Mazda 2 Hybrid review

In Dungeons and Dragons, the Mimic is a creature that can shape-shift into any object and become nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Other than the shape-shifting bit, the same could be said of the Mazda 2 Hybrid – it's practically identical to the Toyota Yaris.

True, a recent facelift has made the 2 Hybrid stand out from its cousin a little more, but underneath they're still effectively the same car. Meanwhile, a completely unrelated petrol Mazda 2 remains on sale, with its own look and engines.

That begs the question: why would Mazda have two different models with effectively the same name? Well, while the standard Mazda 2 can only be had with a mild-hybrid or pure petrol engine, the 2 Hybrid is the result of a partnership with Toyota and is a full hybrid car. It's incredibly efficient and can go short distances on electricity alone, yet doesn’t need plugging in.

While that all sounds impressive, it’s hard to ignore the elephant in the room: if the Mazda 2 Hybrid borrows everything that makes the Toyota Yaris great, why not just buy that? And what about other hybrid small cars including the Honda Jazz? Let's find out...

Regardless of which trim you go for, the Mazda 2 Hybrid comes with a three-cylinder petrol engine that’s helped out by an electric motor. In total, it pumps out 114bhp, and while that doesn’t look that impressive on paper, in practice performance is perfectly adequate.

You see, the hybrid system provides instant power from the electric motor when you put your foot down, eliminating the delay you can get from a conventional petrol car when setting off from a standstill. Indeed, it’s quite impressive how quickly it jumps off the line, matching the entry-level Toyota Yaris’s 0-62mph sprint time of 9.7 seconds. In short, it won't leave you wanting when you need a sudden burst of pace.

Like the Yaris, the 2 Hybrid’s power is fed to the front wheels through a CVT automatic gearbox which, while responsive at pretty much any speed, causes the revs to soar and stay high until you ease off the accelerator pedal. That can generate a fair amount of noise when you’re climbing a steep hill or accelerating up to motorway speeds.

Happily, the hybrid system means that in other situations you don't have to constantly floor the accelerator pedal to make good progress. In fact, if you're very gentle with the accelerator in town, you can run on electricity alone for short periods, keeping the noise down and boosting efficiency. The 2 Hybrid charges its battery when the engine is running and through regenerative braking.

Depending on the trim you go for, you get either 15in, 16in or 17in wheels, and even on the largest wheels the 2 Hybrid rides perfectly well. True, there are more comfortable small cars (the Skoda Fabia for example) but it doesn’t thud over potholes and remains more settled at all speeds than the cheaper MG3.

The 2 Hybrid handles fairly well too, and is more agile than a Honda Jazz or MG3. However, it falls short of the best cars in this class – including the Renault Clio and Seat Ibiza – which both have more naturally weighted steering and exhibit less body lean through faster corners.

Driving overview 

Strengths Comfy ride; easy to drive; pure electric driving at low speeds 

Weaknesses Some rivals are more fun to drive; not the quietest small car

If you’ve been inside the latest Toyota Yaris you'll have some serious déjà vu: the only difference in the Mazda 2 Hybrid is the badge on the steering wheel.

That’s not such a bad thing though. For starters, it means the 2 Hybrid has proper physical controls on its dashboard, including switches and dials for the air-conditioning system. This is preferable to the layout in, say, the VW Polo, which requires you to faff around with touch-sensitive buttons or delve into the touchscreen to make simple changes.

Speaking of touchscreens, most versions of the 2 Hybrid come with a 9in touchscreen infotainment system, while the top-spec Homura Plus increases the size of the screen to 10.5in. Regardless of which trim you go for, you get a DAB radio, Bluetooth and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring – good news because only the top trim level comes with built-in sat-nav.

With both screen sizes, you get a high-resolution display that’s easy to read and reacts fairly quickly to your prods. The smaller screen even gets a couple of physical shortcut buttons up the side, making it easier to hop between functions on the move.

Thanks to the 2 Hybrid's slender front and rear window pillars, you get a good view out in all directions, so it's easy to place the car where you want it on the road. For extra help when parking, all trims come with a rear-view camera, while going for Exclusive-Line or higher also gets you front and rear parking sensors.

