Mazda 2 Coming To America: Watch Out, SMART!

[TonyB]

Now that the Penske group has made it okay to bring tiny cars to the U.S. with its importing of the SMART, Mazda has announced their intentions of bringing the Mazda2 to the US and Canada. Like the SMART, the Mazda2 is a very small car geared toward economical city driving. But is there enough "Zoom, Zoom" in a microcar to make Americans sit up and take notice?

Details are scarce, but the company is working on decisions like engines (what size, not whether or not they'll have one). Word is there's a chance the turbodiesel engine might make it, which brings more smiles to the faces of people who want logical good economy instead of wacky hybrid technology.

[TonyB]

Mazda North American Operations’ president and CEO, Jim O’Sullivan, confirmed today during a meeting of the company’s top dealers that the MAZDA2 subcompact, or B-Car classification, car will be sold in the U.S. beginning in late 2010. It was previously announced that the car also will be sold in Canada, beginning at about the same time.

“You’ve asked us for it for a while now, and we’ve been studying the market to make sure we can make a business case for it across North America,” O’Sullivan told the assembled dealers. “As consumers’ tastes and attitudes toward small vehicles have changed, we now believe strongly there is a place in our lineup for a car below our current least-expensive car, the MAZDA3. MAZDA2 will be true to everything that makes our cars stand apart from the competition: it will be stylish, fun-to-drive and a heck of a value. In short, it will be Zoom-Zoom.”

No further details were released at the meeting, other than notice that the final North American-specification MAZDA2 will be unveiled to media and the public at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. Further information on specifications, content, pricing and on-sale timing will be provided closer to launch.

MAZDA2 has been a sales and media success in markets around the world, winning more than 50 awards and being named Car of the Year in more than 20 separate countries. Additionally, MAZDA2 was named the 2008 World Car of the Year, besting all other new cars around the world.

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in the United States in 2010, Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.