Calgary Herald | First drive, 2011 Mazda2 | Driving.ca
From the Calgary Herald, originally posted June 25, 2010:
Mazda is set to be a player again in the important subcompact segment — and it’s bringing a hot hand to the table.
Photo by saebaryo, via flickr.com under a creative commons license
The Japanese automaker hasn’t had a B-segment model since its 323 sedan, which was dropped from the Mazda lineup in 1996. Now the automaker’s back — and not just with some obscure model to fill the void. Its ace in this game is the Mazda2, a sporty five-door hatchback that’s already won more than 50 awards in 20 countries and was named 2008 World Car of the Year.
The iteration arriving in dealers’ showrooms later next month is a freshened version of the second-generation Demio, a subcompact first introduced to Japanese and European markets in 2002.
It was given a significant makeover in 2007, including major changes to lighten (by 100 kilograms) and stiffen the car. The Demio has become a huge success for the brand, with more than 480,000 sold globally.
Now, fitted with some mid-lifecycle changes, it’s about to storm the North American market.
Read the complete review, via First drive, 2011 Mazda2.
Calgary Car Guy 