The Most Underrated Rallycross Hatchback Ever? Mazda 2 Review

Today we take out this 2012 Mazda 2 out for a spin. Don't worry, this isn't just a grocery getter. This car belongs to C.Y. He uses this thing to rallycross as well as a road warrior. Whether it's on or off the track, this car is a blast to drive. In this video we will go over the interior, exterior, and I give my overall thoughts on the driving experience.
This little Mazda 2 with a manual transmission is another underrated hatchback made by Mazda. As a fan of the Mazda Protege5 and NB Miata, this was a no-brainer for me to review. Thoughts or concerns? Feel free to comment down below.
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[@DraganKrstic]

I've done lot of long drive in my 2 and sometimes I feel that it needs 6th speed to make driving more pleasant. This is ideal city commuter yet it is quite versatile. I drove it trough muddy wood roads, climb it where proper 4x4 wouldn't dare and it is still happy little car as the first day.

[@bendaga]

I agree. That 6th gear would be nice for highway cruising. Overall, tough little cars.

[@rancosteel]

I upgraded my rust free 2014. New engine mounts. Bilstein struts, MOS sensor, bulbs, steering wheel, filters, Magnaflow exhaust, rear sway bar and a Nakamichi radio. Daily driver. Runs great.

[@PaulHojda]

I've owned a 2009 mazda 2 for the past 5 years and it's been absolutely fantastic. It's such a fun and reliable little thing. And even though it only has 103hp, I still managed 198km/h in the Autobahn in Germany. Can't ask for much more

[@haaxxx9]

That is fucking crazy! Good job on ya!

[@dirli7192]

Wow, mine is only 140kmph, what did you do with it?

[@biko9824]

Maybe you have the 1.3L version? I can quite easily hit 0-140 in about 20 seconds ​@@dirli7192

[@BerserkerRider94]

I bought a 2022 mazda2 I didn't had much money to get mazda 3 which was the one I was going for as a daily driver. Have to say the 109 hp version is fun to drive. Then I saw all the things that can be put into it. I saw a video of a guy in New Zealand that turbocharged to reach 500HP. Gonna try that hehe.

[@shakedrosenthal8561]

This. This is the video ive been waiting for. The mazda 2 is seriously underrated. Learned to ride stick with it and had sooo much fun. Everytime i got in the car i couldnt stop smiling.it made you wanna drive hard, and when you did you were still under the speed limit.😂😂 also it is amazing what you could fit in it. Also the video was genuinely great

[@bendaga]

Agreed. It’s way more fun to drive a slow car fast. This is a perfect example of that. Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for the kind words.

[@puckchew]

I had 2 lawnmower in it, with the backseat folded of course 😁and still so much room for my other rubbish (moving house)

[@Fmakegeo6]

I have the 1.5l sport version as my first car and it's so much fun to drive especially in the city and winding roads, great transmission and handling, but i wish it had 6 speeds. On the motorway/long roads, it's just not that powerful or comfy, but damn, it's a superb little car for everything else

[@matteocastelli3203]

I'm driving the 70hp as my first car and dude, that's such a fun car. I actually just got my license so it's my mom car, I'm lucky she picked this car instead of something else.

[@bendaga]

Yeah these are fun cars. Don't need a lot of power to have a good time. Glad you're enjoying it!

[@matteocastelli3203]

@@bendaga they don't need a lot of power but having the 100hp model would be way much better lol. This feels a little weak on straights

[@matteocastelli3203]

@@bendaga I mean, I can always flat out when I'm exiting corners lol

[@bendaga]

Thanks for watching! What are your thought on the Mazda 2? Comment down below.

[@T0P_TIER]

This Mazda or a v4 manual accord coupe 06-11 what would you chose n why

[@anthonye3680]

An auto mechanic here, i own this car and i have to say its very economical and reliable, especially in the manual transmission.. this car is fun to drive and handle very good stock i could imagine with upgrades it would be a blast.. now the down side is very thin paint, a buzzy cabin, will tust easy if not treated with rust prevention where salted roads.. very very cheap to own..

[@FenrirsBite77]

I was on the fence about buying a Mazda 2 as a commuter car, now I'm sold. Just ordered mine off of copart

[@bendaga]

Good choice. Hope it treats you well!

[@kijekuyo9494]

I love little hatchbacks (super-minis), and it's too bad I live in a country (the US) that doesn't value them as Europe and East Asia does. You pretty much can't buy one new in the US anymore. Europe has the Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, Opal Corsa... I currently have a 2015 Honda Fit, but I'm actually considering getting a Mazda 2 to replace it.

