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Back to black ; The Mazda brand is in rude health as Jonathan Crouch discovers for himself [Sentinel, The (Stoke-on-Trent, England)](Sentinel, The (Stoke-on-Trent, England) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) HE Mazda2 has become a whole lot more appealing over the years, gaining smarter styling, sharper handling and a host of improvements aimed at broadening the customer base, including a fourspeed auto. On the face of it, a Black Edition model, even one based on the sprightlier 1.3 Tamura model, seems a little OTT. Take the inferred bloodties with the MX-5 racer with a pinch of salt, though, and it's an attractive package. Under the bonnet is the more potent version of Mazda's Euro 5- compliant 1.3-litre petrol unit with 84PS. So does the zoom zoom match the moody looks? Well yes, upto a point. The high-mounted gear lever shifts neatly and the whole car feels handy and light on its feet. It never feels unstable and the steering's quick acting. Performance-wise, this Black Edition will cover the 0-62mph dash in 13.6 seconds and go on to a top speed of 106mph. Along with the stiffer bodyshell introduced at the earlier update, the drive and handling were enhanced by modifications to the front suspension geometry, as well as rear trailing arms that were given softer mountings. The rear dampers were also revised and retuned. The changes may have been modest individually, but with the whole greater than the parts, the result is a car that feels more planted to the road without losing any of its dynamic verve. The Black Edition is available only as a five-door model, giving flexibility to parents who perhaps have young children and are looking for a small runabout. Those back doors certainly make wrestling Junior into the rear childseat a lot easier than would be the case if they were having to lean through in a three-door model. And there are ISOFIX fastenings for said seat. There are a trio of three-point rear seatbelts in the Mazda2, but five adults in the back is a bit ambitious, as is the case with all superminis. Two adults will be reasonably comfortable in the back for short to medium-length journeys however, and space for bigger passengers in the front isn't an issue. The Mazda brand is now in ruder health than at any point we can remember and cars like this one are the reason why. The Mazda2 remains a really class-competitive supermini and a car that should make any small car buyer's shopping list. As the Black Edition limited edition its innate sportiness certainly finds its voice. It's a move by Mazda that many bored customers in this sector will like and, as a five-door hatch, it has all the trendy image that other brands limit to their three-door super minis. Vital statistics Car tested Mazda2 1.3 Black Edition Prices: Pounds 12,395-Pounds 12,815 - on the road Insurance groups: 11 CO2 emissions: 119 g/ km Performance: 0-62mph 13.6s top speed 106mph Fuel consumption: (combined) 55.4mpg Standard safety features: ABS, electronic brake force distribution, emergency brake assist, twin front airbags Will it fit in your garage?: length/width/ height in mm 3885/ 1695/1475 (c) 2011 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |