Mazda – It’s where memories are made
Mazda Memories – everyone has one – especially with a brand that has been trusted and relied on through the decades. My Mazda memory lives far away from Cape Town in the small dorpie of Ladysmith where I grew up. She was a sky blue Mazda 323 with a cream interior, brown dashboard and enough space for eight people. Let’s bear in mind that this is a time when seatbelts were only a suggestion and overloading a car was not frowned upon, it was considered a challenge.
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For me, that Mazda was a treasure trove of memories filled with day trips to the Drakensberg and quality family time. For a small car the boot space was generous – we always manage to fit a huge pot of breyani in the boot and nothing tasted better than a home-cooked meal while picnicking in the fresh mountain air.
Remove the three and the other three and the new Mazda 2 brought all that happiness flooding back. While no comparison to the Mazda 323, bless its soul, it has the potential to make the very same memories with my family.
Safety and comfort seem to be the ultimate goal and that has been soundly established in this 1.5l naturally-aspirated Hazumi model. With heads-up display, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA) keeping your loved ones safe goes without saying in this third generation Mazda 2.
It has its quirks like the small volume button found next to the handbrake and the large round dials which take up more space than they need to. With that said, it has the trappings of any high spec vehicle with rear cameras, cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert.
It is small enough to venture around with as a daily car and spacious enough to load your family into for road trips, but the most surprising ability of this pock rocket is its handling on the road. The Mazda 2 is as skilful and able on the bends as any high-priced vehicle in the market, hugging the corners and powering through them with ease. The 1.5l engine punches above its weight, without trying too hard. The 16″ alloy wheels are a perfect match for the Mazda 2 ambitions on the road, even in the wet rainy weather.
Needless to say, with the price of fuel at record levels the Mazda 2 may just be the balm for expensive times. It uses 5.7 litres from the 44l tank for every 100km. Not a bad return for a quality drive.
The Mazda 2 has enough bite to hold its own among its competitors. It’s agile in urban traffic and comfortable enough if you need to stretch the legs out in the countryside on a longer road trip. It stays true Mazda’s promise of being the car that memories are made of.
Mazda 2 [1.5L Hazumi] specs:
Max Power (kW @ rpm): 85 @ 6,000
Max Torque (Nm @ rpm): 148 @ 4,000
16” Alloy wheels (Bright)
Seat trim: Leather & Cloth combination
6 Speakers
Air-conditioning (Automatic)
2 USB ports
MZD Connect System
7-Inch Display Screen
Apple CarPlay® & Android AutoTM
Commander Dial
Auto dimming rear-view mirror
Cruise Control
Leather-wrapped: Steering wheel
Leather-wrapped: Gearshift knob
Leather-wrapped: Handbrake handle
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Airbags SRS: Side & Curtain
Power fold mirrors
Auto fold mirrors
Parking sensors – Rear
Reverse camera
Front rain-sensing wipers
Smart keyless entry
Shark Fin Antenna
Headlamps auto on/off function
Auto paddle transmission switches
Wireless Charging
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)
Integrated Navigation
Head-Up Display (HUD)
Pricing:
1.5L Active: R261,900
1.5L Dynamic: R286,000
1.5L Dynamic automatic: R302,300
1.5L Individual: R310,700
1.5L Individual automatic: R326,900
1.5L Hazumi (automatic only): R351,100