This is the 2015 Mazda2

[inspekt]

I guess it will be a while for us, but I can't wait to drive one. Nice review of the (pre?)debut here:

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2016-mazda-2-photos-and-info-news

 

[Font Motorsports]

Aaaah jeez! I seriously hope not. Mazda would be going the complete opposite way that some us want Mazda to go with their new 2.

Reading that article, it looks like it didn't gain as much weight as I feared, but the US will likely only get the 1.3L gas engine, which is just plain gonna suck. That 1.5L diesel sound like fun.

 

[Font Motorsports]

Agreed but none of it will matter to me and other current Mazda 2 owners expecting more power. All these tech features are great but will not convince me to buy the new 2. More power + tech features will.

All things considered, it's pretty impressive that they added a bunch of tech features (blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise, satnav) and made the car longer & taller, and only managed to add 88 pounds to the weight of the car.

 

[flatlander937]

What was the 11-14 official curb weight? Because their math seems funny as I thought the old cars were 2300lbs factory?

Also are they comparing auto vs auto? What options? I'm sure the 6spd auto weighs more than the old 4spd and especially 5spd trans axles.

 

[magnumP5]

I wouldn't count on getting all the fancy options. It would raise the base price too much and place it in competition with the 3 (and the 6). The current 2 is only competitive because of its price. Bump that up $2-3K and you're now into base 3 territory, which is bigger, faster, and more fuel-efficient. In the U.S. small, Japanese cars (2, Fit, Versa, Yaris, etc.) are expected to be cheap. When given multiple options for the same price point most Americans will pick the larger, more powerful car. In Europe and Japan, where small cars are almost a necessity, people are willing to spend more for higher-end options.

 

[inspekt]

This is totally true for many people, but the Fiesta changed that, and provides a test case with real metrics. I think traditionally, the problem has been "perceived" value in terms of whether a vehicle seems econo or not. The Fiesta looks more sophisticated than other B-class cars, and feels more upscale and people are willing to spend money on it because they like a car of that size. There are a lot of people that spend just as much or more than a base Focus, even approaching mid-level Focus on their Fiestas.

I don't know if that will encourage Mazda to offer more options or not, but we won't know until we see what they decide to offer. I hope they at least offer the proper headlights, and a good wheel option. It should definitely not be aesthetically decontented. That is a huge mistake in the U.S., where, unfortunately, most people judge value and quality on appearances.

I wouldn't count on getting all the fancy options. It would raise the base price too much and place it in competition with the 3 (and the 6). The current 2 is only competitive because of its price. Bump that up $2-3K and you're now into base 3 territory, which is bigger, faster, and more fuel-efficient. In the U.S. small, Japanese cars (2, Fit, Versa, Yaris, etc.) are expected to be cheap. When given multiple options for the same price point most Americans will pick the larger, more powerful car. In Europe and Japan, where small cars are almost a necessity, people are willing to spend more for higher-end options.

 

[Camshaft]

When I bought my car, I had a choice between a base 3 and a loaded 2, and I chose to order a loaded 2. I can't be the only one who wants a small car with lots of options, but I'm probably in the minority.

 

[Font Motorsports]

Carscoop has posted their own MAZDASPEED2 artwork. Seems that many want a MAZDASPEED2, not just us.

 

[inspekt]

Hell yes! Make it and TAKE MY MONEY already MAZDA!!!

Carscoop has posted their own MAZDASPEED2 artwork. Seems that many want a MAZDASPEED2, not just us.

 

[Font Motorsports]

Doesn't make sense?

Hell yes! Make it and TAKE MY MONEY already MAZDA!!!

 

[monotone]

IMO this is the best looking Kodo implementation yet in the entire Mazda line. Interior is extraordinary. Whoever design this 2 are true artists.

 

[Font Motorsports]

The beauty of forums. Two completely opposite opinions.

Truthfully, i like the looks of 10-14 model better.. This body style doesnt look as aggressive to me, and im also not a fan of the front.

IMO this is the best looking Kodo implementation yet in the entire Mazda line. Interior is extraordinary. Whoever design this 2 are true artists.

 

[FreedomFries]

awful, just awful. the front has been designed that way for collision control (no one has brought this point up until now) but it looks horrible. nowadays every new car excluding the new alfa romeo gito for one has tech inside. well, a lot of that tech you can get on mobile phones anyway you don't need it in your car as well. music, e-mail, internet, all on mobile phones. just go to the auto department store and buy a cellphone holder then clip it in your car. if you really want that kind of tech in your car get it customised in the previous mazda2 not these ones if you still want that better looking shape like i do.

