Mazda2 in Thai is Mazda Soang, which sounds like ‘Nice’ in Cantonese, which was why the Malaysian group was quite tickled every time the name was announced when we covered the Asean Media Launch event held in Bangkok and Chiangmai. Our Japanese hosts also took to the double meaning after we pointed it out, very much liking the connotation. That is understandable because they seriously want this car to be wildly successful. It is awkward for Mazda to be so out of the mainstream, in terms of both image and economic viability. The Mazda2 project can therefore be seen as a make-or-break attempt.

 Mazda has had a B-segment model for quite a while, most notably the 121 from 1990, but such cars never made it here. Nevertheless, the series has evolved. This version of the Mazda2 is the third generation, and had its global launch two years ago. It has since won over 51 prizes all over the world, including numerous Car of the Year awards from leading publications and associations. It is outstanding for winning the World Car of the Year 2008 title, beating off the usual recipients from the top flight brands.

 The model that is coming here is part of the Asean package, the 5-door car finetuned for this part of the world, and built in Thailand. The car has better airflow through the engine bay, and moisture control, as well as a revised damper rating. Mazda has also made a sizeable investment in the Thai factory, AutoAlliance, which is world renowned for its one-ton truck production, to make it a Zoom Zoom plant. The recent revision in our tax structure makes Thai- sourced cars highly competitive in pricing.

 Bermaz Motor, which has recently taken over the franchise, is waiting for the sedan version to join the line-up before it unleashes this model to the Malaysian market. The sedan version is very much an Asean-driven product, and for Malaysia, particularly, will help to make the Mazda2 a significant player. With only a hatchback version, Bermaz can only hope to compete with the likes of the Swift, Yariz and Jazz; with a sedan, the way will be clear for a direct hit at the City and Vios. The potential is very promising.

 The Time Is Right THE B-segment (1.5L) is a fiercely-contested sector as it where the major players have their bread-and-butter models, which account for a big portion of their earnings. The annual volume is about 40,000 units. The VIOS is the undisputed king; the City is a worthy rival but it still trails by quite a distance, in second place, losing out purely on brand value. The Swift had been a champion in the hatchback sector but it is currently going through a tough phase, due to problems faced by its distributor, as well as the model being rather long in the tooth. The Korean offerings do not figure very strong, not since the Hyundai/Inokom Getz and the Chevrolet Aveo lost their footing a while back. The national car companies are not really in this segment, with no sedan or hatchback model offered in the 1.5L range. And neither are Nissan and Mazda. The fortunes of these two other Japanese makes are a good indication of the competitiveness of this sector; if you cannot reach critical mass it is Game Over before you can even start. Due to the extremely price-sensitive nature of this segment, any such offering has to be locally assembled, to escape the punitive taxes. And herein lies the irony – a CKD programme needs volume. Nissan’s distributor, Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM), already has had its hands full with such a programme, for the longest time with the Sentra, and now with the Sylphy (which serves to entice buyers of both the B- and C-segments). Mazda’s previous distributor, Cycle & Carriage Bintang (CCB), never had the opportunity to maximise the brand the way it could with Mercedes-Benz; due to the many missteps of the Ford/Mazda co-branding exercise; it also did not help Mazda’s cause that Ford controlled the factory operation.

 Mazda’s image was also badly affected by the odd situation that CCB found itself with its business partner and AP holder, Naza Wheels; there was a lack of consistency in supply and pricing, even as the brand improved on its product line-up. It looked like Mazda fans were destined for disappointment but, as it turned out for Mazda in Malaysia, that is all in the past. Things are definitely going to be upbeat for this long-established-but-out-of-the-mainstream Japanese brand. There is a new sense of purpose amongst the Mazda management which is very supportive of the new and dynamic distributor, along with a positive environment for Asean players and, very importantly, an all-new world-beating entry-level car: the Mazda2. Tough Design Challenge Coming out with a car that has outstanding styling and broad appeal is always a difficult task. The Mazda design team had the added challenge of trying to appeal to the traditional customers of their small car – primarily ladies – and gain the respect of the young buyers in Europe. The initial attempt was said to be an odd mishmash of styling cues, prompting the team to go back to the drawingboard. Working to this definite brief and up against an impossible deadline, the team came out with this new car, which is fresh, dynamic yet balanced, and quite distinctly Mazda. It looks like it has a winner.

