REVIEW | Spruce-up enlivens new Mazda 2

South Africans have a very strong and perhaps nostalgic affinity for Mazda’s compact breeds.

If you think back to early iterations of the 323 – known as the Familia in some markets – the memories might come flooding back.

The third-generation of the Familia line made its debut here in the late 1970s and it earned the colloquial nickname of “Dombolo” – isiZulu for dumpling, that steamed ball of bread enjoyed with soup. You can see how that term of endearment came about, given the rounded, blobby shape of the Japanese hatchback.

The 323 lived on for many decades and ultimately evolved in the way that the Volkswagen Citi Golf and Toyota Conquest did - as budget-focused offerings served parallel to more accomplished, pricier options in the line.

But the essence of small car excellence pioneered by the spirit of the dainty 323 lives on today in the form of the Mazda 2. The nameplate might not be as popular as that of the Volkswagen Polo in terms of sales, but it does have a reputation that is not to be sneezed at.

If you remember, the previous Mazda 2 was a 2008 South African Car of the Year and 2008 World Car of the Year.

The current generation Mazda 2 was one of the crucial products that helped but the firm back on the map in Mzansi, following its big separation from Ford.

It has managed a reasonably good job of that and continues to soldier on largely unchanged, save for certain cosmetic tweaks.

In September last year, Mazda released the updated 2. We recently had a drive in the Individual model grade, which is the top of the range.

You can spot the enhancements in the form of a dazzling new honeycomb grille with a red accent, black-on-grey alloys with a machine-polished finish and a roof wrap designed to mimic the appearance of carbon fibre.

Though it first came to market in 2015, the current Mazda 2 still looks crisp in the styling department. A testament to how well their “Kodo” design philosophy has paid off.

The Active model dons a solid black bumper, while the Dynamic grade is set apart by now a colour-coded grille with a yellow insert. Two new colours were added to the range –  Air Stream Blue and Aero Grey.

As before, power comes from a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol motor, which is normally aspirated. It is mated in the case of the Individual to a six-speed automatic gearbox. Drive is to the front wheels.

This arrangement is perhaps the least exciting part of the Mazda 2. You see, in the manual, the 85kW/148Nm of the power source is complemented well with a fizzy feel provided you keep the tachometer needle up.

But the automatic seems to sap a lot of the effervescence from the motor. Very often, on uphills particularly, you find that it hunts between gears as it tries to keep up with the demand for extra momentum.

That aside, road manners are acceptable, though rivals like the Volkswagen Polo and Peugeot 208 offer a more tangible layer of refinement. Handling is nimble and economy is superb if you drive nicely – my average over the week was 6.6l/100km. The 44l tank size is not likely to scare you too much at the pumps.

This is a vehicle that is definitely best suited to care-free couples as space is certainly more limited than what you get in some other B-segment options. A family obligation necessitated having rear passengers, three abreast, who bemoaned the lack of leg and head room. Two of them were young girls under 18 and the other occupant was an elderly woman. Boot space is 250l.

The interior of the Individual has an inviting character with its faux suede and leatherette upholstery, elegant trim finishes and tactile switchgear. The MZD Connect interface remains easy to use through the centrally mounted rotary controller.

In terms of equipment, the Individual has everything you would want including a head-up display, wireless charging, reverse camera, rear privacy glass as well as side and curtain airbags. The base Active model offers dual front airbags.

At R398,700, the Individual is on the pricey side because for the same money, you can get a roomier compact crossover.

My pick would be the 1.5 Dynamic manual, for R335,500, the automatic version costs R354,700. The base Active goes for R307,100, only available in manual.

All models carry a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty and service plan.