2021 Mazda 2 updated in Japan with improved Skyactiv-G engine and a sunny paintjob

Leave it to Mazda to make a bland colour like beige look so mesmerising and give one of its oldest models a fresh lease of life. The Hiroshima carmaker has just recently given the ageing Mazda 2 an update in Japan and from the photos, the 7-year-old model remains youthful.

There’s no secret to what makes the Mazda 2 glow but it’s definitely the bright new paintjob which Mazda calls “Sunlit Citrus”. But if that shade of beige isn’t your thing, the updated Mazda 2 is also available in Platinum Quartz Metallic along with the standard Mazda hues like Soul Red Crystal Metallic and Machine Gray Premium Metallic.

That being said, buyers would miss out on some very elegant interior upholstery if they skipped on the summer-inspired colour. The interior is swathed in Grand Luxe Beige leather with a citrus yellow stripe running across the middle of the seats.

Elsewhere, owners who opted for the Sunlit Citrus option would also receive a set of beige floor mats and a pair of exclusive key shells in a fancy-looking box. Elegance redefined indeed.

In terms of creature comforts, the updated Mazda 2 comes with wireless charging and support for wireless Apple CarPlay as optional extras. Available standard across all variants though is a 360-degree panoramic view monitor to aid drivers navigating the tight streets of a metropolis.

Also read: Why your next car should come with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay

Aside from the bright colour, the updates continue in the technical department with the 1.5-litre Skyactiv-G engine now featuring Diagonal Vortex Combustion. This technology is offered on the e-Skyactiv-X engine but is introduced to some variants of the Mazda 2.

On all variants besides the cheapest variants, the compression ratio of the powerplant is increased to 14:1 from 12:1. The lower spec variants still use the engine with the lower compression ratio. Mazda claims that the higher compression engine improves fuel economy by 6.8%.

Also read: What’s so special about Mazda SkyActiv engines anyway?

Prices for the updated Mazda 2 range from JPY 1.46 million to JPY 2.71 million (~RM 55,000 to RM 100,000). With a replacement long overdue, could this be the final update for the current Mazda 2?

Also read: All-new 2021 Mazda 2: Sept debut, new SkyActiv-X engine, rotary REEV in 2022?