Mazda 2 DY (2002-2007)

A Keeper – This is a brilliant little car, extremely reliable and very well-built by Mazda at the Hiroshima plant. With plenty of space, it's significantly roomier than later Mazda 2 offerings. Handling is great for a car of this class, with the front strut tower brave fitted from factory. As for the models engine, the 1.5L ZY-VE has sequential valve… Read more

timing, producing 90% of its maximum torque at 1900rpm. An exhaust manifold at the rear, reducing the distance between the ports and the catalytic converter thus activating earlier. Other features include: equal length 600 mm long intake manifold for improved intake efficiency, Tumble Swirl Control Valves (TSCVs) to improve air/fuel mixing by controlling the strength of the tumble and swirl inside the combustion chambers and a variable length intake manifold that was referred to by Mazda as a variable induction system or VIS.

The drawbacks of this model are a higher than expected road noise through to the passenger compartment, and a difficult to read clock/stereo display.

This is definitely a car to hang on to.

The daggy aesthetic keeps prices low – This is one of the better small cars out there. Pros: -Roomy, practical interior -Powerful engine for a small car. 110 hp. -Great handling -Moderate fuel use - 6.9-7.9L/100km depending on aircon use. Takes 91 RON fuel. -Very good build quality Cons: -Too much plastic in the engine bay makes some service items a pain -Base model (neo) lacks ABS… Read more

and side airbags. Get a genki instead. -Factory stereo head unit is built into the dash, better hope you like CDs

The best feature of this car is the cabin. Even though this car has a smaller footprint than most cars on the road, it genuinely fits 4x 6 foot adults comfortably. The rear seats recline, fold, and tumble, and the front seats fold flat to form a bed. The boxy rear end means the load space is really useful and there's a low loading lip. You can even fit an XL bicycle in the back.

The driving dynamics are good, better than most small cars. Although the suspension is soft, it's well damped, and there's good feedback through the steering wheel. The engine is smooth, quiet, and powerful if you rev it out, although I find it a little bit peaky for this type of car. The manual gear shifter feels like it's been totally rubber isolated from the engine, which although great for NVH, gives it a squidgy/plasticky feel in the hand.

My particular example has been very reliable, and all the trim items or hidden engine bay components have been of high quality, durable construction. The engine computer is moulded together with some airflow sensors into a huge plastic nightmare on top of the engine, which needs to be removed to access basic items like spark plugs. Aside from that, most other service items should be easy for the home mechanic to replace.

I think most people would be very happy with this very daggy, very reliable and practical car.

Gem of a car – Daily driver clocking approximately 1000kms ( yes one thousand!!!) 200kms every day 5 days every week for the past two years. Driven at speeds of 120-140kmph on the motorway (yes slightly above the speed limit of 100kmph :) ). Superb handling even in the corners as the strut-brace gives very good stability. The Mazda2 (Demio) comes with a strut… Read more

brace standard from the factory (most cars do not have this). Good leg room in the rear seats ( I'm 5 feet 9"). Large boot space compared to the small car that it is. Way above the boot space what a Suzuki Swift has on offer. Always serviced at the 10,000km interval using fully synthetic engine oil. When I bought it from the dealer, it had done 39000kms. Now sitting at 185,000kms. Still runs like the day I got it. No oil top ups required between services. Runs on Yokohama Blue Earth AE01 filled with nitrogen. Only one visit to the dealer to get the rear wheel racer changed at 155,000kms.

First car, never had an issue! Dont want to upgrade – I purchased this car when i just got my licence and 7 year later I still dont want to upgrade. I regularly service it and never have issues with it. Fuel economy is great. Only issue im having recently is the clear coat is coming off my paintwork but i guess that is a sign of age for a 14 year old car.  Show details

Very impressed – Probably the best small car that I have owned. It handles well, goes really well and costs very little to run. The only complaint is that the radio is difficult to replace with another type. Only in the early 2007 models though. Seats are comfortable and I'm 6ft. Car is quiet, unless you really give it a stir and then the throaty engine sounds great.  Show details

Excellent reliability and performance – On long trips this little car drives and handles like a dream. Holds the road, corners well and the ride means there is little fatigue over long trips. I have had no major repairs since I bought this model in 2007. It starts each time without fail. I have driven the car over long distances in 40 C heat and it never overheats. The car is… Read more

economical on petrol. I have used the car for commuting to work on a daily basis for many years and it still performs reliably.The car has plenty of power when needed and the acceleration under load is also excellent. I am able to put the back seat down and fit plenty of things in the expanded area there when needed. I like this car so much that I want to keep it rather than update!!! The option of gear selection makes going down steep hills no worry and having an automatic which has never given any trouble at a blessing in city traffic.

