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Thread: Mazda 2 experience

  1. #1
    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    Mazda 2 experience

    Ugh, maybe not.

    I have an offer on my 2017 and I might accept it. That leaves me sourcing a new 2023 5 MT or driving my 2014. I need to have a backup which I'm working on. I'll hopefully have medical clearance to enter the US and collect a Mirage from there. That car will in all likihood become my daughter's car in 3 years as she gets her license. It's a CVT so much easier for her to learn on. I'll have my 2014 still but I always like to have a backup plan. Since my Saturn is also for sale, if it sells I will have a single car which is a position I've not been in since 2016.

    Perchance, while talking to a guy who's buying my lawn tractor I discover he's selling his 5 MT Mazda 2. I've seen the car, it's in very good cosmetic shape and has reasonable mileage, about 150K miles. I may get his car for under 3 figures by trading him the lawn tractor and a few bucks. The total cost to me is going to be just a bit into the 4 figure range.

    Does anyone here have experience with Mazda's from the 2014 era? Issues? Reliability? I had a GLC from 1984 which was a fantastic running car but started to rot out within 3-4 years. Very disappointing for what I thought was a premium car the equal of Datsun and Honda.

    I want to keep all my options open.


    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
    Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
    Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.

    Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
    We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)


  2. #2
    Senior Member Dirk Diggler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallythacker View Post
    Ugh, maybe not.

    I have an offer on my 2017 and I might accept it. That leaves me sourcing a new 2023 5 MT or driving my 2014. I need to have a backup which I'm working on. I'll hopefully have medical clearance to enter the US and collect a Mirage from there. That car will in all likihood become my daughter's car in 3 years as she gets her license. It's a CVT so much easier for her to learn on. I'll have my 2014 still but I always like to have a backup plan. Since my Saturn is also for sale, if it sells I will have a single car which is a position I've not been in since 2016.

    Perchance, while talking to a guy who's buying my lawn tractor I discover he's selling his 5 MT Mazda 2. I've seen the car, it's in very good cosmetic shape and has reasonable mileage, about 150K miles. I may get his car for under 3 figures by trading him the lawn tractor and a few bucks. The total cost to me is going to be just a bit into the 4 figure range.

    Does anyone here have experience with Mazda's from the 2014 era? Issues? Reliability? I had a GLC from 1984 which was a fantastic running car but started to rot out within 3-4 years. Very disappointing for what I thought was a premium car the equal of Datsun and Honda.

    I want to keep all my options open.
    The Mazda2 is arguably one of the best handling econoboxes out there. It's fast, it corners well, and it's very reliable. Watch out for rust though. I've read this about Mazda, their Achille's heel in other words. Hopefully the owner did the undercarriage spray? MPG will be very mediocre because the Mazda2 is more Miata than Mirage. The rear seat legroom is non-exhistant too.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dirk Diggler View Post
    The Mazda2 is arguably one of the best handling econoboxes out there. It's fast, it corners well, and it's very reliable. Watch out for rust though. I've read this about Mazda, their Achille's heel in other words. Hopefully the owner did the undercarriage spray? MPG will be very mediocre because the Mazda2 is more Miata than Mirage. The rear seat legroom is non-exhistant too.
    This is all pure speculation right now. Thanks for the heads up Dirk. I wasn't aware rust might be a concern. Sad as that killed my GLC from the 80's. I skimmed a few forums and a constant complaint was a very noisy suspension, like drive you crazy. I'm surprised the standard tires are 185-55/15 on alloys which is what I planned to put on my 2014 this summer. It looks like the Mazda turns about 2600rpm @60mph, but the top speed is only reported as 106mph. I wonder how it would run and handle with the 165-65/14 Enasaves on it? That might make for an interesting experiment for a few of tanks of gas to see if there are any real savings.

    I read the Mazda is Ok'd pulling 1540 lb. That was completely unexpected. Curt has a hitch. The reasons for keeping my Vue are disappearing. I can pull 650 lb. behind the Mirage using my tiny trailer or 1,060 lb behind the Mazda. Using my larger trailer behind the Mirage I'm down to 450 lb. or 1090 lb. behind the Mazda. Quite a difference.

    This is all speculation for now. Lots of things need to align for all this to happen. I go see the Mazda after lunch. The weather is nice today so I can give it a fair test on dry roads.
    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
    Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
    Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.

    Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
    We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)


  4. #4
    Any news?

    I've always wanted to try a Mazda 2. One came up for sale a few days ago - a supposedly well-maintained 2014 5-speed with only 145k kms on it and some minor cosmetic damage for $2500. And it was radioactive Kermit snot green!! (A personal favourite on small cars.)

    I would have jumped at it if I had been in a car-buying mood... even though they had the worst (or close to worst) fuel economy of econoboxes at the time. By all reports, supposedly an engaging little car to drive. Like a Honda Fit, or a Micra.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  5. #5
    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
    Any news?

    I've always wanted to try a Mazda 2. One came up for sale a few days ago - a supposedly well-maintained 2014 5-speed with only 145k kms on it and some minor cosmetic damage for $2500. And it was radioactive Kermit snot green!! (A personal favourite on small cars.)