Technology aside, it’s easy to get comfortable in any 2 Hybrid because they all come with plenty of manual adjustment to the driver’s seat and steering wheel. The seats are pretty comfortable on a long drive, and both Homura and Homura Plus trims add adjustable lumbar support for even better support.

True, it doesn’t feel as special inside as a Honda Jazz, which has more high-quality materials and hides its hard plastics better. The 2 Hybrid does have a soft-touch dashboard and some really thin fabric on the doors, though, so it's suitably more upmarket inside than an MG3.

Interior overview 

Strengths Physical air-con controls; fine driving position; good visibility 

Weaknesses Not as classy inside as a Honda Jazz; only top trim gets sat-nav

Given the size of the Mazda 2 Hybrid, it’ll come as no surprise that it's not very big inside, unlike the Tardis-like Honda Jazz. It’s roomy enough for most small-car buyers though, and two six-footers will have enough head and leg room to get comfortable in the front.

There's a decent amount of storage space dotted around, including a cubby in front of the gearlever for your phone, a tray above the glovebox and a pair of cupholders. The door bins are rather small, though.

Space in the rear is sufficient rather than generous, so although there's enough room for your tallest friends back there, they’d be comfier if they were in the back of a Jazz or VW Polo. Whether that's a problem for you or not depends on how ofter you'll have a car full of adults.

Unlike the really versatile Jazz, which gets cinema-style flip-up rear seat bases, the 2 Hybrid’s rear seatbacks don’t do anything clever, other than splitting 60/40 and folding flat.

Continuing the trend, boot space isn’t outstanding. Indeed, at 286 litres, the 2 Hybrid has as much luggage space as a Yaris, but significantly less than most small cars, including the Honda Jazz, Renault Clio, Seat Ibiza and VW Polo.

That said, we were still able to fit four carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf – one more than in the boot of an MG3.

Practicality overview 

Strengths Plenty of space in the front

Weaknesses Small boot; rivals have more rear space; small door pockets

Despite being based on the Toyota Yaris, the Mazda 2 Hybrid actually costs more to buy outright. In fact, the 2 Hybrid is pricier than all its direct rivals except the Honda Jazz. 

Luckily, depreciation is expected to be relatively slow. That will help in the long run if you're buying privately, and means monthly repayments for those signing up to a PCP finance agreement are relatively competitive.

Even better news is how efficient the 2 Hybrid promises to be, officially averaging

just over 74mpg. We doubt you’ll get quite such spectacular economy in the real world, but considering the Yaris averaged 59.9mpg in our Real MPG tests you shouldn’t be too far off.

We’d stick with entry-level Centre-Line trim because it keeps the price respectable and gets plenty of standard equipment. The kit list includes 15in alloy wheels, automatic high-beam headlights, rain-sensing front wipers, air-con, a reversing camera and the 9.0in touchscreen infotainment system.

Exclusive-Line comes with all that, plus keyless start, parking sensors and 16in alloy wheels. 

Homura trim brings 17in wheels, LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, front sports seats and wireless phone-charging.

Homura Plus adds a 12.3in digital instrument panel behind the steering, a panoramic glass roof, a head-up display and a 10.5in infotainment touchscreen.

While Mazda performed fairly well in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey – finishing in 13th place out of the 32 brands included – Toyota did even better, claiming second place.

You also get a more generous 10-year/100,000-mile warranty with the Yaris (assuming you service it annually at a Toyota dealer). Mazda gives you a fairly standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty.

When it comes to safety, the 2 Hybrid scored the full five stars when it was tested by the experts at Euro NCAP. Unsurprisingly, it matched the Yaris’s score exactly, but looking deeper into the scores shows that the Honda Jazz scored slightly better marks in many areas.

You get plenty of standard safety kit, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance and a system that monitors driver attention. Stepping up to Exclusive-Line trim adds blind-spot assist, while the two top specs also get rear cross-traffic alert and a system that automatically applies the brakes to stop you reversing into something.

Costs overview 

Strengths Lots of standard kit; efficient engine; slow depreciation

Weaknesses More expensive than most rivals; short warranty compared to Toyota's

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