Mazda 2 Timing Belt or Chain - Which One Does It Have?

It’s important to understand, but is the engine in your Mazda 2 timing belt or chain driven? That’s because a timing chain should last the life of the car with no extra maintenance, while a timing belt will need to be replaced at regular intervals. If you ignore timing belt changes, the belt can snap in service and destroy the whole engine. Fortunately, the engine in the Mazda 2 uses a timing chain, so should require no special maintenance for as long as the rest of the car is running properly. That gets around the problems of the cam drive belt replacement as well as the associated cost. This advice applies to both engines used in the Mazda 2 since 2002 and covers the ZY-VE engine (2002 to 2014) and the later V-P5 and F-P5 engines. It’s also dependent on regular oil changes and other maintenance having been carried out.

What would be your recommendation when buying a small new car for teenage children learning to drive?

The popular MG3 is the model you’re referring to and you’re right; it hasn’t been locally crash-tested. But it does lack some important safety gear. Enough, we reckon, to knock it off your short-list. The MG lacks, for instance, important driver aids such as autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assistance, nor can these features be had by spending more on a fancier version. Which leaves us with your other two choices, the Hyundai i30 and Kia Rio. Even then, you’ll need to option up beyond the base-model to get (some of) those safety features, but these are not expensive cars to begin with, so the jump might not be as bad as you think. The other car to consider would be the SP Pure version of the Mazda 2. At $23,690, it’s not over-priced but it does have low-speed (up to 30km/h) autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and lane-departure warning as well as rear cross-traffic alert. And a manual transmission? The MG 3 no longer offers one, both the Hyundai i30 and the Kia Rio are available with a six-speed manual option. The Mazda 2 Pure SP is automatic only, but you can get a six-speed manual on the base-model Mazda 2. I agree that youngsters taught to drive a manual car tend to be better drivers, but that’s not a universally held view these days. And the fact is that most young drivers will never be presented with a clutch pedal in the future, raising the question of why learn in the first place? The reality is that learning to drive a manual car gives you extra mechanical awareness and extra ability to multi-task behind the wheel.

Mazda 9 - Will we ever see a successor to the 929?

Mazda is unlikely to introduce a sedan larger than the Mazda6, due to the declining sales of larger sedans globally in favour of SUVs. However, with Mazda marching upmarket and its ties with Toyota strengthening, a joint-venture project with Toyota or even Lexus, using Mazda's new rear-drive platform and inline six-cylinder engine range, may make a model-sharing luxury flagship – a modern-day 929 in other words – a possibility. But there are currently no plans that we know of pertaining to such a model, sadly. We hope this helps.

Mazda 2 Bluetooth: How to Use Bluetooth in a Mazda 2?

To connect your phone via Bluetooth to the Mazda 2, there’s a simple procedure to follow. The first thing to do is to make sure your phone has Bluetooth enabled and is switched to Visible/Discoverable. The second is to make sure that the car is stationary. The pairing procedure then goes as follows: Select the Settings icon on the info-screen in the car. Then select the Devices tab. Then select Bluetooth and turn the Bluetooth to On. Select Add Device and switch to the device operation. Using your phone, search for the car’s signal which should show as `Mazda’ from the list of devices on your phone’s screen. Depending on your phone, you then need to input the four-digit code (devices with Bluetooth 2.0) or a six-digit code displayed on the car’s screen (Bluetooth 2.1 or higher). That should complete the pairing process and form there you can add functions such as downloading your contact book to the car’s system by following the prompts. For more instructions on how to play music through the system, more setup options, and troubleshooting problems, refer to the vehicle’s owner’s manual.

What car should I buy to replace my 2006 Toyota Corolla?

