Mazda 2 2020 review: G15 GT hatch

The Mazda2 has been, to my thinking, the best light car in its class. That doesn't mean it's the cheapest - it isn't - but its mix of styling, engineering and safety mean you know where your money has gone. The plucky 2 continues to duke it out with the all-conquering Toyota Yaris, the VW Polo and all manner of Euro and Asian competition.

Things sure have changed in this segment in the last decade or so, with not one single model cracking 10,000 sales (although the Hyundai Accent came close).

Despite its higher cost against the Accent and various contenders, the Mazda2 still came third in its class in 2019, with just under 8200 sales. Just as the year was winding down, Mazda announced a customary, detail-focused rejig of the Mazda2 line-up.

The Mazda2 sure ain't cheap to buy, but neither is its spec list stingy. While the GT is taking the Mick a little bit at $26,000, it does have a lot of stuff, yet none of it is really a must have. With an alright engine bolted into a really good chassis, the 2 is the kind of fun small cars haven't been for a while.

The bottom line is, any Mazda2 is a good choice - the depth of engineering is part of the reason it costs so much, and the ownership proposition is good with a long warranty. It's also very well-built, feels substantial despite being light and is packed with safety gear. And you can still get the entry-level Pure in manual...

CarsGuide - Go beyond the test drive

[vimtocrazy]

It’s a great little car, which is vastly underrated. A Quality piece of Kit .

[judycasemore]

I have just purchased the M2 Evolve, as a recently retired lady, I'm very happy.
Thank you Ringwood Mazda.

[marksmanr]

The Australian dollar has been tanking for years. Even with an FTA agreement, its very difficult to price cars under $20k now.
Remember when some cars were $12, 990 drive-away? AUD's dropped to the point where it must now be $18-$19k instead.

[shomgerry]

Love the little 'lonely' bit when you got to the backseat 😅

That aside, I'm buying this as me first car!

[briankanja]

I just wish they revised the interior abit more and probably add comfort features (armrests front and rear)

[ludocattin]

You write that the Mazda 2 is an expensive car. But it Switzerland, it costs around 27 000 CHF (about 42 500 AUD) for this version. The engine is only 66 kw (90 ps) and 148 Nm torque with the automatic gearbox.

It’s not an expensive city car here. Popular city cars in Europe (Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, VW Polo, Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza, Skoda Fabia, Citroën C3) are usually more expensive with the same level of equipment. Expensive car are premium cars such as Audi A1 or Mini (which belongs to BMW). It can cost more than 40 000 CHF (63 000 AUD) with a mid power engine (115 ps to 150 ps). The only low cost car is Dacia Sandero which starts at 9 000 CHF (14 100 AUD) with a really small engine and equipement from year 1980 in Eastern Europe 😂.

[alexcimpoi]

Just checked the underside of my 2017 mazda 3 and was shocked to find the painful truth. All bushings, bolts nuts and basically all the components are severely corroded because of lack of galvanised protection coating. This is a cost saving trick done by Mazda and I urge every person that bought one to chech at least the bolted connections from behind each wheel. Mazda seem to get away with it but this is dangerous long term for drivers who buy used cars(mine was brand new with 50 miles on clock) . I will troll Mazda on every channel to raise people awareness of the dangers they expose themselves to by buying Mazda cars. Thank you for reading my comment and stay safe.

[notjohnedgell]

I’m kinda sad this isn’t coming to the U.S.

[amerjensen]

I saw a lot of Mazdas driving around the area, it's Mazda town

[glenndavid]

I sold a GR Yaris and bought the 2 GT half the price twice the fun, I kid you not. 😎

[yeraen]

be nice if you show us the UHD, 360 views monitor etc..

[electricdiesel]

Wait there’s no Mazda2 XD Touring 1.5 turbo-diesel with fog lamps and rear disc brakes the practical turbo-diesel warm hatch import from Japan. And also a hybrid could run on ethanol unleaded with electric motors save air quality.

[serverlan]

We have one. The worst thing about it is engine. 1.5lt is pretty gutless, at least the GT should have a Turbo. Other than that it's a well specified car. It's 2022 now and a GT model 2 is just north of 30k

[terenceting]

Nice car but terrible value. You can get a base spec corolla for that price and it's WAY bigger, has like 40% better fuel economy while also having more power and torque. It also includes the basic safety tech like autonomous braking, lane keeping etc except blind spot monitor.

[jamesralph]

I don’t understand why you’re praising a car that has barely changed at all and is incredibly overpriced. Seriously, you make $27K before on-road costs for a cramped small car sound like it doesn’t matter at all. I think you should’ve torn Mazda to bits the laziness and price gauging, even for the base model.

[chrisperera]

Has it got dual zone climate control? Can only see single zone in the video

[vineethau]

Hi! Is this car deep crimson or soul red colour?

[bartonez]

"GT". Haha. Yeah, nah. The value is kind of poo too - so many similarly equipped cars in this price bracket with more space/power/warranty. If it was $5k cheaper it would be solid and the value and dynamics would outweigh its shortcomings, but not at this price.

[JFomo]

You can get a Mazda 3 for the price of this car.
There is nothing exciting about a Mazda 2. The Kodo design does not suit this small car.

[jaisabai]

Opens the hatch, talks about load capacity etc and, as per too many reviewers, completely overlooks the absence or presence of a spare wheel 🙄