So, now that Ford AND Mazda have decided to bring over their smallest, peppy entrants stateside, we can explore what this new driving experience is all about.
Having driven the Fiesta, I can say confidently that this will be an interesting comparison for the next couple of years. While the Fiesta is a capable around-the-town kind of car, it lacked something that the Mazda brand represents at its core; performance.
One thing J.F. Musial points out is that Mazda took the necessary steps to lighten the 2 substantially. On its strict diet, the 2 shaved off approximately 240 pounds -- for a total weight just over 2,300 ell-bees. This puts it under a the lightest Fiesta, the five-door hatch, which weighs in around 2,500 pounds.
Over 200 pounds is a big deal in any car but even more so in something this small.
Will its weight saving make it a more capable vehicle over its distant relative? Read on to find out what FLD thinks...
**Click "Read Article" for Fast Lane Daily's full review of the 2011 Mazda2For years, car enthusiasts in America have complained about the cool toys in Europe never making their way to this side of the Atlantic. Who would've ever thought that a global economic downturn would be the determining factor for our dreams to come true.
Earlier this month, I took a trip to Montreal Canada to drive the new 2011 Mazda 2, a car that's been one of those toys out of our reach here in the United States since 2007. The entry-level car may be new to my eyes and feet, but it's actually just a mid-life refresh for the rest of the world. That said, Mazda's timing couldn't have been any better - the 2's distant cousin, the Ford Fiesta, just started reaching Ford dealerships across the country late last week.
Even though that distant cousin of the Mazda 2 may be mistaken to be the same car, Mazda is quick to point out that the two have very few things in common outside of the basic architecture. After driving the Fiesta, I came to realize that although it is a fun car to drive, its purpose equates to more of an entry level vehicle that tries to do everything to the best of it's abilities. It wins in some areas while fails at others. The Mazda 2 on the other hand retains a core competence you see throughout the brand: Zoom-Zoom...[Source: Fast Lane Daily]
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