As I maneuvered my way around the twists and turns of Upper Paya Lebar Road, the suspension showed its true colours. The car was not tuned for absolute comfort. The ride was bumpy and hard with every bump on the road felt but I was still smiling because it gave the car a somewhat sporty feel.
Anchored to a comfortable and supportive seat, I was enjoying the ride as much as I could. On the highway, the car had no problems pulling up to speed and executing an overtaking move was not too difficult either. The 1.5 litre engine was preppy and ready to go although when mated to an automatic transmission, it lost a bit of zest.
I was very happy with this machine that I was controlling. While it is not a supercar, it does not pretend to be. This car is all about fun and smiles all around.
The car is easy to drive, a definite head turner and will not bust your bank account where petrol is concerned. It can occupy your mahjong “kakis” and will impress your mother-in-law and her friends. That is my opinion.
I wondered what my friends would think of the car. It would be nice to get different perspectives. I called some of them out to have a feel of the car. These friends of mine are all working adults working in different sectors.
Mike, the advertising mogul, was impressed with the interior. To him, style is everything. He felt that the car is almost European. As for the drive, he exclaimed that the pickup was terrific and he felt good in the car.
Azuan, a teacher, was very taken by the shape of the car but was concerned about the space as he is almost 2 metres tall. However, the moment he stepped into the car, all his concerns faded. He sat comfortably and there was space for passengers at the back.
Lastly, Sean, who is in sales, commented that this car would definitely score him some brownie points with the ladies and at the same time allowing him to zip around town in style, comfort and relative speed. When told of the claimed fuel consumption figures, he simply would not return the keys to me.
It is unfortunate that I could not get a lady’s opinion but from what I have gathered so far, the new Mazda 2 would definitely go well with people from all walks of life. It is almost like the people’s car.
The only grouse I had while driving it was the lack of some creature comfort features. The car has no light in the middle to illuminate the cabin. The only light source is situated right in front just above the rear view mirror. The lack of a handle at the top of all doors also annoyed me a little as did the lack of a pocket at the back of the front seats. Otherwise, the car is simply terrific.
All in all, I wished the car had been given a little more horsepower so that I could “zoom zoom” around a little bit faster. Oh yes, did I mention the new 2 has 6 airbags??
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