[@haaxxx9]

Hi! I had a 2015 Honda Fit with a 6MT that I did some aftermarket mods to it like New tires/rims combo, Drilled/Slotted rotors and carbon break pads, HPS Air intake, HKS Exhaust and a aftermarket shift knob that was really easy to do. Unfortunately I got into an red light runner accident 2 years ago and completely lost my car that I was able to enjoy the mods for around 6 months before a dumb 18 year old bitch driver hit me and I lost my shit. I currently have a 2013 Mazda 2 5MT which is nearly identical to my 15' Fit before including the mods (Missing short air intake but it's going to be here in a few weeks, Rotors and breaks although they are new and max tire with 205/50) and so far I am really surprised how much it goes despite having around 100+ HP in the states, 200 pounds really made a difference! BUT! It's not a huge difference when it comes to performance for the 3rd Gen Honda Fit and the 2nd gen Mazda 2, The Honda fit is more preppy as it don't drop revs at high RPM's unlike the 2/Demio which does around 5-6K RPM just a bit. I hit over 100+ MPH with both cars before they start to tap out, fastest I been going with an Honda fit was 120mph on the highway with lot's of straight line road. The entire car was shaking like in some racing games (Forza Motorsport 4) which might be the most fun I had in a racing game in my life, I'm an adrenaline junkie! Ill say if you just want a car that is better than the Honda Fit then I would looks elsewhere. If you want a Mazda 2 to replace a totaled car before or have a inexpensive 2nd car ready to use then go for! Fun daily drivers should always be available who have a passion for driving in general. Too bad the USA market relies on soulless crossovers which they are a glorified sedans/hatchbacks and looks ugly as hell. There is a market for them that for the people who says "I just want a car." with no personally put into it at all. Cheers!

[@bobwreck3775]

I got one I bought new in 2014. It was a 2012 leftover. I now have 85k and its a manual transmission. My previous car was a Nissan Sentra SE-R classic. The SE-R would smoke the 2 easily in a straight line. But there is something very special about the 2 on winding roads. Its very stable and since it doesn't weigh much it clings to the road with good tires. So far I only had to replace the rear struts from them leaking. I change the oil far too much too, expensive habit. Oh yea the factory battery died. But other than that it never stranded me nor did it ever fail to start other than the battery issue which I replaced. I highly recommend these little cars. Its going to be sad when you can't find them anymore. YES it is fun to drive fast. You can scoot around streets quickly. It only has about 100 hp so you won't be breaking speed records but the fun factor and decent sound of the engine make it fun. Steering wheel is precise too.

[@bendaga]

Great insight with the comparison of this car to the SE-R. Glad it has been treating you well for the most part!

[@lloydmaliakal6256]

Im glad I own a 2010 mazda neo MAZDASPEED. There is room for minor upgrades. It has potential. Old skool Mazda is the way to go. I recently had continental tyres installed.

[@wdobni]

i have a 2013 mazda 2 and have owned it for 8 years.......i've owned a number of mid level cars and the nicest car i've ever owned and driven was the James Bond car Lincoln Continental LSC 2 dr sport coupe.....the mazda 2 is an all round very reliable car with basic no nonsense instrumentation....the standard transmission is very pleasant and functional....its comfortable and roomy inside considering the compactness of the class.....there is really only 1 criticism i have - the steering is twitchy...there's a slight oversteer in the gear ratio and the car always seems to be hunting the centerline slightly....you need to be driving 100% of the time and not looking away or at anything else.....and the build quality is very light, as you'd expect in this price range....but there is no tendency to rust......i like the car but its tiring on long drives....its super reliable and cheap and i will probably drive it for 15 or 20 years

[@theadvocate4698]

have you tried a kia rio? This car is a gem!

[@amos4art]

Very nice video man! Just recently bought same Mazda for my father - a lot of fun and very good handling. Hope my sons will be able to learn manual transmission on this car.

[@octopuscardoor]

Oh, it’s not a Mazda 2 without a Hiroshima Spirit sticker 🤣

[@bendaga]

Icing on the cake

[@robstrains8711]

I own a Mazda 2 sport In mint condition 1.5 and it other than the mk 1 and mk2 Escort is by far the most enjoyable drive.

[@kev2034]

This was my first car and I still have it 9 years later, can't see it getting replaced any time soon. Glad to see that if I do ever have to get something bigger I can still keep it for amateur motorsport!

[@MattDa24]

I was gifted a 2011 Mazda 2 with only 100k miles for $1,000 and besides replacing the transmission mount and intermediate shaft, it’s a really reliable car! Just wish it was 5-speed instead of the the automatic!

