Yup, the car everyone's been waiting to see take the stage - it's the new Mazda 2 Sedan! The booted version of the Mazda 2 hatch is Hiroshima's answer to the likes of the Honda City, Toyota Vios and Nissan Almera.
Whether your breath is taken away by its looks or not (compared to the Mazda 6 and Mazda 3), there's little denying that it's a far cry from the outgoing model - for once, it no longer looks like a hatch with a boot grafted on.
The 1.5 litre SkyActiv-D-engined version is Thailand's first diesel-powered Eco Car, and it has been approved for Phase 2. The numbers to beat are 23.3 km per litre and 100 grams of CO2 per km - the 105 hp oil burner, when connected to a six-speed auto with i-stop stop/start system, does 26.4 km/l in the Japanese cycle.
The AutoAlliance Thailand is set to expand its production capacity, and Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing will begin making SkyActiv-Drive six-speed auto 'boxes in January. Thai assembly of SkyActiv engines are set to begin in Q4 2015. This collectively makes Thailand the first country outside Japan to undertake comprehensive production of Mazdas (including gearbox, engine and vehicle assembly).
When the new Mazda 2 Sedan launches in Thailand early next year, it will be equipped with features such as MZD Connect, HMI touch-screen with Commander Control knob, Active Driving Display, i-stop and i-Eloop regenerative braking.
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