    I would have jumped at it if I had been in a car-buying mood... even though they had the worst (or close to worst) fuel economy of econoboxes at the time. By all reports, supposedly an engaging little car to drive. Like a Honda Fit, or a Micra.
    Ah, I shagged the pooch and missed it. It drove like a charm, went like hell when hammered and was great around the city. Buddy and I talked firm dollars and as I called him later that night to say we have a sale he had been called 30 minutes prior and it went for what we discussed. I've seen a couple others but local enough to bother. I'll just be patient. I do think I could let my Saturn go if I got the right Mazda 2.
    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
    Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
    Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.

    Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
    We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)


  6. #6
    Senior Member Dirk Diggler's Avatar
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    Mazda2 is great. Easily the best performance and handling of the econo-$hitboxes.

  7. #7
    Moderator inuvik's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dirk Diggler View Post
    Mazda2 is great. Easily the best performance and handling of the econo-$hitboxes.
    I think it was sold in Puerto Rico up to the 2021 model year. No importing headaches since Puerto Rico is part of the USA. Might be able to find a low mileage manual transmission. You would have to pay the shipping cost from PR to FL of course but then you could just drive it home from FL once it hits the mainland.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 40.5 mpg (US) ... 17.2 km/L ... 5.8 L/100 km ... 48.6 mpg (Imp)


  8. #8
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    Comparing a 2014 Mazda 2 (100 hp), 2014 Nissan Micra (109 hp), a 2014 Honda Fit (123 hp), & 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage (74 hp),

    Quoting some general sources -

    Based on data from 37 vehicles, 2,294 fuel-ups and 522,158 miles of driving, the 2014 Mazda 2 gets a combined Avg MPG of 31.34 with a 0.22 MPG margin of error.

    Nissan Micra MPG · 2014 · 32.0 Avg MPG · 3 Vehicles · 97 Fuel-ups · 23,769 Miles Tracked .

    Based on data from 38 vehicles, 1,514 fuel-ups and 369,064 miles of driving, the 2014 Honda Fit gets a combined Avg MPG of 29.25 with a 0.43 MPG margin of error .

    Based on data from 73 vehicles, 5,075 fuel-ups and 1,295,244 miles of driving, the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage gets a combined Avg MPG of 38.44 with a 0.21 MPG ...

    I think the Honda Fit & Mazda 2 are nice cars. I wouldn't wet myself over owning Fit or Mazda 2 now that I own a Mirage.

    My last fill up had 295.0 miles on that particular tank. I drove to my parents & back this past weekend (416 miles round trip). This particular tank had 190 miles of interstate driving (70 mph speed limit) where I typically go closer to 75 mph. The other 105 miles would have been 55 mph 2-lane highways (where I always do 60+ mph) a few small towns I passed through, and a couple stops along the way. Temperatures were such that my heater was on for the entire trip, but about 2/3 heat setting. I average about 43 mpg on that tank. That's hand calculating at the gas pump. I NEVER look at the dash reading. If it wasn't winter time, my mpg would be around 46-47 for that trip. I just don't see below 40 mpg very often. -20F & colder driving has brought it slightly below 40 mpg a few times in the past.
    Last edited by Mark; 02-28-2023 at 04:16 PM.

  9. #9

    2014 vs 2015

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark View Post
    Based on data from 32 vehicles, 2,012 fuel-ups and 649,764 miles of driving, the 2015 Mazda 2 gets a combined Avg MPG of 35.58 with a 0.45 MPG margin of error.
    Just FYI...

    If I'm not mistaken, the 2015 Mazda2 was the "next generation" model. The Mazda2 we could buy in Canada (and I assume in the U.S.) was discontinued* at the end of the previous-gen 2014 model year, and it was quite a bit less efficient:

    (* not counting the rebadged Mazda2 that was sold as a Toyota Yaris sedan or Scion Somethingorother a few years ago)

    For the 2014 model Mazda2, Fuelly shows


    • 31.3 Avg MPG for 37 Vehicles over 522,158 Miles Tracked


    https://www.fuelly.com/car/mazda/2


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
    Just FYI...

    If I'm not mistaken, the 2015 Mazda2 was the "next generation" model. The Mazda2 we could buy in Canada (and I assume in the U.S.) was discontinued* at the end of the previous-gen 2014 model year, and it was quite a bit less efficient:

    (* not counting the rebadged Mazda2 that was sold as a Toyota Yaris or Scion Somethingorother a few years ago)

    For the 2014 model Mazda2, Fuelly shows


    • 31.3 Avg MPG for 37 Vehicles over 522,158 Miles Tracked


    https://www.fuelly.com/car/mazda/2


    I just picked a year that I thought all of them existed at the same time. I thought the Mazda2 data seemed off, because I aways thought of it as a 100 hp car. I didn't put any major effort/time into my comparision. I just googled & shared what came up.

    I went back & did a 2014 comparison in my original post.

    If your ultimate goal is to own a car that is affordable, reliable, & economical to drive, the Mirage is hard to beat.

    In some ways going from Mirage to a Fit/Mazda2/Micra would be a step backwards. I wouldn't waste my time/money/energy looking for one of those cars if I have a Mirage sitting in my driveway. Mirage is going to get me anywhere I want to go for less money. I'm not knocking the other cars, because they handle/drive better. I learned to be content with what I have. I have better things to spend money on.



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    MetroMPG (02-28-2023)

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