listening to the radio. That took three trips to the dealer to sort out. Within 4,000 miles the passenger side air vent started rattling badly and had to be replaced twice before it stopped. The latest rattle is the driver's side dash mounted tweeter which rattles when cold. It's had to be removed and re-fixed. That didn't fix it, so in the end I did it myself, packing out the underside of the dashboard with foam pieces. At 6,000 miles the alloys started to corrode, which took four dealer visits, before they were eventually replaced at 9,000 miles. At 12,000 miles the alloys have started to corrode again and the garage are looking to replace them. At 13,500 miles the air conditioning compressor has failed and needs replacing. I've been told not to run the a/c as if the compressor seizes it might snap the drive belt, shattering the engine block. I can't even use the windscreen demist, since that automatically engages the a/c. Overall, it's an utterly hateful car and I can't wait to get rid of it. I normally keep my cars for around 8 years, but in twelve months when the finance is paid off, I'm planning on getting rid of it and I'll have lost a few thousand Pounds. First and last Mazda I'll ever own.

[@acostalima]

Ian Millar I guess you were caught in bad luck wave or something and, ultimately, ended up with a defective car. Sorry to hear about all those problems. I have the exact same car for a year and an half and I have got no issues so far.

[@ResevoirGod]

Ian Millar Had the car 2 years and had none of those issues except the AC which was replaced under warranty anyway. Either you've been really, really unlucky or you're not very good at looking after cars.

[@estebanposadaduque6415]

.. I finally got over the SUV syndrome I changed my EcoSport TITANIUM 2017 ... Friends I just made a demo that belonged to VEHICULOS DEL CAMINO ... Gran Touring LX SEDAN (red mazda) ... 2020 model with only 4 thousand kms .....! I am happy ! ... and you know that I am fascinated by everything: it also has a CD system ...

[@Max-fd4px]

Rear camera is available though

[@christianschumacher6689]

I like comfortable super minis with a low fuel consumption. And they must be special designwise.

[@olafurhh03]

I am probably going to by mazda2 niseko tomorrow. But this review was not very positive. Should I reconsider buying it?

[@MarekDrives]

As long as you don't care about infotainment and luggage space, it's a fun car to drive.

[@MultiJiggaWho]

Nice review, as usual. How about reviewing the main competitors of this car and class? For instance Ford Fiesta Red/Black Edition, VW Polo BlueGT, etc. Price-wise the Fiesta ST might be in the same class, but that car is in a different stratosphere regarding engine, handling, etc., so it wouldn't be a fair comparison.

[@MarekDrives]

+PhDream I've reviewed a number of B-segment cars, and linked to them in this film. Fiesta and Polo are relatively old, so I'm waiting for new generations/facelifts.

[@MultiJiggaWho]

+Marek Drives Thanks for the quick reply. I understand your point, but both Polo and Fiesta are better than the Mazda 2 in a number of areas. Hence it would make sense to test them as well. If you look at the Fiesta Red/Black editions, you could actually call them "new" models, since they are quite different from the standard Fiesta and have only been around for a year or so. Same thing with the 3-cyl. engine updates in the Polo. Peugeot 208 has recently had a facelift and could be a candidate for a review?

[@MarekDrives]

PhDream 208 awaits editing. Generally speaking new cars get priority over facelifts. There are a couple of new and significant model lined up for the next few weeks (maybe with the exception of the New Year episode, but I doubt many people will actually watch that ;) ).

[@MultiJiggaWho]

Marek Drives They should. Your channel deserves more viewers. :) On a sidenote: why does every polish edition of your review last longer than the english one? Makes me feel like I'm missing out on something. :)

[@MarekDrives]

PhDream English is a more concise language ;) And that's one of the reasons. Moreover in the Polish version there may be an item or two related specifically to the Polish market, which is not relevant to other markets. Finally, my Polish viewers seem to like the review to last longer, than I think is necessary. If you look at some of my older stuff (regardless of the quality of filming, editing and my performance) it was 3-5 minutes long. It was the Polish viewers, who demanded longer reviews. As a result I also extended the English version.

[@CS-eb4bb]

Which is better honda city 2019 or mazda 2

[@MarekDrives]

I haven't drive either in ages.

[@edgk490]

Thanks for a video, I was waiting for this review. But 20k EUR, really? It is just about 17k EUR at top spec in Baltics, next to Poland. I tried Mazda 2 recently, liked it very much. Ergonomics in front was spot on, but space in back seats and boot is indeed less than in Fiesta or Fabia. But still, for daily commuting alone or with one passenger - a brilliant small car. Stable, effective, classy.

[@MarekDrives]

+Edgars K In Poland it's slightly cheaper. For English version I use German prices.

[@edgk490]

+Marek Drives Why? Do people from Germany watch car reviews in English?