You can't beat this jewel in his car class. Wife calls it Porsche Demio – This car is genius, there is no Mini or other luxury small hatch that can make you smile in the long term as this little discontinued masterpiece, easy to drive and to maintain. I rarely write reviews because of my crap English limitations but after 3 years of owning this car I reckon she deserve one, good job Mazda, what happened with the current… Read more

model I should ask?:)

Cockpit

Very comfortable seats, ideal for tall occupants since they go back as it would be just impossible to reach the wheel ;)

Very easy to find a good position, wheel slide vertically, driver seat can go up and down.

Plenty of room to move around and great visibility in all directions, large comfy exterior mirror, folding electrically if needed.

Rear seats slides back and forward to allow more room for rear occupants or for big items in the boot, split in a half for very tall items.

Drive

Very zippy, 1.3 engine is plenty of torque and efficient enough, not spaced for mountain climbing where you will need to select S and lock the gear in 2 (Hold button) in order to climb smoothly very steep hills with turns, the auto get a bit lost in that situation.

Very good auto-trans gear ratio for my driving styles otherwise, either I am cruising in town or go-karting around hills, I found it very well timed and sensored.

As said I often use the Hold button to keep the desired speed in charge going up

or to get a little help braking when going downhill, to help the brakes doing their job,

easy to stress this little town sized braking system and overheat it when going down on long step roads.

8lt/100km, that's it. Do not expect a great fuel efficiency, this is a grunty engine, nothing to do with the economy king Daihatsu 1.3 Sirion but a bit more fun. Get a Daihatsu if fuel is your main concern, you can go down to 6lt/100 km that way but you will miss all the features of this little genius car.

Options

My metal grey Sport has key-less entry, automatic lights and wipers, 2 airbag, aircon, 15' alu rims, front occupants central armrest, lights goes on when you switch off the car key so you can grab your items,

I doubt that a basic version would have made me as happy as this little Porsche!

I doubt a real Porsche could have be a better everyday companion as this zoom-zoom.

Things I would change but that are inevitable for this little cars.

Sport cheap tires (195/55 15) mounted are very noisy, this car needs good and properly set tires train.

Why? Because is a very short base frame and in emergency situations everything happens very fast.

Also there is not much use of sound absorbing material around the wheels to minimize the noise in the cabin,

so pick up a good quite tire and stick with it:) I found Michelin Energy Saver matching well with this car.

Things that other people said here:

Noise in the morning is due to the timing chain, not a rubber belt like in other cars,

this type of system needs to heat up a bit in order to work without noise, nothing wrong with it, specially because doesn't require maintenance as often as a rubber belt.

Warm up the car one minute before you take off and you will be all good.

In few words, if you need a small car and you find a low km 2nd generation Demio BUY IT!

A really nice car to drive – I bought my wife a 2006 Mazda 2/Demio Casual Aeroactive Sport 3 weeks ago. This is a great little car. Looks great with the rear roof spoiler, side skirts, fog lights, and the integrated front lip on the front bumper. It is a pearl white colour and looks awesome in the sunlight. The engine is a chain driven double overhead cam 1.3 litre with auto… Read more

transmission. Okay, it doesn't have neck breaking power but the car wasn't designed for that. However the performance is still pretty good for a little car. At 100km in drive, the tacho shows 2700 revs, so the engine is fairly quiet at that speed. Really quiet at idle also 78000km on the clock with no water or oil leaks.

One of the best features of this car is the low rear loading lip. Wonderful for packing in the weekly groceries.

Interestingly, the 2007 newer shape Demio has a higher loading lip, which means things have to be lifted over it. I highly recommend this car to anyone who wants an extremely economical, roomy, good looking car.