And it is not all just good looks. Engineered Like Its Life Depends On It The new Mazda2 has had an amazing reduction in weight, compared to the previous model, as well as against its rivals. It is stronger and roomier, very much class-leading. This has been achieved with diligent use of high-tensile steel in the critical areas, and lightweight material for those less so. Crash-test footages show impressive body rigidity in a frontal crash. The brief was also to engineer in the Zoom-Zoom factor via the components, with this entry-level model having dynamics that enable enjoyable driving. In short, because Mazda has to try so much harder for a chance at this high-stake game, it has gone the extra mile to make the Mazda2 a better Japanese B-segment car. Mazda did not have to venture far to make the 2 dynamically sound, it has tons of data from the R&D on the 6 and the 3; it was just a matter of whether the investment is justified for this ‘lowly’ model. The underpinnings of the new car are nothing out of the ordinary but the attention to detail, and the above-average test programme, make the difference – twin-tube dampers for its MacPherson-strut and torsion-beam suspension, a quick-turning steering with electric-motor assist; rear drum brakes with EBD to tackle heavy loads. The 1.5L engine has been tuned to be powerful and torqueful, and yet delivers improved fuel economy. It has low-tension piston rings and shimless tappets, among other features.

Drive Impressions Our Japanese hosts were extremely keen on us driving the new car. They had engaged a local motoring club in Chiangmai to plot a route that they felt would bring out the best in their new baby. They had about 27 cars lined up for us (journalists from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand) to take on a 120km route. Most of it was out in the countryside but there were urban stretches through thick traffic, as well as a short stint though some very narrow streets. It was quite a very worthy effort but the need to uphold safety saw us in a tightly controlled convoy, or ‘caravan’, with police escorts. We did manage to hit 130kph at one stage but it was mostly cruising along, being careful not to crash into the car in front. We were mostly entertained by the antics of the photo- and videographers, going all out to capture the moment. These are the impressions I managed to get after that Thai driving stint. I started off as a front passenger. My driver said that there seem to be some lag, but I had my reservations as the engine sounded pleasant even when he was pushing it along. I had been looking out for the ‘gear-search’ nature, inherent in such small-engine cars.

With two of us, about 150kg, on board and my driver quite heavy on the pedal in the initial stages as he tried to maintain convoy formation, the car did not sound like it was unduly pressured. NVH was quite impressive, and so was the ride quality. My driver did complain about the harshness when he crashed over a couple of potholes but the car seemed quite composed from where I was sitting. I did not get the chance to try out the rear space, as well as what the car was like with three-up as there were a lot of time spent at coffee-breaks. Taking over the wheel, I could immediately appreciate the sharp steering feel, as well as the well- weighted assist; the engineers had gotten both the ratios and the electric-assist correct.

The Mazda2’s steering feel is a mite sharper than that of the Swift, which is a commendable setup, and has a better heft; the Swift’s is overly-servo’d. The engine’s performance was also impressive for this class of cars; the Mazda2’s 1.5L engine seemed to have decent enough torque to get it to move off smartly, and power to reach a respectable pace, when urged along. The gearing of the four-speed autobox makes the delivery quite linear; there was no sign of the harsh sensation that is a result of a gearbox trying to optimise meager outputs. The performance is similar to that of the Swift, which is, again, a commendable state-of-tune. Just how much so, I will have to wait for an all-out drive session. I can say that there was hardly any sign of harshness in the Mazda2’s delivery. This compact car does indeed have a very well sorted-out chassis.