 

[Font Motorsports]

I mean no disrespect, no disrespect... but I have to disagree wit daaaa boat of youuuuuus. The front looks great to me. Bad ass and mean. What other manufacturer has a front end like this?

 

[FreedomFries]

mazda designed the car that way not to be solely artistic, but to lessen the impact on the driver in a head-on collision. when you design a car this way, with a sharp nose, you have to try pretty damn hard to make it look attractive to the eyes imo. i think that look would suite a mazdaspeed 2 and i would like to see it happen but they really should have gone back to the drawing board imo.

http://img03.carview.co.jp/trade/img06/cars/1350441/15125723/japan car/2007+mazda+demio/01w.jpg

if you see that picture of that 2007 demio it already has a mean look all they needed to do was emphasis the front end it would have looked the part and they still could have had their collision control pre-caution. what they have done this time on their drawing board is over do it imo. thumbs down.

 

[magnumP5]

awful, just awful. the front has been designed that way for collision control (no one has brought this point up until now) but it looks horrible.

mazda designed the car that way not to be solely artistic, but to lessen the impact on the driver in a head-on collision. when you design a car this way, with a sharp nose, you have to try pretty damn hard to make it look attractive to the eyes imo.

You've mentioned this twice now and yet this is the first time I've heard of it despite all the reviews I've read. Care to cite a source for this claim? I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you but I'm willing to bet the front end has to do more with aesthetics than with crash safety.

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

You've mentioned this twice now and yet this is the first time I've heard of it despite all the reviews I've read. Care to cite a source for this claim? I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you but I'm willing to bet the front end has to do more with aesthetics than with crash safety.

I'd agree on that; the front of the mirage is short and stubby, not long and sharp, and it's all around front crash safety was rated good. I saw a comment about all cars looking alike, maybe it wasn't this thread.. part of it is what's considered "state of the art" in aerodynamics and safety requirements.. the same thing happens in aerospace (except there ignorant just say that so and so copied so and so's design, which isn't necessarily the case).

 

[Font Motorsports]

What looks good to someone is very dependent on ones opinion. We all know that. But DefacedGoblin does have a point. Car manufacturers are making the front of their cars taller and flatter. Look at the Mercedes-Benz SL for instance. I've read several times that car manufacturers are building their new cars with front ends like this for pedestrian and crash safety.

 

[magnumP5]

Makes sense but I still think it's likely more due to what's currently "in style." Regardless, I like how the new car looks. I think it's better than the current version, but I also think the pre-smiley face looks better too. Aside from small differences they're all pretty much the same underneath: MacPherson strut front suspension, rear torsion beam, front disc brakes with rear drums, electronic power steering, etc. I've said it before, the big player is going to be engine and fuel economy numbers.

 

[inspekt]

It's chiefly pedestrian impact regulations. Most of the design groups out there have some excellent workarounds they've come up with, but having a nearly vertical face on the front of the car is very difficult to work with. One of the optical tricks you see most often is a softly descending hood line towards the nose, with more steeply descending lines above the headlights. This helps to create the illusion of the nose coming to more of a point, and a lower point, than it actually does. The optical trickery is easily revealed when you look at the car from the side and see how much higher the tip of the nose of the hood is, than the headlight and fender line, for instance. Mercedes uses this tactic heavily. Just look at the C class and the CLA. Mazda also uses this trick, although I think they do it more gracefully.

Designing objects in space is a massive undertaking with huge design compromises that must be made to accommodate engineering and structural issues, so it's always an interplay between the two. It is most successful when the design responds to the engineering in unexpected ways and you get something that looks and feels new, but also maintains a thoughtful proportion throughout. I think Mazda's design history is phenomenal. Their cars age very well, on the whole. But their new designs require very specific proportions to work. And then they look amazing. I love the new 3 in top trim, for instance. But with anything smaller than the biggest wheel option, the design falls apart. It must have the proper offset, and the proper diameter wheels to support the form of the car. Without that, it looks completely out of balance. The new 2 appears to have much more successful proportions, and personally, I love the nose. I think the headlights are a bit too big - the Hazumi's were slightly more pinched, and the form of those concept lights, while not very different to the casual observer, made a substantial difference in the aggressiveness of the front end, as well as helping to integrate the grill slightly better, IMO.

I for one am a big fan of the new 2 though. I don't think it is better or worse than our generation 2's, but it looks much more modern.