Honest reliable practical commuter – I purchased my 2003 Mazda2 Neo manual 6 months ago at 89,000 from an elderly couple as a second/spare car as I have a near new Mercedes which I don't want to use for putting the bike in, carparks, beach etc. It is now at 99,000 and other than petrol I have not needed to spend anything. Mechanic says nothing to be spent on it. At first I thought… Read more

the brakes needed work as they were slightly noisy at carpark speed but told this is normal for a car of this type. For a $5,000 purchase it is very practical, overtakes fine on the freeway, the air conditioning works well in the heat and averages approx 7.5km/100kms with regular unleaded fuel. Driving at more 'leisurely' speed returns closer to 6.5l/100kms. It feels sturdy enough using it on the open road, handles ok for a car of this size and weight, the only peeve is the clutch is a bit too sensitive. Seats are fine for normal commuting however has no lumbar support. All in all it appears to be a decent buy for the price and purpose, not as good looking as the later model but much more practical. No ABS or ESC in base Neo model. Practical, reliable, value for money,

Roomy, reasonable economy, decent handling – The boxy exterior gives a surprisingly roomy interior - although the rear seat feels rather strange the first time in. The seats are thin and tiring after 3-4 hours. Fuel economy around 7.5-8L /100km in urban commuting. Have now done 115,000 km. Rear passenger side damper started leaking - first reported at the 70,000km service but deemed by… Read more

the dealer not to require replacement. Still haven't replaced it and performs ok.

Engine mount reported as needing to be replaced next service.

Handling - surprisingly good. The suspension is biased somewhat to the hard side, and at limit on a very hard turn in the dry, will lift up the inside rear wheel becoming tail happy rather than washing out the front. In the wet, it obviously heads into an understeer, but the light weight of the car makes it quite easy to control.

The auto box has strange ratios in my opinion. Big gap between first and second. There is so little difference between 3rd and 4th you wonder why they bothered.

Aircon works ok, all electrics are ok (except one headlight bulb and now a parking light). Still on the original battery, but it is getting a bit weak.

Very noisy with a distinct clatter when running cold. economy, easy to park, space, reliability, handling Gear ratios on auto

Mazda2 Hatch 2006 – It's true what they say, these cars are sturdy, reliable and do the job. However, it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. As noted by many others, the clutch is twitchy, acceleration can be inconsistent, the engine is noisy, there is a lot of wind noise and on a windy day, you'd best hang on tight to the steering wheel - she sure gets blown… Read more

around. All of this I knew when buying it but still went ahead because reliability is my priority and these cars sure are reliable. The biggest disappointment though is the paint. It is terrible. Mine is a charcoal grey colour and the paint is not only thin but appears to be the consistency of nail polish, so it's chipping everywhere. Also, the undercoat is white so you can see every mark. Oh and hubcaps are apt to fall off at the slightest bump. Reliable, plenty of power for little car, sturdy, roomy inside, versatile with rear seats that fold flat Poor paint, twitchy clutch, blown around in the wind

Got too many problems for me – I tested several cars before I bought. The Honda Jazz was the best, but only late model expensive ones had a good enough ride. I directly compared the Mazda 2 with a Subaru Impreza and a Honda Civic sedan. The Mazda was better than either, on a long highway route and a tight mountain road. Until I got the tire valve stems changed, after that… Read more

the ride deteriorated badly. I don't know why. I spent $700 on new front Monroe struts and alignment, but this made no difference at all. At motorway speeds ride was OK, but in urban centres the ride was bouncy, jarring and unnerving. It still is, to the point where the front and rear suspension feel disconnected and heading off in different directions.

Other problems are ignition coils. I have replaced two of them, they are expensive. The car runs horribly when they go off, jiggles and jerks, no power, and shakes when air con is used, and economy goes down from the usual 38 mpg to 25 mpg. The other two coils are bound to go soon, at a minimum cost to me of $400 (my brother is in the trade).

I used to enjoy driving for the pleasure of it - this Mazda has ruined it for me. It is an essential chore to be endured and be done with as soon as possible. Even if finances permitted, I wouldn't be able to stand going for a long drive anywhere. I used to drive Peugeots, some reliable others not, but all were pure pleasure to drive for as long as possible. I could have lived in those cars.

My brother used to bemoan my love for Peugeots, telling me a nice small reliable Jap car is what I want. Well he is wrong. This heap of Jap garbage has blighted my existence since I foolishly bought it. It is too small, cramped, uncomfortable, gutless, unreliable and costly, and has next to no suspension movement. I tried hard to make the best choice. Honest reviews would have helped.

If I can't afford to change my car I'd rather rely on taxis. Colour (yellow), steering (hydraulic), versatility (spacious rear end), relative economy (when running right) Bumpy ride, shockingly unreliable (coils failed), thirsty (when coils failed), hard seats and cramped interior.

