By Malusi Msomi

The South African car market is a one that is currently favouring bakkies and crossover SUV’s. With that being said, compact city cars aren’t exactly dead. Some buyers still want some something small, peppy, and that can also park on those narrow Cape Town streets. Enter the recently refreshed Mazda 2 Individual 6AT 5-Dr we recently had on rest. A bit on the pricey side we must be honest, but is it worth it?

Exterior design

Outside, the Mazda 2 Individual gets a honeycomb grille with a red insert, LED headlamps, roof wrap, and 16-inch wheels. The roof-wrap adds to the small hatches street cred. Our tester is also finished in a new color called Aero Grey which looks quite good. The update has helped it look more fresher, but we think the design is getting a bit dated.

Interior

Stepping inside, in typical Mazda fashion, the interior is bang on with the use of quality materials and a touch of plastics which can easily be overlooked because of how well it’s cabin is put together. Interior highlights on the Mazda 2 Individual include red stitching on the seats and red bezels across the cabin, a 7-inch infotainment system, head-up display, reverse camera and cruise control. Although the infotainment system is operated via touch and the scroll wheel, it’s only operable via the scroll wheel once the car is in motion, this helps with safety by keeping your eyes on the road.

In terms of practicality, headroom is fine, but legroom is a bit limited. We’d hoped for a center console, as an armrest is most welcomed during longer drives. Boot capacity comes in at 250 litres which puts it on par with competitors such as the Hyundai i10.

Powerplant

Powering the Mazda 2 is a 1.5-litre normally aspirated 4-cylinder engine that produces 85kW/148Nm. Power is sent to the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic. Mazda claims a fuel consumption of 6.0 l/100km. The 1.5-litre engine in the Mazda 2 makes it peppy and the ride is commendable. We managed a decent 6.6 l/100km fuel consumption over the claimed 6.0 l/100km.

Verdict

Is it worth the R398,700 asking price? Our answer is no. You’re not really really short changed with the lower specced models in the range. With that asking price, you’re looking at slightly bigger cars such as the Suzuki Fronx, a base spec T-Cross and Chery Tiggo 4 Pro.