Mazda is known lately for their beautifully styled cars. Imbued with the Kodo design language, they’re basically rolling pieces of art. Sadly, that streak seems to have ended with the new Mazda2.
The Mazda2 has just undergone an extensive refresh for 2023 with a face that only a mother could love. The offending piece here is that new front-end and its body-colored grille. Mazda says this is supposed to give the hatchback a more streamlined look; we beg to differ. Thankfully, it’s still available with a high-gloss black grille that’s easier on the eye.
Weirdly enough, whichever grille you choose, an asymmetrically placed color accent is present on the front grille and bumper that’s supposed to “enhance the car’s youthful spirit.”
Towards the back, there’s also a re-designed rear bumper with a large high-gloss black trim.
For the Japanese market, the new Mazda2 is available with a new two-tone wheel cap that’s actually color-matched to the body. It can also be had with a roof film that decks it in…my goodness…faux carbon fiber either in white or black.
Two new colors make their debut on the refreshed Mazda2—Aero Gray Metallic and Airstream Blue Metallic. This brings the available colors to nine, and the total exterior combinations to 198.
Inside, the 2023 Mazda2 now features colored dash trim pieces in either Pure White, Mirror Black, or Mint. This trim use bio-engineered plastic, a plant-based material with a high-luster, high-quality feel that can’t be matched by conventional materials (says Mazda). Seats are also contrasted with red highlights that extend to the seat stitching and air vent surrounds.
The refreshed Mazda2 goes on sale in Japan by the end of March. Other markets will surely follow.
Mazda's design team may have begun losing their marbles since the CX-60. The 2 has been aging like fine wine until this refresh.
ReplyDeleteI still like this design. Maybe this version is being used as it begins its winding down on its Mazda2 offering. Part of the market shrinkage of sedans. Also did Mazda not use its Yaris tie-up for the Mazda2?
ReplyDeleteThat's only for the European market.
DeleteThe asymetric color piece at the front and rear looks hilarious. Mazda's design decisions here make it more toy-like, which is a complete 180 from the "premium" style they went previously (if you could call the Mazda2 premium at all). These new design and color choices embrace what the Mazda2 really is: an econo car. Whereas the prefacelift version was some sort of half-baked effort to look premium, this one is straight up a cheap ricey econocar especially if optioned with the carbon film top LMAO. I agree the gloss black front end is easier to swallow, but the way the lower grille intersects with the upper... "piece" (I wouldn't call that a grille) makes it looks awkward and front heavy.
ReplyDelete^ this.
DeleteTh black part on the front grille makes it look like a moustache.
ReplyDeleteQue horror.
ReplyDeleteSeems like someone is sabotaging Mazda's design team internally. Front grille and wheels looks very Toyota'ish.
ReplyDeletereminds me of lines from a samurai general helmet, doesnt look good tho
ReplyDeleteToyota Cross is a lot better but got a terrible feedback here unlike of course Mazda.
ReplyDeletewhat are you mumbling about? mazda 2 got roasted here and corolla cross was among last year's top 5. They are also from different segments.
DeleteThis is roasting?
DeleteTo refresh your memory from: "The 2021 Toyota Corolla Cross is One Sloppy Piece of Design"
'whoever designed this should be sent back to design school. It’s just sloppy. And it’s not just sloppy in a “we don’t care, we’ll just draw character lines” on it sloppy; it’s “we don’t give a crap because we’re going to sell a zillion of these” sloppy.'
'Much of the online vitriol is directed towards that guppy-like front-end. Sure, that face isn’t exactly pretty, but it doesn’t beat what you see on the other end. Just take a look at that badge placement. Oh my god. For some stupid and weird reason, Toyota designers wanted to put “Corolla Cross” on the tailgate garnish, but just look at that execution. It’s just lazy. With the words, “Corolla” in a small script placed on the left and the words, “Cross” in a much larger script placed in the middle, it doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing at all.'
