Mazda announced last fall it would be phasing out the current 1.4-liter diesels in the Mazda2 hoods with new 1.6-liter units. Starting in June, the new 1.6-liter will be available in the 2. This is the same powertrain found at the 2's larger sibling, the Mazda3, but this is the 90hp version, which is 22 hp more powerful than the previous unit. Torque is also increased, it goes from 160 Nm at 2,000 rpm to 212 at 1,750, quite an increase. Fuel consumption stays the same at 4.2 l/100 km (56mpg) and CO₂ emissions are reduced to 112 g/km, with a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) fitted as standard. Prices are bumped up, too, by 1,000 euros. The new Mazda2 starts at €16,250.


[Source: Auto News]

Toronto's Globe and Mail is reporting that Canadian car buyers will soon have a new small car option available when Mazda introduces it's B-segment 2. The little 2 shares its underpinnings with the Ford Fiesta and Mazda has hinted in the past at offering it in the U.S. but has yet to confirm any plans. CEO Takashi Yamanouchi declined to give the Globe and Mail a specific date but indicated it could come within a year. The key to making the decision is ensuring it can be sold in a way that won't take away from sales of the larger Mazda3. Regardless of whether the 2 does go on sale in Canada, buyers will soon have the Fiesta available. Thanks to Mark for the tip!


[Source: Globe and Mail]

When the new Mazda2 debuted at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show many of us were disappointed to learn that it probably would not be coming to the US market. Times have changed, though, and It now looks like the car might actually make it here in the second half of next year, following the US release of the Ford Fiesta sibling. The 2 and the Fiesta share a common architecture but each has unique styling. It will be interesting to see how the 2 is positioned in the market against the Fiesta. While the cars share much of the same underpinnings, the fact that the Mazda is built in Japan will likely result in a higher price than the Mexican-built Ford.

Both cars (the Fiesta and the 2) benefit from a major emphasis on weight reduction compared to their predecessors. In European trim, the 2 weighs in at 2,100 lbs compared to the 2,500 lb Honda Fit. Whatever happens, it's good to see more cool looking and fun to drive small cars coming to the US market.


[Source: ConsumerGuideAutomotive]

Toyota is rightfully proud of the fact that it managed to achieve the highest specific average fuel economy during the recent World MPG Marathon with a diesel-powered Yaris. In fact, the automaker says that it "dominated" the contest. That Yaris managed an extremely high 84.66 miles per gallon, an awesome figure, though measured in European units. Perhaps you'd be surprised to find that the second place finisher, a Mazda2, also powered by an oil-burner, was barely behind the winning Yaris, measuring an equally amazing 84.58 miles per U.K. gallon. In fact, there were eight vehicles that managed to top the 80 mpg mark.

The drivers, auto journalist Sue Cooke and her daughter Joanne, say that they didn't do anything particularly special to achieve these numbers in their Mazda2 tester. It just takes a little self control and common sense, they say. For their efforts, the two drivers bested the Mazda's EU combined mileage estimate of 65.7mpg by 19-percent.


[Source: Mazda]

If you think that 68hp for the Mazda 2 1.4-liter diesel isn't enough power, here's good news: Mazda has announced that the 2 will get the 1.6-liter 90hp diesel that you can find in the Fiesta, the European Fusion, and several PSA models. Torque on the 1.6L is rated at 205 Nm (151 lb-ft), so the little subcompact will improve its acceleration figures, which are currently a sluggish 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 11.4 seconds. What remains at a good level is fuel consumption, rated at 4.2 l/100km (56mpg U.S.) while CO₂ emissions are kept at 112 g/km. Not bad. Prices for the revamped 2 have not yet been announced.



