The Best Kept Secret On Sale Today

"mazdaspeed2" (mazdaspeed03) 03/16/2014 at 23:00 • Filed to: Mazda2

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Many people view the subcompact car market just as cheap, bright cars designed to get all the hipster millennials to start buying cars. We all know that not all of us millennials are hipsters and we can't afford to buy new cars without any help. There is also the age old proverb

"It is more fun to a drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow" -Confucius

I purchased a 2014 Mazda 2 (with parental assistance) yesterday, and I traded in my 2003 Mazdaspeed Protege. To some, going from a bright orange limited edition turbocharged compact car to a bright red subcompact complete with no turbo and no power is a downgrade. But I, a first time writer here, am here to do my civic duty to tell you that I bought the best kept secret on sale today.

To be fair, I do have some bias because it is my car, and obviously I will defend my decision. I will still try and be objective here. First, I will address the "best" portion of my claim. The 2 is one of the lightest cars for sale today with 4 doors, coming in at a mere 2306 pounds. A brand new modern car that only weighs 2300 pounds?! Yes, it is true. Combine this with surprisingly tight steering and a solid gearbox, and you have a fun little hot hatch on a budget. Granted, the body roll does need to be taken care of, and a couple of sway bars does the trick. Even with the body roll, it is really fun to drive. The turn in is impressive, and it feels fast enough to have some fun, but it is slow enough to let you drive close to the limit without breaking any laws.

Now, lets address the "secret" portion of my claim. Have you ever seen an ad for the Mazda 2? Yeah, I haven't either. I am of course assuming you said no, and after extensive research (a couple of quick searches on Youtube) I found one ad for the old Mazda 2 in England, and one ad for the new one, but it was for Canada. While the 2 is only average in the class in terms of interior space, fuel economy, and comfort, it leads in the ever so important smiles per gallon category. Normally, this is the part where I would say that it is not marketed correctly, but it isn't marketed at all! Now, you are probably saying things like, "How did I not know about this incredible car that could change my life!" and "Thank you for giving me this vital information!"

Honestly, it really is a miracle they sell any of these, but it deserves to be sold. So far, the 2 has actually been more fun to drive than the Speed Protege. I really loved the Protege, and I was worried I would miss it after I got the 2. Turns out my worries did not have much merit. I am fairly certain I have been smiling more than I used to. Maybe this is just enjoying something new, but I don't think it is. I drive the best kept secret on the road, and I couldn't be happier with it.

I have noticed that most of the best writers here post these bios in italics, so this will probably make me look more credible. On a more serious note, this is my first "real" article and I don't think my writing is that good but my College Writing professor seems to think otherwise so I gave it a shot. If you find any errors let me know and I will correct them right away. Oh wait, Doug DeMuro wrote his in third person. Should I have done that too?

Milky > mazdaspeed2 03/16/2014 at 23:13

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They'll sell more soon.

(Also I quite enjoyed your writing, keep it up)

mazdaspeed2 > Milky 03/16/2014 at 23:15

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Thanks! I have ideas for other articles, but I need to find the time. If the production car looks like the concept they will have no problem selling them.

Sn210 > mazdaspeed2 03/16/2014 at 23:27

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Congrats on the new purchase! Any plans for an Oppo review after you've put some miles on it?

mazdaspeed2 > Sn210 03/16/2014 at 23:31

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It is definitely in the works! I also am working on an Oppo review for the protege I sold, so expect that in the next couple days.

Burrito de EJ25 > mazdaspeed2 03/16/2014 at 23:37

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This might sound strange coming from a dude who owns a WRX, but honestly? Fuck power. I'm looking to invest all my modification money on handling mods. At least until my warranty is up and I've got a second car that I can depend on taking me to work should my engine modifications break my car (which, as far as I can tell, is an inevitability — tuned cars blow up).

I realized that the most fun I've been having is carving up the mountains surrounding Los Angeles, and that more power wasn't going to make things anymore fun. Stiffness and lightness. Composure.

Handling and feel. That's what I'm looking on improving. And I think these little cars can offer that in spades and for a lot less money, too.

Stef Schrader > mazdaspeed2 03/16/2014 at 23:51

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I ADORE the Mazda2. Also, I like bright colors. Tell the hipsters to get off my lawn—those little cars are tons of fun.

mazdaspeed2 > Burrito de EJ25 03/16/2014 at 23:52

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I have been telling that to my friend that has a WRX for a long time haha. He is at 300 whp now without a single suspension upgrade, but he has been pulled over 4 times in the last month (amazingly no tickets). Don't get me wrong, speed is fun, but it is no handling. I would check out a 2. It doesn't take a whole lot of money to turn it into the car you see above, and it just asks you to throw it into the turns. My ideology when it comes to mods for a daily driver or anything for the street is that it should all be to improve the experience of driving it. Forget about all the numbers and just go for what will give you the biggest smile on a nice day with great roads.

mazdaspeed2 > Stef Schrader 03/16/2014 at 23:56

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I am also a big fan of bright colors, but you probably could have guessed that going from bright orange to bright red haha. I am falling in love with it quickly, and I can't wait get my hands dirty and get rid of some of that terrible body roll.