I dont know man, you have problems. First you compared mazda 2, a compact hatchback, to a compact crossover. Then you twist the narrative that mazda 2 was favored compared to a cross, which never happened because who in their right mind would compare the two. Then to describe mazda 2 getting roasted, you qouted the review from corolla cross.
DeleteOn mazda 2 review, it was described as expensive, purely emotional and irrational. Corolla cross of course was roasted in design, who wouldnt? But then again, why compare the two?? Like why?? Either stop using drugs or learn reading comprehension.
Stop fighting. Its not like these cars are Ferraris and Lamborghinis. You guys look pitiful.
DeleteAfter re-reading my first comment, I now know why you are reacting that much. It should be "Toyota Cross looks a lot better" not "Toyota Cross is a lot better". Most of the criticisms here (see title) and the ones I quoted are mostly in the visual side so it should mean I was referring to the design.
DeleteYeah they might be on a different category but in comparing design it usually does not matter that much. A good example is comparing the massive grills of Lexus IS vs LX 570 vs the new BMW 4 series or the grill of BMW X7. Speaking of grills, the first thing that came into my mind after seeing the new grill of Mazda 2 is the grill of Toyota Cross and the terrible review they got here thus the reason of my first comment.
The Corolla Cross is boring. It looks like it was designed by accountants, but then again, you don't expect much from Toyota. But from Mazda...which has design as one of its brand pillars...the refreshed Mazda2 is a big miss.
Delete@Uly - I'm curious, how many accountant friends do you know and how many of them are boring or incapable of artistic/creative car design?
DeleteThe Finance Manager in our company drives a Mazda CX5. You don't consider CX5 boring do you?
^
DeleteIt’s like an expression. Accountants have long been viewed and stereotyped to be boring persons with boring jobs (not true obviously). You don’t have to take everything literally.
Are you a gen Z? Because you sound like a stereotypical hyper sensitive, easily offended gen Z. Don’t be so serious dude. By the way, I am not the author.
DeleteAgreed Toyota has no consistent design language unlike their sister co Lexus so I'm not expecting much. As for Mazda, I hope 2 won't be a preview of what's to come with the kodo design language especially for ev without grilles. My only complaint with the new facelift Mazda 2 is the sad face, why not incorporate the happy grille of mx5? I think they are aiming for an angry look, since it is small / narrow form factor it looks sad instead. It might look sleeker if the car is wider and have a bigger tire though like on 3 or 6.
DeleteGetting a Mazda2 is stupid anyway. You could already get a Toyota Corolla for the price of a mazda2.
ReplyDeleteMazda's design has been stagnant for the longest time. They need to come up with a new look, fast.
ReplyDeleteThere CX-5, CX-3, Mazda 6 and Mazda 2 are long in the tooth. They should have replaced the designs 2-3 years ago. Also I don’t like the bumper in which they don’t have foglamps or DRLs at the bottom of the front bumper.
ReplyDeleteThe old Mazda2 had some elegance considering it's an econobox. Ito mukhang kalavel sa Mirage G4 pagdating sa aethetics hahaha very tacky and tasteless
ReplyDeleteThis site used to be filled with rabid mazda fanboys. Could it be that they grew up and already moved on with that phase?
ReplyDeletewhen was that? I do remeber, however, there was a time when you compliment one thing about mazda and you are automatically branded as fanboy.
DeleteAround 2014 to 2018 I think. I remember the fanboys treating the brand like its the best thing in the entire world. They also like to s*** on other brands especially Honda. Good old days.
Deleteyeah, old honda civic fanboys vs old mazda 3 fanboys, i remember that
DeleteThe grille looks better if it’s all black.
ReplyDeleteI got my Mazda 2 back in 2015 when it only cost php 785,000. Now with each year they up the price again and again but with some added luxury touches. I think this year Mazda finally decided that small cars weren't worth it and decided to finally kill the Mazda 2 / Demio by spectacularly smashing it with the ugly hammer. For the forseeable future Mazda will be making premium crossovers.
ReplyDelete