Peppy Mazda2 proves compact can be fun

Drafting is an auto racing art, the trick being to follow another car closely enough to take advantage of reduced air resistance, but not so closely as to crash into its bumper.

For the 2011 model year, this racetrack technique is wafting into the increasingly competitive space of subcompacts, a market segment that inspired yawns until two years ago when gasoline prices shot holes through consumers' wallets and got them thinking small.

Take the Mazda2, an inexpensive new hatchback that's taking advantage of Ford's heavily marketed new Fiesta - a car that itself was following the success of Honda's capacious Fit and Toyota's bargain-basement Yaris.

Starting at $13,980, the Mazda2 isn't the least expensive subcompact. (That would be the Yaris, priced at $12,605). Averaging 35 miles per gallon highway and 29 city, the Mazda2 isn't the most fuel efficient. (Ford Fiesta wins here, with 40 highway, 29 city). But the Mazda2 is the most fuel-efficient car the Japanese manufacturer has made in the 40 years it's been selling cars in North America.

Before driving this five-door five-seater, I thought the most fun I would have was counting the pennies I'd be saving at the pump. What I found instead was a car with enough pep to keep me interested. The five-speed manual transmission was smooth without being anemic, and it engaged quickly enough that my left leg didn't get an unintended workout in traffic.

The Mazda2 was designed to attract the unostentatious, and that philosophy carries through to the 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which was so quiet at idle that I wouldn't have known it was running had I not personally turned over the ignition.

While the technology in the Mazda2 cockpit is neither plentiful nor cutting-edge, it's smart in what it offers. There are steering wheel controls for the stereo and cruise control. Motorola Bluetooth is available as a visor-mounted, dealer-installed accessory, allowing hands-free phone calls. Navigation equipment isn't standard, nor is it offered as an option or with a built-in screen. Rather, Mazda has partnered with Garmin and offers its Nuvi Navi as an accessory.

I found the Mazda2 interior to be pleasingly simple, if Spartan. The dashboard panel was a trio of easy-to-read interlocking circles for the tachometer, speedometer and odometer/fuel gauge. The leg and head room were ample enough for me as a driver. Slipping into the backseat, there was enough space. The most noticeably small component of the car was its alloy wheels, which are a scooter-esque 15 inches. They sometimes dance around on grooved pavement, trying to find their line.

Traction control, stability control, anti-lock brakes and tire pressure monitoring are standard. So is brake override, a new system that gives priority to the brakes should the accelerator and brake pedals be pressed simultaneously.

Mazda2 proves the adage: Good things come in small packages.

2011 Mazda2 Type: Subcompact hatchback.

Base price: $13,980

Price as tested: $16,235

Powertrain: 1.5-liter, DOHC, 16-valve in-line four cylinder with variable valve timing, electronically controlled fuel injection, front wheel drive, five-speed manual

Horsepower: 100 at 6,000 rpm

Torque: 98 pound feet at 4,000 rpm

Curb weight: 2,306 pounds.

EPA fuel economy: 35/29 mpg highway/city

Where assembled: Japan

Bottom line: Fun for the money