(continued from above)
Zoom-Zoom in its most concentrated form, MAZDA2 is the latest in a line of
stylish, insightful and fun-to-drive small cars from Mazda, and will bring an
all-new level of refinement to the segment. MAZDA2 is a car that only the
engineers at Mazda could have created. It was designed and engineered from
scratch to be a pure Mazda, offering the sort of driving experience that could
only come from the company that developed the timeless MX-5 two-seat roadster,
and it brings a combination of athletic design and dynamic performance to the
subcompact class.
Originally launched in 2007, the MAZDA2 was first
introduced in Europe, Japan and Australia. Its launch created a unique offering
in the subcompact segment, especially through its distinguished design and
outstanding driving performance. Since then, it has been highly acclaimed
throughout the world, winning 48 automotive awards, including "Car of the Year"
accolades in many markets, including Japan, New Zealand, Chile, Bulgaria and
Greece. Notably, the MAZDA2 was selected as the "2008 World Car of the Year"
(WCOTY) at the 2008 New York International Auto Show and has established a
distinguished position in the subcompact segment. Total global sales have
reached over 400,000 units in the three years since its introduction, and MAZDA2
is now recognized as one of the global models which symbolizes the essence of
the Mazda brand.
While developing the new MAZDA2, Mazda took a thorough
look at global trends and carefully worked to identify the truly beneficial
values that could be infused into a global subcompact car. As a result, the new
MAZDA2 adds Mazda's unique brand values such as exhilarating driving performance
and eye-catching design to the segment without sacrificing the basic
requirements for subcompact cars: superior fuel efficiency, high crash safety
performance and ample passenger space. In fact, while other carmakers have
increased the size of their small cars, Mazda's first mission was to analyze and
define the optimal size of a subcompact vehicle. This resulted in a very
efficient body size for the new MAZDA2 without sacrificing attractive features
that consumers desire.
Exterior Design
With the MAZDA2,
Mazda evolved the athleticism that is inherent to the Mazda design DNA in
pursuit of bold and diverse expression of movement. The basic form of the new
MAZDA2 is characterized by a combination of dynamic performance, sportiness and
simplicity that leaves a strong visual impression. While competitors are
producing subcompact cars with a focus on a boxy body form to prioritize
functionality, Mazda shortened the body overhangs and trimmed the corners to the
greatest extent possible as a way to provide a form that is compact and sporty,
conveys a sense of stability and inspires confidence. By carefully creating a
base form and then giving it energetic character lines befitting a subcompact
car, Mazda created a design that is highly distinctive, but timeless.
Mazda pursued a concentrated, taut form for the body as a virtue in itself, not
to simply reduce the car's body size. This creative background was advantageous
in efforts to achieve maximum dynamic performance within the new MAZDA2's
compact body. In other words, the MAZDA2 possesses the essence of Mazda's spirit
of compact, sporty dynamic performance - "Zoom-Zoom Concentrated."
Mazda MAZDA2: Review (2/2)
