Review and photos by
Jil McIntosh, Autos.ca
The fundamental rule about vehicles is that not one of them, no matter how good, can be all things to all people. The Mazda2, a model all-new to Canada for 2011, isn’t a sports car, no matter how much “zoom-zoom” Mazda likes to inject into its marketing. That said, its combination of sharp handling, quiet ride and several standard features makes this smallest of Mazda models a fine runabout for getting around urban centres.
2011 Mazda2 GS
It’s available in two trim models, the base GX and my tester, the upper-line GS. A third trim line, the Yozora, is an appearance package that’s limited to 500 units and sold in Canada only. At $13,995, the GX is indeed base, requiring an additional $1,195 for air conditioning, and another $895 to add a convenience package that includes heated mirrors, keyless entry, cruise control and other items.
My GS, starting at $18,195, was further equipped with the only available option, an $1,100 four-speed automatic that replaces the default five-speed stick shift. (more…)
