2015 Mazda 2 1.5 launched – hatch and sedan
We’ve seen the car at regional motor shows, we’ve seen the brochure and price list, we’ve seen the spyshots, we’ve even driven it; now, it’s finally here. We are of course talking about the new 2015 Mazda 2, which makes its Malaysian debut in both hatchback and sedan forms, fully imported from Thailand. The unveiling took place at Mazda’s new body and paint repair centre in Glenmarie.
Firstly, we’ll kick things off with the prices. Or rather, price – both the hatch and sedan will retail at RM87,956 on-the-road with insurance, inclusive of a three-year/100,000 km warranty and a three-year/60,000 km free service package.
Measuring 4,060 mm long, the hatch is the longest car in its class, beating the next longest, the Kia Rio, by 15 mm. The 2,570 mm wheelbase is also among the longest, putting it on par with the Rio. On the other hand, its width (1,695 mm) and height (1,470 mm) are par for the course for the segment.
The sedan is 260 mm longer at 4,320 mm – oddly, this makes it among the shortest B-segment sedans on the market, beaten only by the Mitsubishi Attrage (4,245 mm) and the Proton Saga (4,278 mm). The four-door is also slightly taller than its five-door sibling, at 1,495 mm. Boot size is 220 litres for the hatch, 410 litres for the sedan.
The shapely exterior features Mazda’s Kodo design language, with sharp hawk-eye reflector headlights (we don’t get the fancy projector units with LED daytime running lights, unfortunately), a large five-point grille (body-coloured accents on the hatch, grey on the sedan), a long bonnet and a pert, almost Alfa Romeo-like rear end for the hatch. The sedan gets a slightly longer Mazda 3-esque notchback – not a bad look at all.
Inside, you’ll find a minimalist interior with a cockpit-like sweep around the driver, circular air vents (plus a “hidden” central air vent) and an instrument cluster that features both analogue and digital gauges, borrowed from the Mazda 3. The look is made classier with black-and-red fabric-and-leather upholstery (leather also features on the dashboard), while the steering wheel gains telescopic adjustment in addition to tilt.
Nestled under the bonnet is a 1.5 litre high-compression, direct-injected SkyActiv-G petrol four delivering 114 hp at 6,000 rpm and 148 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Putting the power to the front wheels is a six-speed SkyActiv-Drive automatic transmission. New to the Mazda range is a Sport mode for the gearbox for quicker response. The Mazda 2 is classified as an Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV).
Kit count is impressively high, including two-tone 16-inch wheels, fog lights, keyless entry, push-button start, automatic air-conditioning, paddle shifters, an MZD Connect infotainment system with a seven-inch touchscreen and an iDrive-esque Commander Control knob, Bluetooth connectivity, a six-speaker sound system and even a head-up display. Navigation is a RM1,200 option.
Safety-wise, airbag count is limited to two, but ABS with EBD and brake assist, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Isofix child seat anchors are all fitted as standard. Disc brakes on this Thai-built car are fitted all around as well, uncommon for the segment – cars built in Japan come with rear drums.
Lastly, the 2015 Mazda 2 is offered in four colour choices – Soul Red Metallic, Metropolitan Grey, Snowflake White Pearl and Aluminium Metallic. The locally-designed bodykit shown in some of these pictures isn’t available right now, but there are plans to offer it in the near future. You can view the full specifications and equipment for both the hatch and sedan models on CarBase.my.
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