New Mazda2 Hybrid launched in Europe with familiar look

There’s a perfectly good reason why this Mazda2 looks oh-so-familiar because it’s nothing more than a rebadged Toyota Yaris. Rather than developing a new B-segment hatchback on its own, the Zoom-Zoom company has decided to slap its logo on the supermini sold by the world’s largest automaker in terms of sale. It’s an ironic decision seeing as how Toyota sold a Mazda2-based Yaris in the United States until last year.

The new Mazda2 serves as the brand’s very first full hybrid available in Europe once it will go on sale next spring. The battery charges itself on the go and the small hatch silently starts in EV mode without sipping a drop of gasoline. Speaking of which, the fossil fuel is used by the three-cylinder engine, specifically a 1.5-liter unit developing a mighty 91 horsepower (68 kilowatts).

The ICE works harmoniously with an electric motor rated at 79 hp (59 kW) to give the 2022 Mazda2 Hybrid an adequate total output of 114 hp (85 kW). You’re obviously not going to set a new Nürburgring record since the vehicle was developed primarily for the city and with efficiency in mind. That’s not to say the car is agonizingly slow as it will do 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than 10 seconds and continue to accelerate until 109 mph (175 km/h).

Those in the market for such a car will primarily care about fuel efficiency, which is where the self-charging Mazda2 excels. It promises to consume anywhere between 3.8 to 4.0 liters in the WLTP combined cycle with corresponding CO2 emissions of 87 to 93 grams per kilometer. Bear in mind these fuel economy numbers will vary depending on whether the car rides on the standard 15-inch wheels or the larger 16-inch set.

On its path to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, Mazda is adding the 2 Hybrid to its lineup where it joins several vehicles equipped with mild-hybrid powertrains. In a couple of years from now, the portfolio will grow to include plug-in hybrid models equipped with inline-six gasoline and diesel engines for cars riding on a newly developed rear-wheel-drive architecture.

Besides hybrids, the Japanese marque has pledged to roll out three EVs by the middle of the decade, with 2025 also being the year when a dedicated electric car platform will be inaugurated on a production model.

Source: Mazda