Burrito de EJ25 > mazdaspeed2 03/17/2014 at 00:28

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While I'm sure I would be more than happy in a car in that segment, I love my WRX. And I don't see myself moving out of it for anything other than a BRZ.

I like the utility that it offers, especially for our snowy mountains in the winter. Also, there are other irrational reasons why I love this car.

mazdaspeed2 > Burrito de EJ25 03/17/2014 at 08:14

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They are great cars, and I meant the 2 as the second car. I've been hooning in my friends WRX in the snow (we are in the northeast) and it is way too much fun. I looked into getting a WRX, but they are incredibly overpriced up here. I found an 02 bugeye in yellow with around 100k miles on it, and it was priced close to book value at $12k... I think just over half that would be a fair price.

But, I would definitely start improving the handling and feel as you said. It will make it a lot more fun on back roads, and tires go a long way!

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > mazdaspeed2 03/17/2014 at 08:39

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Instead of the third person, I think you should do what Car & Driver and Road & Track do and use the Royal We.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > mazdaspeed2 03/17/2014 at 11:37

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Your college writing professor is right—your writing is good. Please keep it coming!

mazdaspeed2 > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 03/17/2014 at 16:39

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Thanks! I want to refine my next articles a little more. Some of my friends gave me shit for grammar stuff, but they did not point out where, so I apologize for any possible errors. I have some ideas, and I would like to do something at least once a week, so be on the lookout!

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > mazdaspeed2 03/17/2014 at 19:33

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Your friends gave you grief? How many articles have they posted? :-)

mazdaspeed2 > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 03/17/2014 at 19:36

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Hahah, they both said it was good, and actually the one that gave me more grief had a short internship with a tech blog to write about cars. That being said, it ended when the guy he was under told him to take a break and improve his writing. Take that for what it is worth, but expect to see a new article out later this week!

Tom McParland > mazdaspeed2 03/19/2014 at 13:41

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Nicely done...the 2 is a great little car with a lot of personality and that is what counts. Congrats on your new ride!

AMC/Renauledge > mazdaspeed2 03/19/2014 at 13:45

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I'd have taken a Mazda2 over my Fiat 500 if it weren't for 2 things:

1) Mileage. The Mazda gets 5 fewer highway MPGs and 2 fewer in the city.

2) Lack of sunroof availability.

The upcoming 2 should correct the mileage issue. Hopefully, they'll make a sunroof available, too.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > mazdaspeed2 03/19/2014 at 14:21

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The Mazda2 is a fun little car. I still like the 3 better, but I do a lot of long-distance trips. (I'm biased: I bought a Mazda3 instead.)

Michael H > mazdaspeed2 03/19/2014 at 16:32

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I know this is an asshole comment, but if you need parental assistance to purchase one of the cheapest new cars on the road, wouldn't you have been better off with either a used one, or keeping your old one? I know I sound like an old man, but it's easier to be proud of something you did yourself, than something someone did for you.

mazdaspeed2 > AMC/Renauledge 03/19/2014 at 17:52

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It definitely isn't the right choice based on that criteria haha. I haven't gotten a chance to try out the Fiat, but I have heard the Mazda is more fun to drive. I also am partial to Mazda, so that played a pretty big roll.

mazdaspeed2 > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully 03/19/2014 at 17:57

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I tried out a 2010 3s hatch, and it was a great car. I didn't like the way the clutch engaged, but what really turned me away from it was the center armrest blocked me from shifting into 2, 4, and 6. That just drove me crazy.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > mazdaspeed2 03/19/2014 at 20:16

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For me, my 2013 3i hatch fits just about perfectly, but I'm also freakishly short, which helps a lot, I think.

However, yes. The clutch is way, way too light and digital, especially compared to my Fiat Spider which has a nice, linear engagement.

mazdaspeed2 > Michael H 03/19/2014 at 22:37

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I am a college student, (read: no money) and my dad has always wanted to help pay for my school. It is a lot cheaper to commute than to live at school, but to commute you need a car that will reliably get you to class. So his way of helping is the car. There is nothing I would like more than to be able to pay for my own things, but that is just not an option right now. I will be paying for everything that I can pay for and I am proud that I pay for more than most of the people I know my age. I have been working longer than all my friends, and it bothers me that I can't help myself more than I do.

