Small Mazda diesel 'to beat congestion charges'
Published: 19th October 2007
Mazda2
The appeal of diesel engines has yet to really infiltrate the supermini sector, but Mazda bosses believe that will happen if more UK cities adopt congestion charging.
Speaking at the launch of the all-new Mazda 2, the firm’s marketing director Mark Cameron said initially only around 10 per cent of buyers of the supermini will choose the 1.4-litre diesel option, on sale from December.
But he warned: “We know that lots of cities are looking at rolling out a similar congestion charging scheme as London. If they choose the same model as the one London is proposing – where cars with CO2 emissions of less than 120g/km will be exempt – we expect there will be a growth in demand for the diesel. We have the flexibility in the system to be able to deal with that upturn in demand should it come.”
Cameron also addressed the issue of an MPS version of the 2, a model that never happened with the outgoing car. “It’s a question that everyone is asking, but at the moment there’s no news. We think there’s a market in the UK for that car, but nothing has been confirmed in terms of production,” he said.
The only additional variant in the pipeline is a three-door model, which will go on sale next spring.
The Mazda 2 is the first car to be built on Ford’s new global small car platform, which will also form the basis of the next generation Fiesta.
Mazda Mazda2
Our Mazda Mazda2 Guide lists the full specification of the current UK Mazda2 range, including car prices, fuel consumption, dimensions and other vital data.
Price Range: £8,099 - £11,899
Body Style:
Fuel:
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Models in the range: 10
We have road tested the Mazda Mazda2, to read our in-depth car reviews:
Mazda Mazda2 Review - Nov 2003
Mazda Mazda2 Review - Mar 2008
Mazda Mazda2 Review - May 2008
Our Car Buyer’s Guide covers all of the UK’s major new cars and includes CO2 ratings and car insurance groups. Data updated on the 28th Nov 2008