Runs like a Swiss watch – Have done over 110,000 kms and not a problem. Very roomy back seat, also great load space with seats down and large rear door with low loading lip. I use it mainly around Sydney but have driven to Tamworth and Canberra, and it handles highway speeds comfortably. Very zippy off the mark even with the auto. Economy 7.2l/100km on the highway, just… Read more

over 8l/100kms around town. Totally reliable, fun to drive and very roomy Only complaint is that the small wheels give it a slightly choppy ride on rough surfaces.

Great car and very roomy for its size – We've done 60,000km in it with only a couple of issues so far. As others have said interior is very roomy, I'm 6ft tall and is nice and comfortable to drive, we also have a large dog and she can sit up quite happily in the boot. We've got an auto and it is still quite zippy around town. Feels well built. We've only had the following issues… Read more

with it:

- After springs replaced from suspension recall front end now audibly creaks when being compressed on car park ramps, steep driveways etc.

- CD player got stuck and wouldn't eject a CD for about 6mths then one day the CD just came out and all is ok again!

- One of the engine mounts has worn out and needs replacement Flexible, reliable, practical car

Excellent – Did a lot of research before buying my Genki. Couldnt have chosen better. Usually travels carrying 3 people and not a problem. Corners & handles incredibly with plenty of get up and go (I have a manual not automatic). Love my Two!! Everything, great car, great fuel economy, great reliability, and soooo cute  Show details

Bad – Overall wasn't a bad car, but my older echo (Toyota) is more pleasant to drive and a lot more comfortable. Mazda would not give a good trade in price once the new model came out. I got a better offer from Nissan!!! Great head room and reasonable finish on the interior and exterior. Had the Genki which has all the air bags and mag wheels. Great… Read more

access to rear of vehicle with back door very low enabling easy access for large objects. OEM tyres were very ordinary and had to replace them at 30K. Found the tyres were responsible for not staying in a straight line along the freeways. Continually needed minor correction. Changed the tyres and problem solved. I found the seats to very uncomfortable and not pleasant on long trips (anything over an hour). On Mazda's recomendation, runs an awful lot better on premium unleaded. The different is quite outstanding with much better engine performance and economy.

Excellent – My mum bought this car a couple of years back and was heartbroken when she got rear ended and lost it. it was a great car. Even after it was completely smashed by the accident and the back wheel wouldnt even turn the motor still ran perfectly.This car was really efficient on fuel and really reliable. It never broke down and was a really safe good… Read more

car. Had it not been for the safety features it had my mum would have been alot more injured in the accident. Great price, Great size, plenty of room inside, very reliable, very safe, great look, great to drive, great on fuel, efficient and just all round awesome. Absolutely nothing

Excellent – I LOVE this car! Three years later I still get a kick out of getting in and driving it. The only reason I would change it is to buy the new model coming out in the next few months) incredibly roomy for such a small car (brought a flat-pack IKEA wardrobe home in it), excellent safety equipment, totally reliable (57K km and not a single problem),… Read more

great handling, terrific equipment. Base Neo has key-operated central locking (got it after-market upgraded for $250... money well spent)

Excellent – In January, we were looking for a new hatchback with a lot of space and that was easy to get in and out of. After much trawling round car dealers we came across the Mazda Neo 2, a splendid little hatchback that runs on the smell of a petrol rag and has a high ceiling for tall people.We bought it and a small trailer to match it's size.Just perfect for couples, singles and pensioners. easy to get in and out of, runs on the smell of a petrol rag  Show details

Excellent – Grat little car. Had choice of Ford Fiesta, Honda Jazz, Holden Cruze or Holden barina and still went for the Mazda. Best car we've ever had!! (My Mums got the Neo 2003) Lots of features even for the standard one 6 years ago. Cd player, AC, Power windows and mirrors, zippy 1.5 and full of character. Not one problem after six years, Great loading and giant boot even with the rear seats up. Comfortable seats and well finished interior  Show details

Excellent – Great little car to go from A to B. Did a few long distance trips and no problems at all. Roomy, 6 stack cd player, change to manual autotronic whatever they call it(love it at first but don't really use it), power windows, reliable, fits into small parking spaces in city  Show details

In love with it – I have trouble getting in and out of small cars so i went back to the mazda. I had a metro in 1997 and it was a perfect little car. They have higher seating that most small cars where you feel like you are close to the ground so getting in and out is much easier in the mazda. Lovely finish-smooth ride for a small car-very economical-very comfy and is a real cutie, Nothing at all. Show details ·  1