2011 Mazda 2 Details

Despite earning praise for a surprisingly spacious five-seat interior, the 2011 Mazda 2 stands 8.5 inches shorter and some 2 inches lower than the redesigned 2009 Honda Fit, while matching it for width and wheelbase. More importantly, a trim 2,100-lb curb weight should make it the lightest subcompact car on the U.S. market apart from the teeny two-seat Smart ForTwo. That's a good thing, as needless weight puts the hurt on fuel economy, carbon emissions, and acceleration. See "Notable Feature" below for details on the 2's weight-watcher development.

Speaking of efficiency, trade weekly Automotive News reports that Mazda plans to replace all its current gasoline engines within five years, substituting new powerplants that get better mileage via direct fuel injection and stop/start capability. The U.S.-market 2011 Mazda 2 could be an early outing for this technology.

The 2 is currently sold elsewhere with a quartet of existing Mazda-designed 4-cylinder engines: a gasoline 1.3-liter available in 74- and 83-horsepower tune; a 102-horsepower 1.5, and a 67-horsepower 1.4-liter turbodiesel. What's coming to America is unclear, but we see a new 1.6-liter gasoline four as the likely choice for performance, fuel economy, and emissions reasons. And as it could easily produce 120 horses and that many lb-ft of torque--our estimates, mind--the 2 would nicely trump Fit and other class rivals. That might include cousin Fiesta, which is slated for different, all-Ford engines. While the stop/start feature would technically make the 2 a "mild hybrid," we don't rule out a future "full hybrid" that can run short distances on electricity alone. We also think a turbodiesel option has a shot at U.S. sale, if only because Mazda is a feisty outfit that takes pride in solving engineering challenges.

Whatever the final engine or engines, the U.S.-market 2011 Mazda 2 will almost certainly have a standard 5-speed manual transmission, with a 6-speed option possible. The available automatic should be the conventional 5-speed unit already offered elsewhere. The rest of the car should also change little for Stateside duty. That means front-disc and rear-drum brakes with available ABS, electrically assisted power steering, 4-wheel independent suspension with front struts and a simple twist-beam rear axle, and front and curtain side airbags.