Facelifted 2020 Mazda2 outed
New look, more tech for new Mazda2, coming to Australia early 2020The wraps have come off a mid-life update for the popular Mazda2 light car in Japan, showing a subtle new exterior design and revealing a number of tech upgrades – including Apple CarPlay for the first time.
Confirmed for an early 2020 Australian arrival, the new-look Mazda2 is currently the second most popular car in its class, after the Hyundai Accent. Other rivals include the Toyota Yaris, Suzuki Swift, Honda Jazz, Kia Rio and Volkswagen Polo.
On top of reworked headlight clusters and redesigned front bumper, which features lots of horizontal flourishes including new LED fog lights, the new Mazda2 now gets native support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
These smartphone pairing systems are part of a new Mazda Connect system and complement a new 'active driving display'.
The dashboard appears largely unchanged from its predecessor, which continues with the 7.0-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system.
The Japanese press release cites "carefully crafted noise-fighting measures" have been incorporated to reduce cabin noise and new seats have been installed to "enhance the feeling of connection with the car" and also "keep the head still".
Newly-designed 16-inch alloy wheels have made their way onto the updated model while changes to the suspension are said to make the Mazda2 smoother to drive and more comfortable.
Radar-based adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality will be offered on up-spec models, as will adaptive LED headlights.
The 2020 Mazda2 press release doesn't mention engine output but the 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (81kW/141Nm) and six-speed automatic transmission pairing looks set to return. Fuel economy for the current model is claimed to be under 5.0L/100km.
Mazda has just launched its new-generation, low emission Mazda3 SKYACTIV-X engine tech, which is tipped to make its way into every model – including the Mazda2 – in due course.
The new SKYACTIV-X engines will be coming to Australia first in the Mazda3 in early 2020 and then in the CX-30 SUV in the second half of 2020.
It's possible hybrid and even EV versions will be released in future as well; back in 2011 we tested an EV Mazda2, but it was a Japan-only model.
The Mazda2 was previously called the Mazda Demio in Japan, but as the order book opens in its domestic market, with deliveries to begin on September 12 in Japan, the facelifted model will join Australia and much of the world in being called the Mazda2.
Australian details and prices for the new Mazda2 are not yet known but Mazda Australia has confirmed the car will be here in early 2020.
"Although local pricing and specification is yet to be confirmed, we are expecting an update to the Mazda2, and it will be with us by quarter one in 2020," the senior manager for public relations, Sonia Singh, told carsales.com.au.
Sales of the Mazda2 in Australia are down by 13 per cent year-on-year for the first six months of 2019. With 5017 sales, down from 5764, it's the second-most popular car in the light vehicle segment behind the Hyundai Accent, whose sales of 6788 are down 18 per cent.
The light car segment, overall, has contracted by 11 per cent year-to-date.
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