Mazda has no problem telling you its new Mazda2 is mean, agile and lean…but so is a lemur. How does it drive? Ross Macmillan carves up Britain’s B roads to see how the hot hatch fared.

On a journey that spun nearly 500 miles and sucked in motorways and B roads from Manchester to the foothills of Malvern, no one could argue that Mazda’s cheeky new chap hasn’t had a fair crack of the whip.

On Grand National weekend I chose to head south out of Manchester and take to the honey-coloured chalice of the Cotswolds.

Speeding out of Manchester’s Friday afternoon traffic, it seems no better feel of music could encapsulate the car’s smooth and soundless engine than a light touch of indie. So I stick on a Smiths CD at full volume and weave in and out of the city’s weekend exodus.

For all its nippy bite-size splendour, it is the simple attention to detail the Mazda2 delivers on.

If the car were laid out as part of an A-level maths question, it would tick the box for showing detailed workings. The five-door hatchback was launched back in October 2007 and is born out of its boxy predecessor.

The new model is a fox let out of the box in comparison. It has a body shell that is nearly 100kg lighter than its predecessor. The shed in weight has been achieved by using large amounts of strong yet light high-tensile steels and reducing weight wherever possible – but also by reducing the car’s dimensions.

It’s definitely leaner and lower, and as you run your eyes down its tightly wrapped steel frame, it appears not an inch of material has been laid to waste.

The cab also is a carnival of thought. There are cup holders etched into the door sleeves and the glove box has an open magazine rack, so when grounded in traffic you can fold the newspaper over and read the main story.

But the sum of the parts appears greater than the whole.

For all its yuppie zeal, its over-sensitive steering and brakes become more than an effort on the motorway when holding your ground against light-flashing aristocrats In gas guzzlers, determined to ride in your boot before making you pull reign.

And while its less than enthusiastic 1.3-litre engine holds enough oomph to be able to correct yourself on roundabouts without being horned, the same can’t be said for its performance on some of Worcestershire’s windy inclines.

When climbing some of the dual lane terrains that twist and steepen into the foothills of Malvern, you’re crying out for something that will give you the kick to overtake the car in front.

The Mazda2 isn’t going to be the next bond car, and as such, you feel it’s settled for second best. But second isn’t always worst. This car screams out at a trendy young urbanite craving for a small, cheap to run motor that’s a bit sleek and fancy.

And it’s not just my testament. During the last three months, 20,400 Mazda2s have found owners in Europe, even though the car was still being rolled out in some markets in January.

And for a car with swept-back lights and sharp contours, it’s actually quite airy Inside and immensely lightweight. The upshot is you hardly notice the fuel gauge move, and with a low group 4 insurance bracket there are few packages as prudent in the purchase as the Mazda2.

It is also an apt choice for a family. As a father, there are precious few times where your life is made easy as the head of the family.

I dread the daily battles my partner and I have ramming the pushchair in the backseat of our Ford Ka, because there isn’t enough space in the boot.

Not only do we have to shampoo the seats clean, which absorb the wet mud off the wheels, but also it bites at our enthusiasm to take the little one anywhere in the car.

With the Mazda2 it is no such problem. The boot has enough room to sweep the pushchair up in one swoop and the two Isofix anchors in the rear seats for the car chair is one less thing to worry about when getting ready.

Although I had a feeling I wouldn’t enjoy the Mazda2 for its supposed middle roadishness, it is exactly that, which I enjoyed. It does the simple things well, and while it won’t be the first horse across the line, it runs the race comfortably, without falling.

It’s both an economical car for city dwellers and relinquishes willing to set sail on days out to the country, without slurping gallons of petrol to get you there and back.

Verdict

Lofty driving space with a sleek exterior, the Mazda2 is a plethora of desirable juxtapositions. Excellent for the young urbanite and a safe and practical motor for the family.