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We liked the new Mazda 2 from the moment it was announced. The idea of sharply reducing weight and aerodynamic drag while increasing power synced perfectly with our automotive philosophy. In our November 2008 "Cars We Need Now" issue, we called the smallest Mazda "a car that ought to be available for our market." We backed up our belief in its virtues by putting an example in our Four Seasons fleet. Since it wasn't yet available in the United States (it's coming this summer), we asked Mazda Europe to loan us a 1.5-liter four-door hatchback with the sport package in France. The twin-cam four-cylinder pumps out 102 hp and, over our test period, managed a respectable 32 mpg despite most of our use being in low-speed urban traffic.inline_mediumwraptextright27600877/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1002_2008_mazda_2_wrap_up1002_07_z+2008_mazda_2+side_view.jpgTrue