Mazda 2 Hybrid (2024 - )

We are hearing about manufacturers collaborating to develop models more and more these days and that’s highly evident with the new Mazda 2 Hybrid. You’d certainly be forgiven for mistaking the vehicle for the Toyota Yaris and that’s because the car is part of a joint venture between the two Japanese carmakers.

The standard Mazda 2 is still available and boasts a far more attractive starting price and that is fine with its mild hybrid or petrol powertrains. But the Mazda 2 Hybrid is completely different and boasts all the Toyota know-how in hybrid technology. It is a full hybrid car that can travel short distances running in pure electric mode and the fuel efficiency figures are exceptionally good. 

It is completely self-charging so no plugging-in is needed and customers can choose from trim levels called Centre-Line, Exclusive-Line, Homura and Homura-Plus. 

The Mazda 2 Hybrid first went on sale in the UK in May 2022, but it has been given a mild make-over for this year and we opted for the Mazda 2 Hybrid Exclusive-Line to explore the changes and see how it performed.

Mazda has stamped a new identity on the latest five-door Mazda 2 Hybrid model with a fresh bumper and grille design to bring it more in-line with its own brand. Other eye-catching design cues include LED daytime running lights, upgraded rear light clusters, gloss black mirror caps and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Moving inside, the interior is almost identical to the Toyota Yaris, apart from a couple of tweaks along with Mazda badging. Equipment levels are impressive with all trims getting a colour infotainment screen that is quick and very intuitive. It measures nine-inches on all models apart from high-end Homura Plus which gains a 10.5-inch screen.

Only the range-topping cars get a built in sat nav system, but in all honesty, most drivers these days prefer their own smartphone navigation systems and the Mazda 2 Hybrid can easily connect via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Other features include a six-speaker sound system with DAB radio, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, two front USB-C ports and smart keyless entry.

The climate controlled air conditioning is thankfully altered via proper buttons on a separate panel. That means you don’t need a degree in computer technology or to faff around with drop-down touchscreen menus just to increase the temperature a notch.

All vital driving data is viewed on a clear driver information display behind the steering wheel, and similarly to the Yaris, all controls, dials and readouts are easy to see and use in this very driver-oriented cabin.

The cloth upholstery looks smart and there is plenty of manual adjustment to both the front seats and steering wheel. On the downside, there is a fair amount of quite hard plastic and that could be prone to scratching over time.

There is just one powertrain driving the Mazda 2 Hybrid which is a 1.5-litre petrol engine assisted by an electric motor to deliver 116PS and 120Nm of torque.

It’s deceptively quick off the mark with a 0-62mph sprint time of 9.7 seconds and it maxes out at 109mph.

When starting off and at low speeds, the Mazda 2 Hybrid can drive in EV-only mode, provided there is enough charge in the battery and this offers quiet and smooth running with zero carbon emissions.

Then, when picking up a little more speed under normal driving conditions, the power is sourced between the petrol engine and the electric motor to deliver the best performance and efficiency. 

Regenerative braking helps to boost the battery levels and there is a B mode that increases the braking power and also increases the amount of energy captured.

Like its sibling, the Toyota Yaris, the acceleration is through a CVT automatic gearbox which needs to be treated with a little TLC. Drive too enthusiastically and it puts up quite a vocal protest, but with a little more respect the acceleration is smoother and the car considerably more refined.

To be honest, the Mazda 2 Hybrid is a really easy car to drive and, while it’s not the most exhilarating performance-wise, it does exactly what its owners will expect.

It’s agile around town and easy to manoeuvre, well balanced on country lanes and can cruise at 70mph on motorways without any issue.

There are ECO, Normal and Power drive modes to alter the dynamics of the car, plus an EV mode. And with the slightly elevated driving position, the visibility is good. That said, the outer rear headrests are huge and do slightly block the edges of the rearview mirror. 

The Mazda 2 Hybrid is a compact five-door family hatchback that stretches 3,940mm in length, is 1,745mm wide (excluding door mirrors), 1,500mm tall and it has a wheelbase of 2,560mm.

Up front, the driver and passenger have ample room to stretch out, but as is generally the case with this style of car, back seat occupants do not fare quite so well, especially if the front seats are pushed right back.

A couple of adults will fit in the back, but you could almost count on one hand how long it would be before the moans and groans started about being too cramped. However, it would be ideal for a trio of children or a couple of teenagers and there are Isofix child seat anchors to the outer rear seats.

The boot is accessed via a manually-operated tailgate and the opening is practical thanks to its wide, square aperture. It can hold 286 litres of luggage with all five seats in an upright position, but this capacity increases to 935 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat.

Elsewhere there is a glovebox, door bins with a section for a small water bottle, two front cup holders, bottle holders in the rear doors and some handy non-slip trays.

The Mazda 2 line-up starts from £18,615 for the entry-level Centre-Line model with a 75PS petrol engine. Step up to the latest Mazda 2 Hybrid range and there is quite a price hike with the cheapest Entry-Line car costing £24,130 and the range-topping Homura-Plus trim checking out at £29,230.

Our Mazda 2 Exclusive-Line cost £25,380 but the stunning Formal Red paintwork added a further £880 to the final cost.

However, owners will see the financial rewards of opting for the hybrid powertrain with excellent day-to-day running costs thanks to its combined 70.6mpg and carbon emissions of 92g/km.

That CO2 figure would result in a first-year road tax bill of £165 increasing to the standard fee for hybrids of £170 after 12 months. Currently there is a £10 discount on Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) bills for owners of hybrid cars but that is likely to be withdrawn along with numerous other Government-led incentives next year.

The Mazda 2 Hybrid Exclusive-Line, as tested, sits in insurance group 14.

With its excellent reputation for reliability, the Mazda 2 Hybrid should deliver thousands of problem-free motoring. But for peace of mind, it comes with Mazda’s three-year, 60,000-mile warranty.

There isn’t a vast amount of choice in the petrol electric supermini sector so this Mazda 2 Hybrid could scoop a fair share of the market. It certainly looks the part, is well equipped, drives beautifully and is very economical to run.

However, it will be interesting to see if it can take sales away from the ever-popular and established Toyota Yaris with which it shares almost all its underpinnings. Especially as the Yaris is cheaper to buy and comes with a superior warranty package. It could all come down to badge preference at the end of the day.