Mazda 2 Hybrid test drive

Make and model: Mazda 2 HybridDescription: Small hatchbackPrice range: from GBP24,135 to GBP29,240 Mazda says: “The Mazda 2 Hybrid combines the power and convenience of a petrol engine with the performance of a battery-powered electric motor. Together, they form the heart of this sleek, swift and agile city car.”

We say: The Mazda 2 Hybrid is a comfortable and efficient supermini with excellent safety credentials, but we find no worthwhile reason to opt for this Mazda over the Toyota Yaris it’s based on.

Introduction

This car needs a bit of explanation. The Mazda 2 Hybrid is not, as you might expect, a hybrid-powered version of the Mazda 2[1]. It’s a completely different car – in fact, it’s a rebadged Toyota Yaris[2].

So why is Mazda selling two similarly-sized-but-completely-different small cars? Essentially, this car exists to help Mazda comply with European Union rules on CO2 emissions. Every car company needs to hit an average emissions target across its model range, and Mazda was over its target.

So it struck a deal to re-badge the Toyota Yaris as a quick solution to tide it over for a few years. A facelift in late 2023[3] brought some very minor exterior design tweaks to differentiate the Mazda from its Toyota counterpart. But apart from badges and a slightly different front bumper, it’s exactly the same car.

Surprisingly, Mazda is still selling its own Mazda 2[4] small hatchback alongside the new Mazda 2 Hybrid. Despite being pretty ancient in car industry terms – having been on sale for nearly a decade – Mazda has recently given the 2 a facelift to keep it on sale for a few more years yet. According to The Car Expert’s award-winning Expert Rating Index, which combines new car reviews, safety ratings, running costs and reliability data, the Mazda 2 Hybrid currently holds an Expert Rating of A as both a new and a used car.

Competing in a competitive field of hybridised small cars all vying for attention – a category that also includes the Renault Clio[5] and Honda Jazz[6], as well as the Toyota Yaris – Mazda says that its 2 Hybrid is ideal for eco-conscious drivers with inner-city commutes. So is it worth a look?

What is it?

As its straightforward nampeplate suggests, this small five-door hatchback is a petrol/electric hybrid. That means that it runs primarily on petrol, but also has a battery-powered electric motor that can reduce fuel consumption and allow the car to travel short distances on electric power only.

As with all hybrids, it’s only available as an automatic – no manual gearboxes here. There’s nothing distinctly different about the Mazda 2 Hybrid when compared to other superminis on the market – no stand-out features that you can’t find elsewhere. That said, the car comes with all of the ingredients that make the Yaris a great everyday runaround, including its economical engine and high safety standards.

The Yaris was awarded a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating[7] back in late 2021, and that score applies equally to the Mazda as there are no real differences. It has particularly impressive scores in the adult occupant protection and safety assistance technology categories.

First impressions

At first glance, it’s hard to distinguish this little Mazda from a Yaris. Look closely and you may notice the Mazda branding and slightly smaller front grille – that’s basically the extent of Mazda’s re-design.

Likewise, step inside and it’s a familiar story if you’ve sat inside a Yaris. Apart from a Mazda badge on the steering wheel, every component from the infotainment screen to the seating is the same. It’s comfortable, if a little cramped for larger drivers.

Visibility and driving position are good, and starting the car up and setting off is easy. We like: Simple get-in-and-go driving experienceWe don’t like: Some hard plastic finishes that you can bump your knees into

What do you get for your money?

Mazda offers its 2 Hybrid range with four trim levels – starting with ‘Centre-Line’, then progressing to ‘Exclusive-Line’, ‘Homura’ and the top-spec ‘Homura Plus’. The entry-level Centre-Line has all the basic kit you’d expect, with a couple of nice highlights being Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility and a reversing camera.

It’s basically the same specification as the entry-level Yaris ‘Icon’, the key issue being that the Toyota costs around GBP1,500 less than the Mazda’s GBP24k start price. Exclusive-Line adds keyless entry and start, blind-spot monitoring and larger 16-inch alloy wheels, while Homura comes with LED daytime running lights and LED fog lights on the car’s front end, as well as 17-inch alloy wheels, ‘sports style’ front seats with some synthetic leather trim accents, dual-zone air conditioning, ambient interior lighting and a wireless smartphone charging pad. In order to get the larger 11-inch infotainment touchscreen and 12-inch digital instrument cluster, you will need to choose the range-topping Homura Plus trim which also includes a head-up display that projects driving information onto the windscreen and a panoramic sunroof.

Not only is the cheapest 2 Hybrid more expensive than its Yaris counterpart, the Homura Plus is also GBP300 more costly than the top-spec Yaris ‘Premiere Edition’. The Mazda 2 Hybrid comes with a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty – whatever comes first. That’s the same as you get with a Yaris, however Toyota will extend this by a year every time you have your Yaris serviced by a Toyota dealership, up to ten years or 100,000 miles.

We like: Parking camera tech is included as standardWe don’t like: Toyota Yaris offers the same features for less money

What’s the Mazda 2 Hybrid like inside?

The Mazda 2 Hybrid has a well-built and well-finished interior. Clutter is kept to a minimum and it’s easy to change the car’s settings through various physical buttons and dials located across the dashboard, steering wheel and door panels. The infotainment screen has a high-resolution display that responds quickly, is easy to read and simple to navigate.

