Top quality and economy from Mazda2 Hybrid

I’ve mentioned having a soft spot for the Mazda2 before, following a Spanish adventure with the little car. It performed so well it saved me the embarrassment of having to be rescued after getting lost in the hills near Barcelona. Back in the early 2000s, a fellow journalist and I got hilariously lost, ending up on a dirt track.

The locals repairing the road made it plain they were amused by our predicament. After some comical detours, the Mazda2 handled the rough terrain like a champ and we finally got back on track with the help of a local police officer. Who knew it was a mountain goat in disguise?

A gap in the market

It was, and still is, a good-looking, well-built small car with tax-efficient engines – in this case, the latest hybrid combination. It’s not necessarily the cheapest, but it comes with an impressive array of standard equipment and Mazda's rock-solid reputation for reliability. With the departure of Ford’s evergreen Fiesta, there’s all to play for in the B segment.

To emphasise the point, Jeremy Thomson, Managing Director of Mazda UK, said: “With the latest Mazda2 Hybrid we are ensuring customers in the supermini segment still have the choice of a Mazda in a sector that has seen several key models disappear in recent months.”

Style and substance

It’s not the cheapest supermini; the entry-level model starts at £24,580, with the range-topper at just short of £30k. However, Mazda does attract buyer loyalty and offers bulletproof reliability for peace of mind.

There are four models: the entry-level Centre-Line, Exclusive-Line, Homura, and the range-topping Homura Plus driven here. It is one of the better-looking superminis, and recent upgrades to its sculpted styling include changes to the grille, bumper, and rear tailgate. A sporty touch on this model are the black 17-inch alloy wheels and panoramic roof.

Hybrid economy

Economy is excellent, with official figures showing up to 72mpg, which I didn’t manage, achieving a still-respectable 65mpg with a fair chunk of motorway driving. The combined power output delivers 116ps through the three-cylinder engine and electric motor via a CVT automatic transmission, reaching 0-62 mph in 9.7 seconds.

Despite being a full hybrid, it can run for a decent amount of time in electric mode. Its silent, emission-free running means it can escape some congestion charges. During deceleration and under braking, kinetic energy is recovered as electrical energy for storage in the high-performance battery. The battery power level is constantly managed via an engine-driven generator, removing any need to recharge the system from an external source.

Well-equipped interior

The interior looks pretty upmarket for a small car. It features black cloth seats with red accents combined with a black gloss dash panel and contrasting red air vent surrounds. There are also black half-leather seats with red accents, a soft-touch black dash panel with red stitching, and a heated leather steering wheel with red stitching.

Central to the experience is the upgraded 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a seven-inch display for real-time information. This latest colour touch-screen display features the Mazda Connect system, which supports uprated Android Auto and now wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, as well as navigation and infotainment.

Space and comfort

Four occupants can be seated in comfort, with a fifth being a tighter fit in the middle. Headroom and legroom are reasonable and exactly what you would expect in this class. The boot space is respectable, offering 286 litres with the rear seats in place. If you fold the rear seats flat, the space expands to a generous 930 litres, making it ideal for transporting larger loads.

Packed with equipment

Maybe not the cheapest, but the models are packed with equipment. Exclusive-Line models and upwards feature auto-folding mirrors, Blind-Spot Monitoring, and front and rear parking sensors. At the top of the range, the Homura and Homura Plus grades feature a new digital instrument binnacle and black roof lining.

There's a decent level of equipment throughout the range. This model featured an impressive array of features, including integrated navigation, panoramic glass roof, LED lights, electric windows, power steering, a head-up display, smart keyless entry, privacy glass, reversing sensors, and rain and dusk sensors.