Straightline

No longer is it seen as environmentally responsible to toss around terms like "zoom-zoom" in the cavalier manner typical of, say, 2001. Now it's "sustainable zoom-zoom," and says James Muir, CEO of Mazda Motors Europe, that means a "focus on the minute and painstaking weight reduction of every component."



Sounds painful, but on the 2009 Mazda 2 three-door hatchback (which joins the previously released five-door), it's good for a 220-pound weight reduction over the previous model, says Muir. For a car that's 153.5 inches long (2 inches shorter than a Honda Fit) with a 98-inch wheelbase (1.5 inches longer than a Fit), this is quite significant.

Mazda broke up what could have been a rather dry, number-y press conference with a performance by the Infidels, who like the Strokes, come across as a modern-day repackaging of the Stones -- right down to their moves on stage. Mazda, conveniently, is sponsoring their 2008 European tour.



After the conference, we decided to get inside the Mazda 2 to see if it feels as small as it looks. Surprisingly, it feels larger... we had no problem getting comfy behind the wheel and there's even a telescoping steering wheel.



No coolant temperature gauge, though, as you can see.



Even the backseat wasn't too bad. Only the passenger seat has an easy-entry feature, but wedging our big selves back there was easy enough and the legroom and headroom were fine for someone 5'10" in height.



Mazda is offering 1.3- and 1.5-liter gas engines on this car, along with a 1.4-liter diesel. The 1.5, obviously, would be the most likely power plant if Mazda decides it can make money on this car in the U.S. With 102 hp and 101 lb-ft of torque, it would likely just barely meet American expectations for performance -- at least on a psychological level.



At least the show cars have convincingly big tires by subcompact standards -- 195/55R16. --Erin Riches, Senior Editor