Skip to main content

Mazda Brings Mazda2 Subcompact to North America for 2010

If Mazda’s current runt of the litter, the Mazda3, still offers a bit too much Zoom Zoom for your budget, take heed. An even tinier and more fuel efficient version is on the way.

mazda_mazda2_2011_01
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The pint-sized Mazda2, which has already made its way around Europe, Japan and Australia, will finally come to the U.S. for summer 2010. Mazda revealed the North American version for the very first time at the LA Auto Show on Tuesday.

The compact hatchback bears a striking resemblance to Ford’s new Fiesta, but despite Mazda’s partnership with the U.S. automaker, the company insists the Mazda2 was “engineered from scratch to be a pure Mazda.”

It will come with a 1.5-liter engine and either automatic or five-speed manual transmissions, but Mazda hasn’t yet released performance or fuel economy figures. The engine used in the existing European version offers 103 horsepower and 101 foot-pounds of torque.

mazda_mazda2_2011_02
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Mazda has also remained hush-hush on price for the moment, but anxious would-be owners can expect a starting sticker in the neighborhood of $16,000, based on the car’s price abroad.

Editors' Recommendations

Nick Mokey
As Digital Trends’ Managing Editor, Nick Mokey oversees an editorial team delivering definitive reviews, enlightening…
Mercedes-Benz G580 first drive: old-school off-roader goes electric
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

American car buyers mostly know Mercedes-Benz as a luxury brand. But for decades, the automaker has also produced the tough, rugged G-Class (also known as the Geländewagen or G-Wagen), an SUV not afraid to get its leather upholstery muddy. And now, this iconic Mercedes is going electric.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology — the final name of the SUV previously known as the EQG — isn’t the first electric off-roader. The Rivian R1S and R1T and GMC Hummer EV have proven that electric powertrains and off-roading are a great combination. But the electric G-Wagen is different because it’s based on an internal-combustion model — and a very traditional one at that.

Read more
Honda believes hydrogen semi trucks will make the case for fuel cells
Honda hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck.

Honda remains committed to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but the market for those vehicles remains limited. So Honda is looking at other uses for fuel cells -- including commercial trucks.

To show how that could work, Honda converted a semi truck to fuel-cell power, replacing its diesel engine with three fuel-cell modules. Together, the three modules produce a combined 321 horsepower, and can propel the truck to a top speed of 70 mph. There's enough onboard hydrogen storage capacity for a 400-mile range with a full load, Honda claims.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz G580 vs Rivian R2: Is the much cheaper Rivian actually better?
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off of the new "Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's basically a new electric G-Wagon. It looks a lot like the G-Wagon you know and love, but with an electric powertrain and a battery. It's not the only electric SUV out there, however, and there are some great ones -- like the Rivian R2.

Both the Mercedes G580 and the Rivian R2 have a lot going for them, but they also approach the electric SUV slightly differently. Is one better than the other? I put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The approach that the two vehicles take to design is quite different -- and you might like one better than the other.

Read more