Reading some of the reviews of the new 2015/16 mazda 2's are a little disconcerting mainly in regards to the steering.
Express UK said:
As for the steering there's not the immediacy of feel you get in a Fiesta, with a very minor delay on inputs as you turn into a corner. You quickly become familiar with it but this isn't a car in which you're going to take the longer, twistier route home for the sake of it – and that's a great shame.
Car said:
Vehicle development manager Kengo Fukushima told us a deliberate delay has been designed into the power steering just past the straight ahead to make the car feel more stable and linear in its response.
What Car said:
The handling is safe and dependable, making the new 2 closer in character to the VW Polo, rather than more entertaining Ford Fiesta.
Telegraph said:
Sadly, handling is a mixed bag. The steering feedback encourages you to push on, but the feel deserts you in the middle of the corner which is disconcerting. This is possibly a consequence of the geometry changes they have made to the front (more castor), which often reduces steering feel. The front disc and rear drum brakes lack initial grab, but are plenty powerful.
^The new 2 hasn't had as good of reviews as our's (current gen in the USA that is). Top Gear gave it lower marks than the previous gen!
Is everyone as excited about warmer weather as me?! I put my summer wheels on a tad prematurely last week but the DZ102s have coped with mid-30 degrees and damp roads better than I expected. It also snowed on Monday in Chicago, luckily the roads were well plowed.
I like the 2. Even though Mazda said they were gonna kill it, but that was a few years ago
I just picked up a Racing Beat muffler for my 2 for 50 bucks, can't wait to hear it!
Tactical Penguin wrote:
I just picked up a Racing Beat muffler for my 2 for 50 bucks, can't wait to hear it!
That's a great deal, and I thought $150 shipped for mine was a steal!
You'll enjoy it a lot, the tone is great and very daily-able.
I was out on a shoot the other night and had to turn the tripod around and snap this =)
petegans wrote:
Tactical Penguin wrote:
I just picked up a Racing Beat muffler for my 2 for 50 bucks, can't wait to hear it!
That's a great deal, and I thought $150 shipped for mine was a steal!
You'll enjoy it a lot, the tone is great and very daily-able.
Just put it on this weekend and I LOVE it. It's perfect, just loud enough to notice but not be offensive.
The seller said he had a few people look at it, but didn't want to buy a used exhaust.
Their loss, I suppose. 
Tactical Penguin wrote:
petegans wrote:
Tactical Penguin wrote:
I just picked up a Racing Beat muffler for my 2 for 50 bucks, can't wait to hear it!
That's a great deal, and I thought $150 shipped for mine was a steal!
You'll enjoy it a lot, the tone is great and very daily-able.
Just put it on this weekend and I LOVE it. It's perfect, just loud enough to notice but not be offensive.
The seller said he had a few people look at it, but didn't want to buy a used exhaust.
Their loss, I suppose.
That's awesome man! Yeah it really is a great all-around setup!
I'm new to the GRM Forums but about a year back this thread was one of the primary deciding factors that made me sell my 09 Mazda3 to get a Mazda2 before I started a casual STF build. I like Mini Coopers, but hate working on them(I see a LOT through work) and frankly the 2 is basically a more practical, more reliable, lighter, less frills R50.
Build thread is here:
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/2011-mazda2-not-so-srs-bzns-stf-build/100748/page1/
I'm basically building my own coilovers with Koni 8610s because I don't like crappy dampers. I'll probably be running 500-600lbs springs, playing around with rates front and rear from about 400 through 600 to play with balance.
Built my own pedal extension for heel-toe money shifts:
And my own rear motor mount:
How it sits for the time being. Waiting on rear Koni sports to show up plus some custom front spacers for the upper spring mount to spherical bearing in the top hat for adequate spacing/angle.
Also been dabbling in playing with the idea of a turbo and/or swapping a 2.0-2.5MZR in. That is quite some time away but I'm doing the homework now. Did you know the 1.5l has the same 78mm bore that a Mazda B6T and 1.6l NA Miata have? 
Mini Cooper S(up to 06) +1mm pistons are also 78mm bore... so potentially there are some off the shelf pistons that may work, it remains to be seen what kind of rods will work, worst case scenario some custom rods to adapt whatever piston is decided up can be made.
I've driven the Fiesta ST at one of the Ford Ecoboost Challenge events in Columbus, and frankly while it was quick in a straight line, it feels heavy and the interior is awful for my eyes. I just don't like the feel of it. I keep coming back to loving the 2 so I'm hoping to have it for a long time. It may become a "Not so SRS BZNS" SMF build eventually 
and just think Mazda planned on axing this car in the US
I still love my Mazda2. My wife HATES hatchbacks(but likes small SUVs/crossovers? 
)... Just moved a bunch of stuff out of storage and this is why I love it:
flatlander937 wrote: My wife HATES hatchbacks(but likes small SUVs/crossovers?
My wife does to. The number of times I have argued, "your Rav 4 was a lift kit on a Matrix" was ridiculous. Never win.
In reply to Flight Service:
Yep. Ironically enough when I showed her the CX-3... she freaking loved the look of it!
So much WTF on the inside when she reacted that way.
I suppose that supports Mazda's decision to get rid of the 2 and only bring the CX-3 here.
Hell yes, the hauling space in the 2 is indeed phenomenal!
Many thanks to GRM for this
In reply to flatlander937:
thanks!!!
In reply to petegans:
Also forgot to ask: are you in the Mazda2 Facebook group? Search for M2O Mazda2 Owners Group. This is where most of the Mazda2 people seem to be.
Awesome! Congratulations!
Congratulations. Love Mazda 2s, I never actually drove one. But I think they are a stand up car.
Coldsnap wrote:
Congratulations. Love Mazda 2s, I never actually drove one. But I think they are a stand up car.
You have no excuse! Last TSCC autocross event is 11/15 in Pungo, VA. You're welcome to co-drive.
Bringin' back this thread from the dead!
Check it out: Matt Farah did a OneTake of my car!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6DV80iRDJ8&t=310s
Nice! Did not know that was yours, would think of these as a protege replacement if something were to happen to it, someone in the DC region rallycrosses one and I keep meaning to pick his mind about it.
Very cool! I think this might be my next car. Either a 2 or the first gen 3.
