Why does anyone still use drum brakes? It must be a cost thing. These compromise suspensions are sad but hey, if it gets them in the desired price point then great.

Paul.

The Mazda 121 (DA,DB) (Mazda 2) from 1986 has a similar Torsion Beam set up.

The previous Mazda 2 (DY) was just a round piece of long pipe.

Latest 07 (DE) as shown (Page 3 here), but yes, naturally drum brake and Torsion Beam suspension is a "cost" thing...the Mazda 2 is a VERY light Cheap car..

Any Idea's on your Price (USD), a Honda Fit is $14K..

Remember this car is 3 years old..

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I haven't heard a peep about price yet, but if the 3 "starts as low as" $16k, then I see the 2 being $14k. Possibly $13k, but I doubt it. $12k would be undercutting everyone but Kia, and I don't know that Mazda wants to do that from an image point of view.

"It's cheaper than a Kia Rio!" could be a very bad impression of poor quality.

I don't think that Mazda will price the base 2 with the stripper Versa and Accent. The compacts like the Civic and 3 start in the 15-16 for the bare bones base models. The Fit starts at $14,900, but everyone else stars much lower.

So I agree, may start in the 13Ks for the base model, but there will be a model in the $14s.

OK, here is a price comparison between the USA and Australia (at the moment our dollar is worth 92.5 cents to the US $1, not that makes any difference in Vehicle Prices here, we know we have always been "ripped" off, and the rest of the world subsidises the US :))...

Mazda RX-8 GT $32,710 ($60,598 AUD)
Mazda 3 Basic $20,290. ($24,717 AUD)
Mazda 2 Basic ????? ....($20,220 AUD) 4 Door hatch..

So,what could they sell the US Mazda 2 for??? $14-15K?? USD??

The base manual Honda Fit starts at $14,900. Mazda needs and has to price the starting models under that. You can start buying base compact cars when you get into the $15s.

The Ford Fiesta pricing starts at $13,320. I think Mazda will start in the $13s as well then.

Wow the Mazdaspeed version of the 2 looks Fantastic. Somehow the grille-smile is not as silly as in the other Mazda cars.

Looking good, this is a very popular tuner car to be Turbocharged in Europe and I believe I have seen some in SA as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw8tyje7N0U

I was thinkin of throwing a stock Rene in it,,, would be awesome,,,

2011 Mazda 2
 

2011 Mazda 2 YT Vid...


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after seeing the video stopping at some frame, in my opinion the interior is quite different than JDM/EU versions.....

any news about US engines/transmissions?

Matt, yes well the US are getting the face-lifted 'Happy' Mazda 2, in OZ we have not sighted them yet, so who knows this could be the update for all Mazda 2 for the new model.
I see a little bit of 'red' at the top of the console, could be the Hazard Switch (here it is black).

http://www.mazda.com.au/Models/Curre.../Interior.aspx

...as for drum brakes. At least they are good in the snow/wet weather. My wife was driving the santa-fe at a slow speed through some snow in a parking lot, (obviously) the brakes were soaked/frozen and she slowly drove right into the car in front of her as she was parking. She told me her brakes were broken but I knew what happened. I used to get the same fade effect on my explorer sport when I would go offroad in the mud. Rear drum brakes are not that bad on an econocar. They are kept protected from the elements and are cheap. Most buyers of the 2 probably wont even realise it has drum brakes/or what drum brakes are.

-the interior of the North American 2 is whack. but what can you expect from a low dollar investment.

Ok got the US engine tranny combo and it is on the US Mazda site now when it wasnt earlier

WE will have the 102 hp 1.5 liter engine with either a 4AT or a 5MT.

Mazda 2 Lauch site. some video of the reveal at the show and some augmented reality

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/MAZD...3&bhcp=1#/home

Oh

Jeremy Barnes has offered to answer any questions you may have about the Mazda2. He'll be in Japan all next week but will be happy to answer what we've collected when he returns.

I've already asked for interior pics :)

wow i hadnt caught this before

Mazda has a flicker Photostream. Tons of pics from the whole lineup and more in there

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazdausa/

no int pics of the 2 there yet either

^^^ a correction is needed on the first 'flicker' page of Mazda pics...the last cream coupe is not an R130 of 1969-72, but a 'Luce" RX-4 Hardtop of 1976-78..:)

Found a pic someone snapped of the interior at the LA Auto Show. The NA interior looks pretty much like the global 2 unless things change between now and final production. The most noticeable changes seem to be an gauge style, instrument panel left of the driver is styled differently, a passenger airbag addition and some changes with the console between the seats. Not a good shot to see how the HVAC looks, but radio styling looks the same.

US Interior from LA Auto Show
http://images.thecarconnection.com/l...00234173_l.jpg

Rest of World Interior
http://www.mazda2forums.co.uk/images..._2__jpg300.jpg

sexy.com.au

Uh, you were looking at cars when you found this, right...?

I like the upholstry on the seats of the US spec at the LA show...

Who me? Fixed. :)

z0mggggggggg these are so cool

Has anyone seen it in person at the LA Auto Show?

YES..But not at the show...even driven one....

You will be very surprised at just how light and good this little Mazda is...IMO one of the best (and LONG overdue) moves Mazda NAO has done for decades..

It handles Sweet for a FWD, very light around corners, surprisingly quite (some road rumble or tyre noise depending on road surface), brakes are very good for a Disc/Drum combination..

For the price, the dash layout is simple and functional, I really like the stick lever in the console/dash position.

As I see this car will really HIT the MARK for young college girls, mums who don't have a second car and those on a tight financial budget.

In the two years it has been in Australia it is VERY popular and outsells the Fiesta by 2.5 to 1...almost 3 to 1 in some states.

You see we recognise "quality" over marketing spin, don't get me wrong the Fiesta is a very good car, but the Mazda just looks that much cleaner...and Zoom ZOOM!

I hope you guys get the 3 door, we got it about a year after the 5 door was released and I think it will be the same in the US.

This car REALLY has the potential to put Mazda right up there in the US auto market..

I just hope MNAO market the car right... :)

3 door huh??? got any pics???