Perhaps this would fix the Mazda 2's sales performance in the US...

[Swallow Doretti]

Mazda2 sedan, introduced yesterday in Indonesia:

[freedomgli]

That's good looking. Would like to see that color, those wheels and body kit on the hatch. It needs something to make it a little less bland.

[Audi Addict]

That's good looking. Would like to see that color, those wheels and body kit on the hatch. It needs something to make it a little less bland.

Precisely! The 2 is too awkward right now. I like the way it looks, but this is much much better. The aero and wheels and color are really doing it for me.

Also we know how much 'Muricans love sedans over hatches for some stupid reason. But I am still mad at Mazda for never making a Mazdaspeed 5, so whatevs Mazda.

[SSLByron]

Wow, that is sharp. Love the wheels.

[Robski92]

Looks pretty good.

[ROCK AND ROLL CHEVY]

Nobody buys the 2 because its platform mate the Fiesta is a much better car.

[too_slow]

Nobody buys the 2 because its platform mate the Fiesta is a much better car.

You should keep your trap shut if you don't know what you're talking about.
Ford is better with crappier ergonomics, a needlessly complex engine + powershift which sucks balls, a much higher price tag, yet without signifcant fuel savings over the 2.

[ROCK AND ROLL CHEVY]

You should keep your trap shut if you don't know what you're talking about.
Ford is better with crappier ergonomics, a needlessly complex engine + powershift which sucks balls, a much higher price tag, yet without signifcant fuel savings over the 2.

You should take your own advice, boy. The Mazda 2 is a lot like your Mom: slow, uninspiring, and not all that great on fuel economy.

[ChiTownA34DR]

Looks more like the Fiesta.

[BLK9GEN]

Does it come with a better interior as well? The current 2 is lackluster, even compared to it's competition.

[Mike!]

Mazda2 sedan, introduced yesterday in Indonesia:

A sedan bodystyle won't fix anything without adding the missing Bluetooth and 5/6 speed auto whose absence is dragging down the hatch.

[AKADriver]

There's been a 2 sedan in China since the car was first launched, like back in 2008. In fact for a while Mazda was threatening to only bring that body style to the US.

Meh. I'd rather have a slow-selling attractive hatch than a popular pregnant-guppy sedan.

[2.0T_Convert]

You should take your own advice, boy. The Mazda 2 is a lot like your Mom: slow, uninspiring, and not all that great on fuel economy.

Oh boy

You should keep your trap shut if you don't know what you're talking about.
Ford is better with crappier ergonomics, a needlessly complex engine + powershift which sucks balls, a much higher price tag, yet without signifcant fuel savings over the 2.

Being a spartan econobox does not make the 2 automatically better just because lacks some of the features that are hard to use on the Fiesta. As it is said time and time again the Ford auto transmission has a learning curve and test driving one from a dealer is a poor way to judge it. But hold the bus because there is a manual available!

Oh and per EPA:

Fiesta:
Auto (non SFE) - 29/39
Manual - 29/38

Mazda
Auto - 28/34
Manual - 29/35

On that note we had a member who did a long roadtrip recently with a Mazda2 auto. 30.4 MPG over 5200 miles. I just drove from CT to FL over 2 days doing some fun driving on the BRP along the way and ranged between 31-34 MPG according to the trip computer. Simply pathetic this simplistic economy car is not capable of any more.

This is a case where the simple/spartan car =/= the better car.

[Oliver@triplezoom]

Nobody buys the 2 because its platform mate the Fiesta is a much better car.

The only thing that's truly better about the Ford is the fuel economy and the availability of lots of features. The 2 may be down on power compared to the Fiesta but it's also down on mass and thus performance is very similar.

[ROCK AND ROLL CHEVY]

The only thing that's truly better about the Ford is the fuel economy and the availability of lots of features. The 2 may be down on power compared to the Fiesta but it's also down on mass and thus performance is very similar.

And those features are VERY important to the people who actually buy these small cars, not the little boys who say they're gonna buy them in here.

Though I suppose there's a small segment of the population who are nostalgic over the equipment levels obtainable in econoboxes of 20 years ago

[SSLByron]

The argument in this thread is giving me comical visions of a pastel blue Fiesta hatchback rolling around covered in TapouT stickers.

[The Ninja]

The problem that I think the 2 has is that it looks cheap where as the Fiesta, even in base trim does not. On top of that the Ford dealer network is much larger and they did a better job with their ad campaign.

[Lwize]

Awkward proportions on sub-compact sedans.
Just leave the Mazda2 as a hatch, and bring a 3dr Mazdaspeed2!

[AKADriver]

And those features are VERY important to the people who actually buy these small cars, not the little boys who say they're gonna buy them in here.

Not really. The majority of subcompact buyers are more like Swallow Doretti is implying... they are interested in getting the largest (or largest-looking) car for the least money. Hence why the miserable Versa sedan sells gangbusters.

Basic Bluetooth calling would be one must-have that Mazda ignored, but not FordTouchMyself and so on.

[Swallow Doretti]

Basic Bluetooth calling would be one must-have that Mazda ignored, but not FordTouchMyself and so on.

Basic Bluetooth and a USB would go a long way to improving 2 sales.

[Aw614]

There's been a 2 sedan in China since the car was first launched, like back in 2008. In fact for a while Mazda was threatening to only bring that body style to the US.

Meh. I'd rather have a slow-selling attractive hatch than a popular pregnant-guppy sedan.

Same the hatch looks a lot better. Same goes for the focus and fiesta hatch, whereas their sedan counterparts look awkward.

[AKADriver]

Basic Bluetooth and a USB would go a long way to improving 2 sales.

Even as someone who loves this car's brutal simplicity, I agree. The irony is that without some sort of integrated electronics there's no reason for someone like me to buy one of these over, say, a '96 Civic DX with an aftermarket head unit.

[urbanrocketeer]

Haven't seen many 2s or Fiestas. In fact, I've seen more Sonics (although those aren't exactly hogging the roads around here either).

The vast majority of cars in this segment I see around here Versas. We rented one in Florida at some point last year. It's big for the class and can be had for very cheap; that's why it's the big fish in a small pond.

[BRealistic]

Even as someone who loves this car's brutal simplicity, I agree. The irony is that without some sort of integrated electronics there's no reason for someone like me to buy one of these over, say, a '96 Civic DX with an aftermarket head unit.

Sure, if you ignore things like safety and emissions.

[WhistlerYOW]

You should keep your trap shut if you don't know what you're talking about.
Ford is better with crappier ergonomics, a needlessly complex engine + powershift which sucks balls, a much higher price tag, yet without signifcant fuel savings over the 2.

Wow way to take things personally. Did you design the Mazda 2.

[AKADriver]

Sure, if you ignore things like safety and emissions.

Again... someone like me.