2017 Mazda 2 Genki quick review

TELL ME ABOUT THIS CAR

The Mazda 2 provides a mix of good value and driver enjoyment. It looks good and has a premium feel inside while delivering plenty of power, and is equipped with smart city braking as standard. It comes in four main model grades and five-door hatch and sedan body styles with prices starting at $14,990 for the entry-level Neo with six-speed manual transmission.

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The second-from top Genki hatch is well equipped and comes with manual and automatic transmissions prices at $20,690 and $22,690 respectively.

STRENGTHS

• The April 2017 upgrade brought an advanced driver assistance pack to the Mazda 2 range, which gave the Genki automatic city braking which prevents a collision at speeds up to 30km/h, rear-cross traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring.
• A head-up display comes as standard which features speed, sat-nav directions and current speed limit displays via a camera that reads road signs.
• Other standard equipment includes automatic LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED fog lights, auto folding power mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, 7-inch floating touchscreen, DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation.
• Another addition to the latest model is G-Vectoring Control, which helps the car handle better with torque vectoring.
• While not as fun as the H-pattern manual shifter, the five-speed automatic works nicely with the 1.5-litre petrol engine with smooth gear changes. If you feel like being hands on there’s a manual mode where you push the gearstick forward to downshift, which is a nod to driving enthusiasts.
• The interior is finished well with an attention to detail that makes it look more premium than it actually is.

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WEAKNESSES

• At 250-litres, boot space is tight especially and narrow rear opening seems to be more about function than form. If you want more space it’s worth looking at the Mazda 2 sedan which has a 440-litre boot, however it’s not available in Genki spec.
• The rear doors have no bins or cup holders and the high window line limits vision for children in the back seat.
• Rear seat leg room is tight compared to other light cars such as the Kia Rio and Toyota Yaris.

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ANY RIVALS I SHOULD CONSIDER

The Mazda 2 stands up well amongst all its light car competitors including the Ford Fiesta, Holden Barina, Honda Jazz, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Mitsubishi Mirage, Renault Clio, Toyota Yaris and Volkswagen Polo.