Written by Parkers Updated: 26 April 2024

Question: When is a Mazda 2 Hybrid not a Mazda 2 Hybrid?
Answer: When it’s a Toyota Yaris Hybrid
Parkers content guru Steve ‘Percy’ Lawman gets under the skin of Mazda’s facelifted Mazda 2 Hybrid for 6 months of real-world ownership.

Report by: Percy Lawman – Last Updated October 25th 2024

Update 1: Welcome and introduction

Welcome to our newly arrived long-termer which we’ve got the pleasure of running during the Spring and into the later part of Summer 2024. Mazda’s Hybrid Super Mini is based around the platform used for the Toyota Yaris. Bar the badge, there wasn’t anything to really distinguish one car from the other although a recent facelift has injected some of Mazda’s DNA back into the mix, but this is more of a reference to design tweaks on external panels and bodywork. Inside, both cars are pretty much identical. Just to add some spice to the arena, an unrelated petrol mild-hybrid tech Mazda 2 Hatchback is still on sale, with its own looks and engines.

Over the years, you often see manufacturers going through platform sharing phases where one manufacturer shares the underpinnings of one model – only then for the other manufacturer to make their own incarnation and release it under another name.

Over the coming weeks, we plan to get to know our Mazda 2 Hybrid better and see how it performs in a real-world scenario.

It’s been reported that this car is super-frugal to the extreme and with official factory figures of over 70mpg combined, the 36 litre [7.9 gallon] capacity could potentially take the car well over 550 miles.

Having run a Suzuki Ignis [also as a long-termer back in 2017], I had the enjoyment of taking this from Land’s End to John O’Groats on what was then just over £60 worth of fuel. But then back in 2017, unleaded was only £1.15 a gallon. It’s now more like £1.45.

With the improved hybrid technology that’s come on in leaps and bounds during the past few years, could we be looking at another trip using even less fuel than the Ignis did on the same journey? Stay with us to see.

Update 2: Equipment, options and specs

Our new arrival is BG24 KUB – a 1.5 CVT Hybrid 116ps 5-door hatchback in Exclusive-Line trim. The standard on-the-road price of the car is £25,390. The factory optional ‘Northern Pearl White’ paint is an additional £880 and, in our opinion, adds a touch of sparkle – glowing in the late spring sunshine and is well worth the outlay.

Standard cars come in Luna White [no additional cost], whilst ‘Stormy Silver’, ‘Lead Grey’, Glass Blue’ and ‘Opera Black’ add an extra £475 to the price. ‘Formal Red’ also adds £880 as an option. Other factory fitted options include the following:

• Scuff plates – £289
• Boot liner – £68
• Detachable tow-bar and wiring harness – £1085
• Luxury floor mats – £379
• Thule two-bike cycle carrier – £579

There are currently four trim levels available. The base trim is the ‘Centre-Line’ starting at £24,135. Some of the main standard fit equipment includes 15-inch alloy wheels, halogen headlamps with auto high-beam, a reversing camera and rain sensing wipers.

Our own ‘Exclusive-Line’ at £25,390 includes all standard equipment fitted to the base model, plus the additional upgrade to 16-inch alloy wheels, together with a blind-spot monitor and front/rear parking sensors.

Moving up a notch to higher trims, the ‘Homura’ tops in from £27,290 and has 17-ich alloys, dual zone climate-controlled air conditioning and interior upgrades such as front sports seats.

Finally, the range-topping Homura Plus [starting from £29,240] includes Sat-Nav with a 10.3-inch display, a 6-speaker audio system and a panoramic glass sunroof.

Continuing with interior fitments, our car enjoys an analogue speedometer and hybrid system indicator, black fabric seat trim, driver’s seat manual slide with recline and height adjust, electronic parking brake with auto hold and auto disengage function and a leather wrapped steering wheel and gear shift. There are no facilities across the range which includes any option of controlling the seats electrically.

Eagle eyed readers will already have noted the lack of any ‘Satellite Navigation System‘ on any of the trim levels bar the top-end Homura Plus. In our opinion this is quite a disappointment, especially when the standard Mazda 2 Hatchback range includes navigation as standard fit equipment across the whole range regardless of what trim levels you buy. In addition, the Toyota Yaris [which is essentially the same car] has navigation fitted to the ‘Excel’ trim level [in essence – a similar trim as the Homura] and costs less.

We would mention that the inclusion of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay kind of offset the omission of sat-nav on the lower to mid trims. At least you can connect your smartphone to access external apps such as Google Maps or Waze for example, so you’re not left reading an old-school road atlas.

Onboard Bluetooth is available – as are 2 x USB ‘C’ connectors which will connect to a compatible device although there’s no facility for wireless charging.

Insurance wise, you’re looking at Group 14E with a first year VED rate of £220 and a BIK rate of 23%. CO2 emissions are a frugal 92g/km. For a full rundown on specifications, see our Mazda 2 Hybrid Specs data page here.

The Mazda 2 Hybrid comes with a 1.5 three-cylinder CVT petrol engine that’s assisted by a 117v electric motor/lithium-ion battery combo – this is standard across the range. The output of 116ps is adequate and has an acceleration from 0-62mph of 9.7 seconds. It’s not in hot-hatch territory but feels quite up to the job in hand – and off the line, actually feels quite quick.

Update 3: Infotainment and trigger-happy safety systems

Despite our Mazda2 Hybrid’s relatively low price tag, it has a fairly healthy provision of tech, from safety equipment to driving aids. Starting with the infotainment setup, the car has a 9-inch colour touchscreen display, that offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. After extensive testing I’ve found that connecting your phone via these means can take a little while and can occasionally require a reset on both ends just to get the pair to sync up. You’ll have to go up to the next trim grade – Homura – if you want wireless charging, starts from £27,290.

It’s not the sharpest nor clearest display ever fitted to a car, but it has served its purpose well without creating any grievances. The car’s infotainment software manifests itself through a series of pages and menus, all of which are simple enough to cycle through without getting lost. 

As the car we’ve got on fleet is an Exclusive-Line model, it benefits from keyless entry and electrically adjustable door mirrors. Given the precariously high curbs and narrow streets around my home town of Stamford, the latter has proven a necessity to park safely. Given that city cars are so often subjected to these sorts of driving environments, I think the electric mirrors have proven a bit of a must. 

As for safety equipment, our car is fitted with a blind spot monitoring system, as well as a parking support brake function that can alert you to a hazard or even take action itself by applying the brakes if it thinks you’re about to crash. Ultimately, it’s a nice bit of tech to have on your side, and I do feel somewhat safe in the knowledge that the car can take control and avoid a collision on the mornings when my brain isn’t working yet. 

However, on several occasions, when reversing into a parking bay that’s covered by a bush on one end, the force with which the car has applied its brakes has scared the life out of me. In conjunction with a piercing collision alarm, the car’s reaction has been enough to convince me I’ve done something terrible when really, I’ve only grazed the outside of a bush. It’s some alarm clock on the mornings when coffee doesn’t seem to be cutting it, let me tell you.

Check back with us soon over the coming weeks for more updates.

Report by: Seth Walton – Last Updated October 25th 2024