[@bendaga]

Good deal! Bet its still fun

[@tz_saints]

literally got the exact same deal but with 115k miles

[@seanpalmer2050]

Older? I guess I think of an older Mazda as an RX-7 Rotary. In any case, I bought one of these brand new in the USA in 2011. I really enjoyed it and drove it up and down the East Coast a few times, as well as into the Midwest in the rain, snow, and sunshine. It was mostly fun to drive and well designed. A pure and fun car with a lot of cargo space when you folded down the seats. My main complaints were the color choices in the American market, and lack of arm rest. I had leather installed, and ordered an arm rest from a company in Colorado. It was clear that Mazda was keeping this dumbed down to sell Mazda 3 models here. I wanted maroon like in their premium crossovers and sedans and a sky roof. Sold as the Demio in the rest of the world, I was sad to see this car go. My main complaint was the four speed auto that was not making the most of the Miata engine on hills. At the time at least Mazda offered the car in a SCCA race spec package you could order the car in racing spec from the factory.

[@bendaga]

Yeah def not as old as a rx7. I agree - maroon would’ve looked great on this car. Had no idea about the scca spec ride!

[@Trump_Doesnt_Wipe]

The CX3 is based on the Mazda 2 platform. Unfortunately, Mazda discontinued it this year.

[@callumsmith338]

That Skyactiv pedal isn’t for this car, the series after this model had the skyactiv engine. Don’t want people thinking it has the more modern engine

[@bendaga]

Good call.

[@bny7y]

I have a 84hp 1.3 2011 and while I feel like I'm missing some power at times it's definitely not a bad first car

[@bendaga]

Must be fun to keep your foot down all the time though.

[@matteocastelli3203]

Fun is in the corner though

[@blubbrywalrus3214]

I have a 2012 as my first car and I love the way it handles and drives. I’ve driven other cars and they feel very mundane compared to this little thing

[@HiroshimaSpirit]

Rad sticker at 0:10. 👀 Nice review! ✌🏻

[@bendaga]

Thanks - Appreciate the kind words!

[@maybeerainmaybeesnow]

Cheers to Mazda 2 owners everywhere!

[@RasimBuselik]

2011 Mazda 2 cars are sold between 13800 USD and 18600 USD in Turkey. The minimum wage is 2.6 USD per hour net.

[@aithjawcraig9876]

>The teenagers who will probably be buying this car >Me at 32 never planning to replace it

[@nitroerdely2]

Or me at 36 buying the 2023 Mazda 2 and planning to keep it at least 10 years.

[@ShawnVkessler]

great video. im looking into getting a 5 speed Mazda2.

[@lloydmaliakal6256]

Best looking Mazda 2 with power and punch. Can be tweaked. I also follow HIROSHIMA spirit. Is it possible to get 15 inch MAZDASPEED wheels with stock tyres.

[@eminecetinkaya2907]

Ah! Richmond beach park!

[@bendaga]

Good eye

[@EthanSlater-ht3hn]

Brilliant review

[@mattwall3267]

Love the videos man, I’m wondering where you got that sticker at 0:10 seconds in? Looks great, I wanna get one 👌🏻

[@bendaga]

Thanks! I’m sure you could find those hiroshima spirit stickers floating around on eBay

[@pbfloyd13]

FYI the engine is actually a Toyota designed engine used in the Yaris built under license by Mazda.

[@lloydmaliakal6256]

It is underrated. But still a good looking car. I always get good looks from drivers. Some of them even say what is MAZDASPEED ?

[@RobDaman]

Good vid 👍

[@bendaga]

Thanks Rob 🙌🏽

[@Eidenbites]

I want one but only a manual ...

[@leegarner1263]

I know this is an older video, but would happen to know if the owner remembers where they go the aftermarket head unit bezel?

[@puckchew]

I searched eBay last year and found a healthy amount of sellers have it in stocks, but then I decided to keep the original stereo even it has no wireless connection (2010 neo)

[@cxy]

Need to start working on my Minecraft sub setup

[@bendaga]

Make sure it's neon green

[@josecalvarin762]

What percentage tint do you have on it ?

[@FlyApeRally]

I loved the 20 mph smile - I'm planning un buying one for racing. By the way look at this guy's driving on a newer M2 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJO5hYBnitNmkLM - I think youll like it, Great content!

[@bendaga]

Thanks man - really appreciate it!

[@cafn8ed74]

Mazda 2 or Honda Fit? Which would you choose?

[@bendaga]

Give me a honda fit to test drive and I could give you a better idea lmao

[@cafn8ed74]

@@bendaga If I had a Honda Fit, why would I be looking at Mazda 2s? Haha! Thought I'd ask just in case you had driven one. Thanks for the video.

[@bendaga]

@@cafn8ed74 Haha good point. I will say that the Honda Fit with a manual transmission is a rare breed. Personally, I would probably go for that. The 2 is a fun alternative and will be a little cheaper.

[@matteocastelli3203]

I can tell you that the mazda 2 is an incredibly easy car to modify, especially the interior.

[@puckchew]

I tried driving the fit, it acted more like a electric car imo, torque too instant and too much engine brake (stock of course)

[@Brosolo_]

You should be able to shift this car in increments of 30 mph. I do.