The screen is also flanked by short-cut buttons on either side, so you can find what you are looking for without much fuss. The seats are comfortable and come with plenty of manual adjustment, and the driving position is excellent with great visibility in every direction, which makes parking very straightforward. It can get pretty cramped in the back for rear passengers and the boot capacity of 286 litres is nothing to shout about, but keep in mind that this isn’t a large car by any metric, and while rivals like the Renault Clio have a slightly bigger boot, the 2 Hybrid doesn’t miss the mark by much.

We like: User-friendly infotainment is easy to navigate We don’t like: Limited rear legroom and small boot

What’s under the bonnet?

There’s only has one engine option – a three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine and 59kW electric motor pairing that produces 116hp. Mazda says that the car can complete a 0-62mph sprint in just under ten seconds, which isn’t all that impressive. But more importantly, immediate response from stationary is quite sharp thanks to the electric motor working in concert with the petrol engine – assuming you have charge in the battery.

Top speed is electronically limited at 109mph. Unsurprisingly, the 2 Hybrid has the exact same fuel economy figures as the Yaris, claiming up to 69mpg and CO2 emissions of 97g/km in official government lab tests. That compares favourably to Mazda’s other ‘2’ that runs on petrol alone, which has a fuel consumption of 59mpg and CO2 emissions of 109g/km.

What’s the Mazda 2 Hybrid like to drive?

Engine start-up is quiet and pressing the accelerator provides pleasingly sprightly acceleration that can get you up to speed fairly quickly.

The initial response doesn’t continue as speed increases, so this is a car better suited to town driving than open road overtaking. The steering is agile and well-balanced, giving you confidence when manoeuvring the car at both low and high speeds, and the automatic gearbox is very responsive in slow moving traffic and at motorway speeds. That said, the car can be pretty noisy in high-rev situations like climbing steep hills.

When you do get up to speed and the engine has kicked in, there is almost no wind noise, which helps to produce a calm and relaxing driving experience. While the seats are comfortable, the ride quality is a little on the firm side, meaning that the 2 Hybrid doesn’t handle potholes quite as well as the like of the Volkswagen Polo or Skoda Fabia. Don’t count on the hybrid battery taking you far in electric-only mode, though if you feather the throttle you can run on electricity alone for short periods, which saves you some petrol.

We like: Easy to drive and won’t leave you wanting for paceWe don’t like: Firm suspension makes the car feel unsettled on rough roads

Verdict

If you are intrigued by the idea of your next car being a compact hybrid, the Mazda 2 Hybrid is a solid choice. After all, it’s fairly comfortable, nimble, easy to drive and live with, will be cheap to run and it has a lively powertrain that can handle any day-to-day urban driving requirements. That said, the 2 Hybrid has inherited all of these qualities from the Toyota Yaris, so why not buy one of those instead?

Unless you are dead set on choosing you next car from a Mazda dealership, the Yaris is the better option. It’s the same car, but is cheaper and comes with a longer warranty.

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Mazda 2 Hybrid, you might also be interested in these alternatives. Citroen C3 | Dacia Sandero | Honda Jazz | Hyundai i20 | Mazda 2 | MG 3 Hybrid | Nissan Micra | Peugeot 208 | Renault Clio | SEAT Ibiza | Skoda Fabia | Suzuki Swift | Toyota Yaris | Vauxhall Corsa | Volkswagen Polo[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

Key specifications

Model tested: Mazda 2 Hybrid HomuraPrice as tested: GBP27,865Engine: 1.5-litre hybrid petrolGearbox: automatic, continuously variable

Power: 116 hpTorque: 120 NmTop speed: 109 mph0-62 mph: 9.7 seconds

CO2 emissions: 97 g/kmEuro NCAP safety rating: Five stars (December 2021)TCE Expert Rating: A (75%) as of September 2024[23][24]

Buy a Mazda 2 Hybrid

If you’re looking to buy a new or used Mazda 2 Hybrid, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.

Lease a Mazda 2 Hybrid

If you’re looking to lease a new Mazda 2 Hybrid, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.

Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more[25]

Personal contract hire deals from Rivervale Leasing. Find out more[26]

Subscribe to a Mazda 2 Hybrid

If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?[27])

References

1. ^ Mazda 2 (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
2. ^ Toyota Yaris (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
3. ^ facelift in late 2023 (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
4. ^ Mazda 2 (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
5. ^ Renault Clio (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
6. ^ Honda Jazz (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
7. ^ five-star Euro NCAP safety rating (www.euroncap.com)
8. ^ Citroen C3 (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
9. ^ Dacia Sandero (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
10. ^ Honda Jazz (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
11. ^ Hyundai i20 (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
12. ^ Mazda 2 (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
13. ^ MG 3 Hybrid (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
14. ^ Nissan Micra (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
15. ^ Peugeot 208 (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
16. ^ Renault Clio (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
17. ^ SEAT Ibiza (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
18. ^ Skoda Fabia (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
19. ^ Suzuki Swift (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
20. ^ Toyota Yaris (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
21. ^ Vauxhall Corsa (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
22. ^ Volkswagen Polo (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
23. ^ Five stars (www.euroncap.com)
24. ^ A (75%) (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)
25. ^ Find out more (www.carparisonleasing.co.uk)
26. ^ Find out more (www.rivervaleleasing.co.uk)
27. ^ What’s a car subscription? (www.thecarexpert.co.uk)