[@MarekDrives]

Edgars K German prices are closer to Western European levels. Popular brands are usually a bit cheaper in Poland, and luxury cars are a bit more expensive here.

[@edgk490]

+Marek Drives Ah, okay. Anyway, thank you for good work and great reviews! And one more question, I can't find regular Fiesta review in your channel, why? :)

[@MarekDrives]

Edgars K Fiesta is quite old now. With one review per week, and many premieres I have to choose wisely. Premieres get priority over facelifts, etc. And then there is the time factor. For example I have a 208 FL awaiting editing, but since I got to it many months after the official launch, it doesn't matter if I postpone publishing it for another month or so.

[@tysonmarsh8886]

Does mazda 2 2016 to 2021 have blind spot monitoring?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

I can't speak for every market, and every model year. In this test car blind spot monitoring was a part of a safety pack, which was an option only for the top trim. I hope this helps.

[@tysonmarsh8886]

@@MarekDrivesENG thank you do much.

[@Guvb235]

Marek can you properly explain why you don't like the Mazda MZD system please? For its price point, it absolutely shits on anything else you can get! Strange that the 2 is so expensive for you, in Australia it's priced at the bottom end of its class. VEry, very good value considering how high quality it is, how well it drives, its fuel economy (and we only get the 1.5 litre petrol), its standard equipment and how reliable it is as well. It's easily the one I'd buy in that class.

[@Guvb235]

In fact, is there anything you like about any car? Hahahaha

[@MarekDrives]

OK, sat nav first. I addressed it in the comments under Mazda6 review, so I'm just going to copy and paste the same reply here: 1. (this is specific to the Polish market, but I suspect it may be similar in other non-English and non-mainstream languages) - translation is atrocious. 2. (again Poland) - map updates are usually a couple of months behind what the map provider offers. As a result the car doesn't know the most recent developments, and keeps rerouting me from motorways to b-roads. 3. In one of Mazdas I tested the MZD Connect crashed a few times during the week, usually during the last mile, when sat nav was really needed. 4. The system is slow. On a roundabout with more than usual four exits it is likely I'll take the wrong exit, because it takes ages for MZD Connect to "make up its mind". During the CX-3 launch event in Barcelona me and my colleagues kept getting lost because of it. 5. I find the interface completely unintuitive. Touchscreen works only when the car is parked, which means I'm left with the knob, which I keep turning, and turning to get anywhere. Storing a radio station and giving it a memory number (you'll find this in my Mazda3 review) takes around a minute. One radio station. 6. (again my subjective opinion) The interface looks a bit outdated compared to what you'll find on the market. I suppose if one is upgrading from an older Mazda or another car, which didn't have sat nav, it's not too bad. But compare it to anything that came out within the last two years (at least in Europe), and I don't recall this bad a product. I'm saying this as a Mazda owner (fortunately without MZD Connect), who got a good deal on the car via Mazda press office. As far as pricing is concerned, in Australia it's a cheap (I'm guessing), because it's a Japanese import. In Europe it's expensive, because it's a Japanese import ;) In Europe it's actually one of the more expensive cars in it segment, up there with VW Polo and Honda Jazz. Quality of the this very test car left a lot to be desired, something I did not want to address, because as you pointed out, I don't seem to like this car very much already.

[@princehydra6009]

+Marek Drives wth? is that mean you use MZD connect navigation system all the time .. so, what's your smartphone functionality then?

[@Bandit-bb3un]

So i am looking between this two cars the volkswagen polo or the Mazda 2. I like both of them but Mazda 2 has more reliability between these two also can you recommend me wich one because I am kinda lost I have a little daughter aswell but boot space shouldn't be a problem atm.

[@chaseruizarwin]

Hello Marek, how tall are you?

[@MarekDrives]

+Arwin Chase Ruiz 175

[@Martin-vh3ei]

manlet +Marek Drives

[@gokillyoself8461]

I'd love this but the back seat space is horrible. I've been there, as a 175cm men I was struggling and not uncomfortable at all.

[@domzbu]

It HAS got telescopic steering reach adjust

[@aaronming8466]

Could you do a review for the 2016 Audi A1 1.0?

[@MarekDrives]

I'll see what I can do.

[@aaronming8466]

Marek Drives Thanks! Your reviews are great! and keep up the good work!

[@christosvrettos8257]

How do you speak that fluent English?

[@sean8081a]

wow 47 mpg impressive.

[@danielwodniak8521]

Dobrze mowisz po angielsku (chociaż ja lepiej) ale krytyka auta chyba trochę za mocna 😉

[@amine_d]

Which is better 208 or mazda2 ?

[@MarekDrives]

Neither is perfect.

[@StevenGohThuanYung]

How about Kia Rio?

[@MarekDrives]

+Steven Goh Thuan Yung What about it?

