First Drive: 2011 Mazda2 puts fun before frugality

Mazda says there’s a little bit of Miata in everything it does. While it’s easy to chalk that up as marketing frippery, when the automaker launched the Little Roadster That Could back in 1989, it proved that great things can come from a machine developed to be simple, reliable and driver-focused. Even now, none of Mazda’s wares offer class-leading fuel economy or practicality, but they’ve proven to be some of the best drivers in their segments. And as enthusiasts, it’s easy to exchange a bit of functionality for a larger helping of fun.

Now, Mazda hopes to achieve this same sort of positioning within the B-car segment – a class that’s grown substantially in America and is projected to double in size within the next few years. The 2011 Mazda2 comes to town right on the heels of its sister car, the Ford Fiesta, but as we found out after a lengthy drive through the city of Montréal and the countryside of Canada’s Québec province, it’s a wholly different machine. And while the Fiesta is sure to provide some serious competition for the 2, there are plenty of other well-to-do B cars in the U.S. that are ready to be sized up against the minuscule Mazda.

If you only look at the stats, you wouldn’t think Mazda has positioned the 2 to be anything overly special. Not only is it the least powerful car in its segment, but it doesn’t offer some of the clever technology or unique packaging to make it stand out from its kin. But Mazda is immensely proud of the new 2, and though we looked on with skeptical faces, the people in charge simply told us that the little hatch’s story is best told on the road. So let’s get to it.