[Source: Autoweek Netherlands (via Le Blog Auto)]

We aren't automotive executives, we just play them on the internet. If we were the real thing, one of our first decisions would be to get all the great small cars that are offered overseas into American showrooms. One of those small cars would undoubtedly be the Mazda2. Sales numbers in Europe indicate that buyers love the new little machine, and those figures stand only to climb as the automaker continues to roll out a new three-door model and diesel engines. So, if it's such a solid car, why isn't it sold in the U.S. market? For one reason, Mazda is concerned that having the smaller Mazda2 here could eat into sales of its hugely successful Mazda3. We wonder, though, if having two pretty big sellers isn't better than having one really good seller. Isn't variety the spice of life? In any case, Ford will soon be selling some of its small Euro-cars in our market, and the Mazda shares much in common with them so, in a way, we'll soon be getting our wish.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

The next time you open your door and get in your car, take note of the amount of plastic that makes up your vehicle. Chances are, if it was made in the last fifty years at least, that there is a bunch of plastic there. And, the future only promises ever-increasing use of the easily-molded and relatively cheap bits. There are a few problems, though, which will need to be addressed as we move forward. Synthetics and "bioplastics" do already exist, but the vast majority of the plastic used in our cars uses a petroleum base. As you surely know, automakers are doing what they can to reduce the use of petroleum in their cars, and Mazda is no exception. The Japanese automaker has created a new process that cuts the use of petroleum-based resin by 20 to 30 percent and reduces the overall weight of each part.

Mazda is also working hard on other eco-friendly tech, such as stop/start. The automaker claims that its implementation of the technology can start the engine is half as much time as its competitors and reduces fuel consumption by nine percent. Diesels are also on the menu for Mazda, and its 2.2-liter common-rail turbo unit with 182-horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque should be available in Europe along with stop/start sometime next year.


[Source: Wards]

Ford has everything ready to start selling the new Fiesta in Europe next Fall. Prices start at €11,700 for gasoline variants, and €13,700 for diesels (prices shown are for the French market). If you want 5 doors instead of 3, you have to add €500 to the sticker price. Six different trims(Ambiente, Trend, ECOnetic, Ghia, Titanium and Sport, or Zetec S in the UK) and six powerplants (4 gasoline and 2 diesel) will be available.

All gasoline engines produce CO₂ under 140 g/km and start with two 1.25L options, with 60 or 82 hp. An available 1.4L is good for 96 hp. All three have emissions ratings under 135 g/km. The sportiest version has a brand new 1.6L four-cylinder rated at 118 hp that achieves 41.6 mpg (US), while keeping CO₂ emissions at 139 g/km. Regarding diesels, there's a 1.4L good for 68 hp as well as a 1.6L with 90 hp, producing CO₂ under 110 g/km. The ECOnetic version further improves the car's consumption level to 62.5 mpg (U.S.) and boasts CO₂ emissions of 98 g/km.


[Source: Autoplus]

The new Mazda2 has been a sport success for Mazda, selling almost 40,000 copies as of April since hitting the showrooms last October. A three-door version (above) was announced back in January and is now available to European customers. A 1.4 litre diesel engine is now also an option across the Mazda2 range and is cleaner and more efficient than the MZR gas engines. According to Mazda's own numbers (read them after the break), the breakdown goes like this:

• The gas-powered MZR 1.3 gets 43.5 mpg (U.S.) while emitting 129 g/km of CO₂.
• The gas-powered MZR 1.5 gets 40 mpg (U.S.) while emitting 140 g/km of CO₂.
• The diesel-powered MZ-CD 1.4 gets 54.7 mpg (U.S.) while emitting 114 g/km of CO₂.

All of these engines are mated to a five-speed manual tranny with higher gear rations that also reduce fuel use. One thing to note: those 114 grams make the Mazda2 with the MZ-CD 1.4 the Mazda production car with the lowest CO₂ emissions ever sold in Europe. The diesel will still generate 50 kW/68 PS at 4,000 rpm and 160 Nm of torque at a low 2,000 rpm for, in Mazda's words, "lively driving fun."

We've been keeping an eye on the new Mazda2 for a while, and our UK readers can now start calculating just how badly they might want to drive one of these little cars. Mazda has announced that the common-rail turbo diesel-engined Mazda2s will start at £9,499 (on-the-road) for the lower-end version and £10,999 for the upper end (see details after the jump). The cost will nab you a supermini that gets 65.7mpg (Imperial, which is 54.7 U.S.) and emits just 114 grams of CO₂ per kilometer. Compliant with the Euro IV directives, the Mazda2 will cost the owner just £35 in annual road taxes. Deliveries start in March.


Related:

• Mazda2 sedan to debut at Guangzhou Motor Show
• Mazda demonstrates that small lightweight cars be safe too

[Source: Mazda]