Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £9,295 to £13,845
Stylish-looking, lightweight, fun to drive, economical, good ride quality.
Lacks power, cheapish interior, imprecise steering.
The diesel is a good, efficient and economical addition to the Mazda 2's engine line-up.
Mazda's 2 supermini has been very successful since its launch in the autumn of 2007, garnering awards around the world that culminated in a World Car of the Year plaudit.
It's also proved popular with buyers, with Mazda expecting to sell 85,000 cars across Europe in 2008.
So the Japanese carmaker is expanding its portfolio of models with the launch of a three-door variant and the addition of a new diesel to the engine line-up, a 1.4-litre common-rail turbocharged unit that produces 67bhp at 4,000rpm and generates 118lb-ft of torque at 2,000rpm.
The three-door model is intended to look a little sportier than the five-door model, with more than a nod to the Mazda Sassou concept seen at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show. The front doors are slightly wider (an extra 162mm) and the rear side windows have a different shape, which have been designed to visually combine with the car's beltline, which rises towards the back of the car to create a wedge shape.
With fuel prices heading skywards, the addition of a more efficient diesel should come as welcome news to potential Mazda 2 buyers, but will an oilburning lump spoil the car's cheeky, nippy character?
