Regarded as one of the best handling cars in the supermini segment, the Mazda2 has the same ‘Love of Driving’ ethos at its heart as the rest of the Mazda range. Mazda has always had a thing for low weight, and like the rest of the range, the Mazda2 benefits from the company’s radical Skyactiv technologies. Its steering, suspension, brakes and aerodynamics have been designed and developed under Mazda’s intensive ‘gram strategy’ to deliver an excellent combination of athletic agility, cosseting ride comfort, low weight, enhanced economy and improved refinement and safety levels.

At the centre of this skill set sits the Mazda2’s innovative, lightweight and ultra-stiff chassis. In securing the disparate goals of engineering a new chassis that was both lighter and stiffer, Mazda’s engineers developed an advanced straight and continuous body framework, in which each body section functions in a coordinated manner with those around it.

With kerb weights starting from just 1,141kg (including 75kg driver) for the 1.5-litre 75ps Skyactiv-G with Skyactiv-MT Manual transmission, it is one of the lightest members in the supermini segment.

Already a supermini well-regarded for its handling, subtle updates across the Mazda2’s lifespan have enhanced its driver appeal with previous changes that include the use of a urethane top mount in the rear dampers to enhance ride quality and revisions to the power steering to improve response and feel.

The Mazda2 features G-Vectoring Control Plus (GVC Plus) – the evolved version of Mazda’s GVC system. Having made its debut in the Mazda3 and later in the Mazda CX-30, GVC Plus is the second generation of Mazda’s vehicle dynamics control technology and has evolved to now use the brakes to apply direct yaw movement control in addition to the previous system’s engine control. The advanced technology enables the car to handle better in emergency avoidance manoeuvres and offers more confidence-inspiring controllability in various situations, including high-speed lane changes and driving on slippery roads.