Hatchback Heroes
28 June 2010 00:00:00
When it arrived in 2003, car buyers in this region had never seen anything like the Honda Jazz. We were used to bigger hatchbacks and cheap as chips reconstituted generations old cars from Japan for the ASEAN market, but not a cutting edge ‘world-car’ hatchback.
The car industry moves quickly though and over the years, the others have caught up but none really replicated the packaging marvel of the Jazz until…well until they launched the next generation of the Jazz. Unfortunately, for Malaysians at least, it also meant that the price tag went up to a level that put it within spitting distance of the much bigger Honda Civic.
Fret not however. If you want an up to the minute modern hatchback with styling so sharp that it will slice your finger off, there are now more choices than just the car with the big H on its nose. There is for instance the Mazda2 and it promises to challenge the Jazz to a closer fight than any of its previous rivals.
A little bit of history first. The Mazda2 you see here is the second generation of the car if all you’re talking about is the Mazda2/Demio family tree. Reach a bit further back and you will find the Mazda 121, which spanned three generations with the last one being the first to have a high amount of parts commonality with the Ford Fiesta. The car you see here is actually a Mazda2 mk2.1 as the original was launched in 2007. It’s received a facelift to bring it more in line with current Mazda design language and there is also a sedan version available.
Speaking of design, most would have to agree that the 2 is an attractive looking car. The lines are cheeky yet modern and seem to hold the promise of a fun driving experience. It certainly looks more fun than the Jazz, though there is something to be said about the grown up image of solidity that the Honda portrays.
The 2 is powered by a 1.5-litre DOHC engine that produces 103bhp at 6000rpm and 135Nm at 4000rpm while the Jazz is powered by the same 1.5-litre SOHC i-VTEC unit that is also used by the City and new Honda Freed. It has 118bhp at 6600rpm and 145Nm at 4800rpm though the on-paper advantage is negated by a nearly 70kg heavier kerb weight. Both also transmit their power through an automatic gearbox though the Honda gets one extra forward ratio.
Neither manufacturer quotes performance figures but side-by-side acceleration tests show that the Mazda noses slightly ahead. It feels more eager to go down the road and picks up revs very quickly. The Honda on the other hand seems quite lethargic by comparison.
The eagerness of the Mazda encourages you to drive it on the limit more often and for longer periods of time. It responds well to hooligan behaviour and if you’re brave enough, you can get the inside rear wheel to lift and the tail to become mobile yet feel completely secure in doing so. Steering feedback isn’t great but there is an inherent one-ness about the way it goes about dissecting a road that makes it fun to drive.
The Honda Jazz was always going to struggle against such a spirited opponent but it isn’t as outclassed as you might think. For one thing, it has a higher top speed so Mazda2 drivers who have their right foot flat against the accelerator will have to suffer the indignity of seeing a Jazz sail right by them with ease. Throw in some corners into the mix and you get more body roll and less precision than in the 2 but it all remains manageable despite appearances on the outside.
Both small cars do a good job of ironing out bumps at various speeds though again, Mazda seems to have achieved the finer balance. The 2 is tautly sprung yet still absorbent and never becomes harsh over the worst road surfaces. The Jazz on the other hand is much more softly set up which gives it the advantage at low speeds but means it runs out of damping earlier at high speeds.
Spend some time with the Jazz and you may find that it starts to grow on you. The designers and engineers thought long and hard about how to maximise the usefulness of the interior and it shows. The ergonomics are spot on, there are numerous useful cubbies and pockets and even the use of front quarter windows is clever as it makes the cabin brighter. Add to that superior build quality and such niceties like steering wheel mounted shift paddles and you begin to see why it costs more than its fellow Japanese rival.
Not that the Mazda2 feels cheap mind you. Like the exterior, the interior is cheeky and fun with shades of Mazda3 and Mazda6 in the use of brightly coloured metallic accents, but look closely and you can see where some corners have been cut. The instrument cluster for instance has a large blank dial that only houses the LCD fuel gauge and gear selector display. There is no trip computer or manual interface for the gearbox while thirsty travellers will bemoan the lack of drinks holders.
As for build quality, there aren’t any glaring issues for the Mazda2 and it has to be said that the Thailand factory is doing a good job. The materials used are a little more brittle and the plastics feel like they are a lower grade material than in the Jazz, but overall, it isn’t an issue that will deter buyers.
Where those buyers come from though will be a very interesting question. At RM82,822 the Mazda2 is very closely matched to volume selling sedans like the Vios and City and isn’t all that much more expensive than the CKD Suzuki Swift. Honda charges RM106,808.50 for the Jazz, which makes it the most expensive car in the class by far.
Which is better? Well if you likened them to men’s shoes, then the Mazda2 is a Puma StreetCat while the Honda Jazz is a Gucci sports shoe. Puma sells more shoes than Gucci so in this case, and considering which end of the market they are supposed to compete in, the better buy would therefore have to be the Mazda2.
Mazda2 1.5R
Price Msia: RM82,822.00
ENGINE
Engine Layout: 4 cyls, 1498cc
Installation: Front, transverse, FWD
Power: 103bhp at 6000rpm
Torque: 135Nm at 4000rpm
Gearbox: 4-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Length: 3922mm
Width: 1695mm
Height: 1478mm
Wheelbase: 2490mm
Kerb weight: 1050kg
Fuel tank: 42 litre
Honda Jazz 1.5V
Price Msia: RM106,808.50
ENGINE
Engine Layout: 4 cyls, 1497cc
Installation: Front, transverse, FWD
Power: 118bhp at 6600rpm
Torque: 145Nm at 4800rpm
Gearbox: 5-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Length: 3920mm
Width: 1695mm
Height: 1525mm
Wheelbase: 2500mm
Kerb weight: 1120kg
Fuel tank: 42 litres
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