The new range of Korean cars, and also those of Proton, has been showing up the degree of engineering of their Japanese rivals. The status quo allowed the leading makes to put priority on matters other than the integrity of the chassis for drive dynamism. Toyota, especially for the Vios, has concentrated on spaciousness, fuel economy and reliability, to win the hearts of buyers, most of whom look no further than such attributes. Honda pushes the envelope a bit, being true to its brand, while Suzuki is well rewarded for its effort with the Swift (as a hatchback, anyway) but it is Mazda which has to try and make a real difference. This has been the case since the Mazda6 and 3, but with the Mazda2, things are really coming to a head.

There is a big difference in the people’s perception, and acceptance, of such a concession from a Japanese brand than from any of the other Asian makes. Mazda’s effort with the 2 will be better respected, and rewarded, than anything done with the Getz, Rio or Saga, ringgit for ringgit. And if indeed the Mazda2 becomes a roaring success, Honda, and even Toyota, would need to seriously re-engineer their cars; the bar is about to be conspicuously raised. I would dub this newcomer as a baby Mazda3; it is that impressive. The promised linearity and liveliness were intact, and could be easily appreciated. The car felt substantial and bighearted, even out in the open stretches. The torque and power delivery left little to complain about; the transmission has an excellent shift pattern and, as mentioned, the steering felt very connected and nicely involved. The performance came across as responsive and smooth, and the car had a nice aural atmosphere to it (even with the tiny exhaust pipe). There will be inevitable dissing about the torsion beam rear suspension, as well as the rear drum brakes. As far as I could tell, these setups worked more than adequately. In fact, I was quite impressed by the lack of harshness when the rear went through potholes and over bumps. Most of the European cars with such a setup that I had tested tended to crash over such bad surfaces. Once again, this goes to show what the Japanese can offer when they commit to a plan.

The space offered, and also the competitive pricing of this new car, will be appreciated. Aside from the hardly impressive exhaust pipe (there is an optional chrome endbit, along with a bodykit, as well as a 195/45 16W upgrade) and a rather fanciful glove compartment (which is sectionalised to include a magazine rack; this makes access a bit iffy. Plus, the latch is quite a reach), there is little to fault the new car. In this segment, it boasts of steering-mounted control for the stereo system, albeit only on the left-side spoke, auxiliary input, and seat-height adjust. The plastics covering the dashboard did not elicit much comments from the assembled journos, which can be seen as a good thing as there had been more cases of bad choices than good ones; it is always easy to find fault. After having the chance to see this new car alongside a succession of rivals, like the Jazz, City Swift, Vios and Yaris, on the route, I can confidently say that it is a fresh new addition to the scene. It looks like none of its rivals, and is easily recognised as a Mazda. It has good road presence, and promises to be quite enduring in appeal. In basic hatchback form, it would appeal to the ladies. The guys could easily take to it with its bodykit on; the rear track, especially, seemed to be quite substantial, adding substance to the shape. The reaction to the sedan version is left to be seen, but you can look at the Mazda3 for an indication. The Next Big Step Mazda’s new focus on the Asean market is due very much to one man – Yuji Nakamini-san, Managing Executive Officer, Mazda Motor Corporation. He has been with Mazda since 1977, and had spent a lot of time in this region, including stints as president of Mazda SEA Ltd and also the AutoAlliance plant. It was clear that he loves this region, is convinced of its potential, and is especially intrigued by the Mazda situation in Malaysia. He is very sure the brand will do well here with the new Mazda2 being available soon; seeing it as the final piece of the puzzle. He works very well with Dato’ Ben Yeoh, the driving force behind the new Mazda operation in Malaysia. The two of them, in fact, have an almost identical career path, and share many interests, and passion. These two gentlemen are about to create history with the brand. The Mazda2 is set to help Bermaz reach critical mass with the Mazda brand; all other models will be easier to sell once that happens.

Source : cars.my

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