Mazda enjoys 'Maidas' touch

By ALASTAIR SLOANE motoring editor

Mazda reckons one of the reasons its new Mazda2 has received praise as a sparkling performer is because it has the "Maidas" touch.

This is not a play on the mythical King Midas who turned everything he touched into gold, although Mazda might think it came close to having that power 12 years ago with the MX5 sports car.

"Maidas" touch in Mazda's modern world stands for Mazda's Advanced Impact Distribution and Absorption System. It is a measure of the car's body rigidity. The stiffer the body, the better the car handles and rides.

It all adds up to dynamics, something Mazda added to the mix of style and substance in its award-winning mid-range Mazda6 model.

The five-door Mazda2 replaces the Demio and was launched in Auckland on Thursday. It is a world away from the Demio in looks, styling and performance, just as the Mazda6 is a world away from the 626. The upcoming RX-8 Mazda makes a similar leap over the RX-7.

The Mazda2 fits into the carmaker's "zoom-zoom" advertising campaign. In grown-up language, zoom-zoom is a "childhood expression of exhilaration and liberation that comes from experiencing sheer motion". Well, that's how Mazda's advertising agency put it. The campaign must be working. Mazda sold 3702 vehicles last year, its fourth straight year of growth. Sales were up 46 per cent over 1999, for example.

The Mazda2 has been described overseas as the consummate city car, something not lost on Mazda New Zealand managing director Peter Aitken.

"Changing lifestyles, especially in places like Auckland where a number of people are living in apartments, means they may not have the room for larger cars yet still want the comfort and performance associated with larger cars," he said.

"The Mazda2 certainly provides levels of comfort and style not normally associated with smaller vehicles."

Early drive reports say the ride, handling and overall quality of the Mazda2 add up to a car far bigger than the sum of its parts.

The new model shows off Mazda's corporate DNA. The boxy look of the Demio has been replaced by an upright body with a sharply sloping front end, distinctive Mazda headlights, flared wheel arches and five-point grille.

At the back there's a deep hatch opening to bumper level, complemented by tear-shaped tail lights.

Inside, there is an air of refinement about the car, from the thick three-spoke steering wheel, to the centre pod that houses the in-dash CD player and heater controls, and on to the feel of the switchgear and seats, which adjust every which way.

Safety equipment includes dual airbags and $1000 optional anti-lock brakes. There are also lap and sash seatbelts for three rear occupants.

The Mazda2 is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 82kW at 6000rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4000rpm and mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox.

Mazda says a large intake manifold helps to provide a more useable spread of torque at lower revs.

The new engine provides 28 per cent more power and 10 per cent more torque than the 1.5-litre unit in the Demio. It also meets the latest European emission restrictions.

Two models will go on sale in New Zealand. The standard manual costs costs $23,995, the automatic $25,495. The better-equipped sports version costs $26,795 for the manual and $28,295 for the automatic.

Mazda sold 180 Demios last year. It aims to sell 400 Mazda2 models this year, in which it expects to sell about 4100 vehicles for a 5 per cent share of the market.