Side Note: I have the same first name and last initial.

mazdaspeed2 > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully 03/19/2014 at 22:40

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The clutch in the 2 is also very light and digital, but it doesn't engage as high as the 3 I drove. That is just nit-picking though, I easily could have gotten used to it. If that armrest wasn't there I might be driving something else right now.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > mazdaspeed2 03/20/2014 at 01:10

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Honestly, I like the Skyactiv engine way better than the old 2.5... Not as well as the Fiat Twin-Cam, but...

WhatDaFunk > mazdaspeed2 03/20/2014 at 01:45

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Congrats on the car and nice write up! The best thing you can do if you want to get better at writing is just write as much as possible and keep publishing stuff to oppo.

Just curious, were there any other cars you cross shopped when looking for your 2?

mazdaspeed2 > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully 03/20/2014 at 07:45

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I have yet to drive either.

mazdaspeed2 > WhatDaFunk 03/20/2014 at 07:49

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Thanks! I did try some Mazda 3s, but there weren't many options for me. My dad is helping to pay for the car because it will be used for commuting to school, so that meant I had to adhere to his rules. I probably should have tried out a couple more things, but all the reviews I read said the 2 was the most fun to drive in the class and it felt right when I sat in it. It is also the lightest car in the class by about 300 pounds which was big for me because I plan on autocrossing it.

Allen > mazdaspeed2 03/23/2014 at 16:16

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Congrats on the new purchase. I hope it will be a great car for you for years to come.

I've always been a big fan of the Mazda2 and the Fiesta, as well as the Fit. Great cars with great personalities and a neat blend of economy, fun, and utility.

Frosted > mazdaspeed2 04/06/2014 at 23:15

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Really looking at buying one of these very soon, just curious though, how has your MPGs been? I had an 04 xB with the tiny engine and 100horses that couldn't get much more than 30. I'd imagine a newer car with aerodynamics might do a bit better...

mazdaspeed2 > Frosted 04/07/2014 at 09:10

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My last fill up I averaged 37 MPG with probably around 60-70% highway and I'd say at least 10% spirited haha. The tank is pretty small which is kind of annoying, but it's a lot of fun to drive. I highly recommend it, and I would put this on immediately. It cuts down on the body roll quite a bit, and the car feels a lot more neutral when you're cornering. Best part is it's only $100 and takes 15 minutes to install tops.

mazdaspeed2 > Frosted 04/07/2014 at 09:14

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Once I find a bit of spare time I will write a review of the car, but I will answer any questions you have.

Frosted > mazdaspeed2 04/07/2014 at 09:42

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Thanks man! Looking forward to the review. Just curious, do you find the interior to be lacking in terms of quality? And my only other question: Would you feel comfortable taking it on a road trip to some place maybe 2 hours away (both in terms of interior quality and reliability)?

mazdaspeed2 > Frosted 04/07/2014 at 10:19

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I would say the interior is more basic than lacking in quality. I have the base model (sport), and you can tell that it is the base, but the seats are pretty comfortable. I would have no problem spending 2 hours in the car. The only thing I can think of that would bother me is lack of cruise control, but you can get that with the touring model.

Reliability would never be a concern for me, and if you buy new, Mazda has a 3 year roadside assistance program in case anything ever did happen. There is a guy near me with one that he put 40k on in the first year without any problems, and with plenty of autox, haha.

I would go check one out and actually sit in it. It has plenty of hard plastics, but your contact points are decent, and nothing rattles around or anything like that.

Frosted > mazdaspeed2 04/07/2014 at 11:59

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All of these things are making me want a Mazda 2 even more/ making it more appealing. After watching some video reviews, it sounds like the 4 speed is not so hot. Did you get a manual or auto version/thoughts on the trannies? I'm gonna try to go to a Mazda dealer over Easter weekend (saturday when they're open) and try to get a test drive in one.

mazdaspeed2 > Frosted 04/07/2014 at 12:48

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I got a manual, and I haven't heard anything good about the auto either. The gearbox in the manual is good, and it doesn't take very long to get used to where it is located. I don't really like the clutch, it has almost no feel, but you get used to it pretty quick. It is super light though, so you won't have a sore leg or anything like that in traffic.

What really sold me on it was how cheap and easy it is to mod, and how good it handles with not a whole lot of money into it. This video is cool to see.

I'm not sure if it covers it in the video, but I know that the b spec 2s pull around 1.05g on a skidpad. That is with racing slicks, but I'm sure it would still be ridiculous for what it is with a decent set of summer tires.

Frosted > mazdaspeed2 04/07/2014 at 14:11

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That was an excellent video. Really leaning on the 2 now. I avoided manuals since I commute in fairly congested highways but a light clutch might sway me the other way.

mazdaspeed2 > Frosted 04/07/2014 at 14:44

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I was stuck in traffic for a bit driving to school today, and it wasn't bad at all. It also makes up for it when you find some nice backroads, haha.