Car designers and engineers who work on small cars must be pulling their hair out these days. It seems buyers want everything, including style, bigger-car comfort and safety all rolled into a pint-sized package. And it can’t be too expensive either. It’s no wonder these cars have become so heavy, and as a result, more sluggish than their predecessors.

The new Mazda2, the company’s first B-segment effort in SA since the Soho of the ‘90s, seems to tick most of the above boxes without being a heavyweight. It’s rare to see a car in this class tipping the scales at less than a ton these days, but the Mazda2 weighs only 955kg in 1.3 form. Mazda attributes this to some smart structural engineering that apparently didn’t compromise safety in any way. The 2 doesn’t have an NCAP rating yet, but we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt on that.

At face value, this car would seem like an instant champ for this class. For starters, you can hardly deny that it looks great. Sure there’s a bit of Toyota Yaris in the profile and more than a hint of Peugeot 206 at the front, but the overall design seems better executed than its peers. It’s both neat and cheeky and easily the best looking car in its class.

You’ve ticked off styling and from what I’ve told you about its weight, you’d expect it to be great fun to drive too. That’s certainly true when it comes to handling. This lightweight is very nimble, and despite having less-than-communicative steering, it can be a lot of fun to chuck through the bends.

However, and against our expectations, the Mazda2 fell short in the performance department. We can’t really blame the weight, so it must be that this little engine just doesn’t have enough grunt to pull it along with much verve at highveld altitudes. What’s more, our 0–100km/h time is just a second slower than the manufacturer’s claimed time, which makes sense considering that they would have tested it at the coast. In acceleration terms, this Mazda2 is on par with the Kia Rio, SEAT Ibiza and Fiat Grand Punto 1.4 16-valve models, while the equivalent Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Getz and Nissan Micra are all quicker.

Yet if you look at the way this vehicle is specced, it’s obvious that this car’s target market cares much more about showing off than they do about performance. It’s well specced, with all the regulars you’d expect for around R140K and extras like audio controls on the steering wheel. It’s also got a body kit, which Mazda calls the Sport Appearance Package. With 15-inch alloy wheels, a sportier grille and bumper design and side and rear spoilers, it certainly looks fast. Just a pity it isn’t. But fret not, as just R8000 more gets you the more powerful 1.5-litre Dynamic.

The Mazda2’s interior is not exactly class leading when it comes to smartness or space, but it is comfortable and with a dashboard resembling that of the Mazda MX5, it’s quite distinctive. The boot is really tiny though.

So once all’s added up, the 1.3 Dynamic is a truly good town car for posers, and it’s also got a 4-year/60 000km service plan for that extra peace of mind. But if you want performance to go with the racy looks, it’s hard to recommend over the slightly dearer 1.5 version.

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