REVIEW | Why the 2020 Mazda 2 deserves a look in crowded B-segment

My parents are great fans of Mazda, an affair that started when they took ownership of a 2003 Garnet Red MX-5. Now parked in their driveway is a 3 sedan (2014) in range-topping 2.0 Astina specification, owned since new and well-pampered with just over 70,000km on the odometer.

Before that, was a 2 hatchback (2009) in modest 1.3 Original guise, which my mother especially regrets swapping out for a Ford Kuga 1.6 EcoBoost. It seemed like a great idea in 2013. But as you know, that very same derivative of the Blue Oval sport-utility vehicle made headlines for the wrong reasons.

They are unlikely to opt-out of the Mazda fold anytime soon. I can understand why. Not one mechanical issue has marred their ownership experience. And the local dealership appears to go out of its way to make sure they stay happy, even though their car has been out of warranty and service plan for a while now.

Last week the latest version of the popular 2 arrived for a weeklong evaluation, offering a pleasant reminder of its presence in the contested B-segment. The last time I had experienced the model was back in 2015: and the category has evolved since.

After a subtle facelift in December 2019, does it still have the substance to stay relevant? The answer is a resounding yes. But there are some gripes.