Mazda2: final report

Arrived: Dec 2007
List price (including options): £11,799
Average economy: 35.6

The Mazda2 has been -

As my time with the 2 runs out I've been making a concerted effort to try and improve the economy. I've removed all the stuff out of the boot that I've been lugging about and when I'm going somewhere I've been leaving a touch earlier to lessen the need to push the rev-counter around to the upper reaches of its range. The result has been a 3-4mpg improvement. Not brilliant you might think, but that's actually around a 10% gain, and with fuel prices hovering between ridiculous and painful at the moment it's pretty worthwhile.

We're loving the -

After sitting a 'green driving test' a month or so ago I'm rather enjoying trying to eek out as many miles from the Mazda2 as possible. The high point has been 37mpg, which, given it's typically around 31-32mpg, is pretty good. To achieve this I've been a bit more sensible behind the wheel, which is at odds with my usual heavy-footedness. The 1.5-litre's decent low-rev grunt has helped, as has the tidy handling - it allowing me to maintain momentum and reduce acceleration. I've still not grown tired of the 2's good looks, indeed, now the sun is out I've noticed just how grubby it's got. So off to the hand car wash for a thorough scrub. Never has £6 been better spent, the 2 looking brilliant after ten minutes with a cleaning crew doing their finest.

Inside has worn well too, the plastics still free of scratches and the carpets and seats all looking much like they did when the 2 arrived all those months ago. I had my first visit to a Mazda dealer too, the 2 needing a new aerial after I stupidly took it through an autowash. Normally I wouldn't, and I regretted it even more when I heard the aerial succumb to the car wash brushes. A quick visit to the Roy Chapman Mazda dealership in Berkhamsted soon had the part on order and me a not unreasonable £15 poorer. It arrived quickly, and I was even phoned to say it was ready to be picked up. Great service.

But not so impressed by -

The interior might be wearing well visually but the squeak from the driver's seat is driving me nuts. It's one of those annoying little problems that you forget until you're on the road and have no means of stopping it. I've fiddled with the seatback endlessly, and it does occasionally go only to return a few days later. Squeaky seat aside I'm rather sad that the 2 is going back to Mazda.

We're looking forward to -

As much as I've enjoyed the peppy performance and sharp looks and handling of the 2 I'm rather excited about the 6 that's replacing it. With a busy summer ahead, including a few foreign camping trips, the new Mazda6 estate should be perfect. Whether it'll be able to deliver the sort of grins that the 2 did on my daily drive remains in question, but with a 2.0-litre turbodiesel powering it I'm hoping for slightly more miles between filling it up.

Kyle Fortune