Mazda2 1.5 TS2 Auto Review Hands-On

Given the small size of the Mazda2, it’s inevitable that road and tyre noise is clearly audible, but it isn’t excessive and is no worse than some other superminis we’ve driven. Indeed, the Mazda2’s cabin is a pleasant place to be when driving around town.

The Mazda2 TS2’s gearbox wasn’t clunky, but it did take a few seconds to downshift when we wanted to accelerate. There are no paddles and you can’t use the gear stick to shift, so you must rely on the auto to detect when it should change.

Acceleration is a claimed 11.9 seconds from 0-62mph. From our first impression, much of that of time will be taken up between 45-62mph.

As for running costs, the Mazda2’s insurance group is a fairly low 12E, but its claimed fuel economy is an unremarkable 44.8mpg. The Mazda2 is available from a competitive 10,995, but the TS2 model we drove costs £13,495 on the road.

We like the Mazda2, but it is more introverted in design than rivals such as the Alfa Romeo MiTo, Fiat 500 and Ford Fiesta. Of course, some may appreciate the anonymity afforded by the design. The Mazda2 1.5 TS2 Auto delivered a pleasurable drive, and its snappy steering and nippy acceleration make it perfect for use as a town car. If you fancy something a little different to the superminis commonly seen on Britain’s roads, book a test drive at your local Mazda dealer.