[@AndresSalazarAutos]

+Marek Drives Hi Merek, I have an interesting question, you say that the car is quite expensive (for a small car), and you mention the mazda badge as one of the reasons for the high and I wonder what is the image of Mazda in Europe. I can say for example in my country (Mexico), it has become something of an aspirational brand, it's become in some way more desirable than a Toyota, Honda or Nissan. Maybe is the styling and image of youth the brand is transmiting and they really are fun to drive (I am the happy owner of a Mazda3)

[@MarekDrives]

Andres Salazar Japanese cars in general are considered reliable, and holding their value well. On top of that Mazda is relatively rare. Finally it is expensive due to foreign exchange rate. Cars for Europe are made in Japan, and prices are affected by taxes and exchange rate fluctuations.

[@ericbasa7020]

In that class I'd choose the P208

[@candyman3108]

Me too,much more upmarket car with good engines and a lot of room. ;)

[@bingoberra18]

+Juraj KG (candyman3108) Much bigger price drop of Peugeot than Mazda ones it rolls out the dealer though

[@candyman3108]

+bingoberra18 Yes,that is true unfortunately. But,as Marek said in his buying car guide,you have to decide to which extent you will have your car. If you reckon you'll have it for 8 or more years and depretiation when reselling is bothering you,you should think on buying a japanese or german car (Mazda 2 or Polo,for that matter).

[@bingoberra18]

Juraj KG Well even 2 years after the purchase the French car will have depreciated more. On top of that, in Sweden we get a 10 year warranty on the Mazda, probably around 3 years for the Peugeot. And here the french car does not have a good reputation for reliability although I dont know how the new models are rated.

[@ResevoirGod]

+Eric Basa That'd be a silly choice

[@M.S-Music]

Overpriced car, and at least here in Spain, dealers are very lazy in promoting their cars.. no wonder they are not seen much on the roads. I chose a Hyundai i20 over this one(girlish styling) and Yaris(very ugly design inside and outside), the new Nissan Micra was out of the questions, Nissan Renault era reliability is horrible (owner of 2 Nissan P11 & P12, the P12 is plagued with issues, while my 1997 P11 just runs and runs...) . The i20 is an excellent car and a bang for the buck, 8500€ with 7000km on the road, full 5 yrs warranty + 5 years servicing and road assistance.

[@gerrynicol3951]

put the seat ibiza together same car

[@sonyabadass]

If you want good visibility just use a horse 👌

[@MarekDrives]

Horses are not very good at car design.

[@slothc]

my girlfriend doesn't have a problem with it but she's 15......

[@ramenhouse22]

exactly my thoughts lol

[@robertbold5807]

slothc, Hmmmm... Maybe that's why they're not married!? Nonetheless, I drove my sister's Mazda 2 for 1 week... Great for a young lady but too small for me. However, was fun to drive and pretty cheap to run! Still, supermini I'd pick over this is the brilliant *2018 Volkswagen Polo!*

[@ResevoirGod]

Robert Bold Awful, awful car. Polos are great for old women or librarians

[@MajorKlanga]

C U Next Time is not a polite way to end!

[@MarekDrives]

+Mark StJust And what would you suggest I say at the end? Live long and prosper?

[@MultiJiggaWho]

+Marek Drives May The Force be with you is even better! :D No need to split hairs. Your signing off is just fine.

[@erwin021777]

Ive had a Mazda 3 and currently have a Mazda 2. Strong engine and really love the handling. But I'll NEVER ever buy mazda again. Very quick to rust. Expensive parts. Repairs almost always have to be done at dealer. When MIL turns on it won't turn off even after replacing the faulty part/s. You have to bring it to the dealer to clear it because common obd readers won't work. And when your A/C breaks down the repair shops would either reject you or charge very high because they have to remove the whole dash board to fix it.

[@gracetang9925]

Which part is quick to rust. Can elaborate further.. thanks

[@erwin021777]

@@gracetang9925 window frames and doors. It's why you find stainless window frame covers for mazda being sold on eBay

[@filipjovanic1190]

I have it for 3 years. There is no rust

[@fcsie]

You had us all there with your girlfriend

[@danielb8378]

Previous generation looked a lot nicer and was considerably lighter

[@yamahaevo]

Volvo

[@peterbergman2131]

Mazda customer service is dreadful. I have written to them three times for help with the useless sat nav and i am still waiting for a reply. I will never buy another Mazda.

[@MarekDrives]

Well, their sat nav is useless, so I'm not sure they have anything to reply :) But seriously, it's not cool if a company doesn't reply to their customers' enquiries.

[@yamahaevo]

Ford Ka wannabe

[@commentguy7]

Cheap tin car

[@johanduplessis3146]

Hahaha...Yeah whatever man...