http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=109224

Ford wants mazda to compete with the Fit, Ford is too scared it seems to battle with such a piece of machinery and putting the weight on Mazda...hahaha

I just realized this is old news, but I wonder if they put it on hold or what. I noticed they already sell it in the UK and other countries. I definetly haven't heard of it till now.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=88

 

http://paultan.org/archives/2005/09/...-nissan-versa/

and how come the nissan versa concept looks sweeeeet. They really numbed its good looks.

 

Mazda already has the Mazda 5... it looks like it's a little bigger than the Fit... but sadly, doesn't get quite the fuel economy.

I think it will be interesting to see what Mazda can come up with.

 

yeah that concept of the Versa looks awesome. Too bad it didn't come out like that.

 

yeah that is not a versa, and the concept is not entirely dead yet. The sport concept can be seen in the new ghost in the shell movie so theres hope

 

yea, I was just about to post.

That "versa" concept is actually called the Nissan Sport Concept. It was supposed to be AWD, with a VQ35 motor and 18" wheels. More along the lines of mazdaspeed3, audi a3, vw r32.

 

OMG! That Nissan concept looks like i bought it yesterday. Really too bad they did not follow through with a production version. Screw the gas mileage, if the car look like that, i'd buy it.

Let's face it. Honda hit the nail on the head. Looks, cargo, and MPG. Near perfect combination, and not many can compete.

 

I compared the Mazda2 and the Honda Jazz (the Fit's European version) at the Great British Motor Show in July and I liked it.

The driving position seemed a bit more comfortable. The windshield didn't seem to be so far away.

There is definitely plenty of rear leg room in it. I was with a 6' 6" friend of mine and he was able to sit in the front with me behind him (and I'm 6'3"!).

The rear seating, of course, is not as flexible or as easy to use (the girls at the auto show struggled a bit to show it to me). The radio also had a 'plasticy' feel.

It also has worse gas mileage - about 10% worse from what I could see.

Overall, my friend and I felt that it was pretty competitive with the Fit.

Unfortunately, I can't find anything about when the Mazda2 will come to North America. :(

 

That Nissan concept looks like a mix of a Murano, FX, Mazda 3, a bit of Renault Clio (?) Looks pretty cool.

 

The Mazda 2 needs to find its ass over soon to compete in the SubCompact market of this Yaris, Fit, Aveo and other Small hatches in this segment. They currently don't in North America.

As for the Mazda 5, it is re-inventing a segment of which it dubs the "multi-activity vehicle". The versatility and utililty of a minivan and hatch; yet still have dimensions within the compact car segment. And Yes..., we've seen it here before in early years.

I'm sure Europe and Japan have tonnes of these on the road in many other models and nameplates, but N.A.

 

http://www.worldcarfans.com/news.cfm...d-demio-mazda2

 

that picture with the surfboard on top reminds me of a shrunken chevy hhr

 

Demio's been around in the current form at least since '02 when I wasin Japan. Wife's friend had one and we got a ride home one night in it. Seemed like a nice car, but hard to tell in 5 mins. No idea about handling etc., but I don't really recall it causing any commotion among drivers there. In person, it seems very tall and kinda boxy, not nearly as sporty as the Fit or some other cars. There's 3 grades currently, 2 in sport trim, so the looks may be deceiving, kinda like the Fit.

 

Knowing Mazda as of recent years, they'll engineer an adequate powered engine for our fatter and heavier N.A. asses if it ever comes over. And with regards to sporty handling, they'll have no problem. It seems most of their refreshed line-up has it's Zoom-Zoom philosophy behind it.

Mazda seems to be one of the traditional Japanese companies we only give a second thought too. They've made good strides and have a pretty good looking and exciting product line ever since the zoom-zoom campaign started with the Protege Redesign.:confused:

 

i have always loved mazdas...had a couple of rx7s back in the day...its not a bad looking car:cool:

 

Mazda 2 has been out in UK for a while now. When we were looking for new car for my wife in February this year we looked at the Jazz and Mazda together - they were in adjacent showrooms - same company just different dealerships.

Mazda was OK but the Jazz won hands down despite being more expensive. It was just so much better finished and looked better inside and out. Also the magic seats are much more versatile than the ones in the Mazda. So we bought the Jazz and have not regretted it.

 

I don't think that the European Mazda2 is made in Japan (but in Spain?).

The last I heard was that a North American version, the MicroSport, was considered and dropped last April as being to expensive to produce.

Maybe the fire under Ford's ass will encourage them to reverse that decision.

I do look at there being a 'hole' in the NA subcompact line-up with it missing. :(

 

I wouldn't even bother with the Mazda. I just sold my Mazda 3 and ordered a Fit because i had the car in the Dealer service dept twice in two weeks for three different problems. Not to mention the fact that a civic or a Fit will average eight to ten miles per gallon better than a my 3 did. I just figured as long as i'm going to have over sixteen grand into a car it might as well be a reliable and economical one.

Bill

 

"The folks at World Car Fans are at it again with these photos of a mildly disguised Ford Fiesta derivative that seems to be wearing a lot of Mazda styling cues. The most likely guess is that this will become the new Mazda2."

Check it: http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/15/s...nt-shaping-up/

 

Looks like a Yaris on a diet - and very similar to the latest picture just posted in the 'Fit 2008' thread as the next generation Fit. :rolleyes:

I like the mini-minivan styling of the current generation Fit and Mazda2 (with lots of window area!) over that of the mini-SUV stylings in these pictures.