There are still plenty of great small cars around within your budget, Agnes, and they all have good safety packages (or we wouldn’t recommend them). Look at offerings such as the Suzuki Swift Navigator (with the optional autonomous emergency braking) for around $17,000 (plus on-road costs) or the Kia Rio S at around $19,000 or Kia Picanto S (one size smaller than the Rio) at closer to $16,000. Both the Kias also feature the brand’s excellent seven-year warranty, capped-price servicing and free roadside assistance which is great peace of mind. The Volkswagen Polo is a classy drive but a little more expensive at closer to $21,000 for the 85TSi Comfortline. Actually, to be honest, you’ve missed the boat on bargain small cars by a couple of years. Firm favourites such as the Toyota Yaris and Mazda 2 have both been updated relatively recently and have recorded big price jumps in the process. The cheapest Yaris with an automatic transmission is now around $23,000 (it was less than $17,000 back in 2018) while the Mazda 2 Maxx went from being a sub-$17,000 proposition in 2018 to a $23,000 car by the time you add an automatic transmission in 2020.

Best small hatch under $30,000?

The Mazda 2 is a great choice. It has always been towards the front of the small hatchbacks when it comes to safety and is definitely one of the better littlies to actually drive, too. Mazda facelifted the 2 in 2017 and took the opportunity to add blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert to the vehicle at that point in time. The catch is that the safety tech was only standard on the more expensive models and both the Neo and Maxx versions missed out. You could option that package when you ordered a Neo or Maxx, but it cost extra, and some people didn’t see the value in it. So, if you’re shopping for a second-hand Mazda 2 Neo or Maxx, make sure you check carefully that the options you want are fitted. If you’re buying brand-new, no problem, because the most recent upgrade to the 2 saw rear-cross traffic alert and blind-sport monitoring become standard across the range. Lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist also became standard at that time. Significantly, autonomous emergency braking was standard on all Mazda 2s built after the 2017 facelift, making the car a very safe package. As for alternatives, the world is your oyster with $30,000 in your pocket. There are lots of really good, safe cars out there in that price bracket, but, again, the Mazda 2 should definitely be on your short-list.

Is the Mazda 2 Neo a reliable car?

The Mazda 2 certainly meets your requirements of safety and reliability, but so too does the Toyota Yaris or Corolla, Hyundai i30, Kia Picanto or Rio.

Mazda 2 2011: What is the blue water symbol?

It’s indicating that the coolant isn’t yet up to temperature. Once the engine is warmed up the light will go out.

Mazda 2: Replacement key cost

Its hard to know how much it will be without knowing what year the car is, but if you want to know more about replacing your car keys you can read this.

The recommended tyre pressures for your car are shown in the owner’s manual, and on a sticker on the body, either on passenger’s side front door pillar or in the glove box.

Mazda 2 2016 Problems

No car is perfect, but we've gathered everything relating to the Mazda 2 2016 reliability here to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Mazda 2 2016: Speedometer blacks out

Answered by CarsGuide 19 Apr 2019

Could be a fault with the display. The only way to find out is to have it checked, so I would recommend you take it to a Mazda dealer.

Mazda, Tesla, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Citroen models recalled

26 Jun 2017 · by Justin Hilliard

The Australasian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced another set of national safety recalls, with models from Mazda, Tesla, Mitsubishi, Peugeot and Citroen impacted.

Best first small car under $13k

Answered by CarsGuide 25 Nov 2016

We recently reviewed the Honda City as used car buy. To summarise the City has 5-star safety, which means it has all of the safety features you want, it also has the features your daughter wants. Best of all owners are unanimous in their praise for the car. The price is on the high side, but being a drive-away deal you save on government charges, which makes it a pretty good buy.

Used Mazda 2 review: 2002-2016

15 Aug 2016 · by Ewan Kennedy

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2016 Mazda 2 as a used buy. While the Mazda 3 and CX-3 have been grabbing all the headlines in the sales race, the smallest model of all, ...

Best small car for city driving?

Answered by CarsGuide 13 Jun 2016

You're not alone feeling the stress of choosing a new car. Toyota's Yaris is the safe choice but you should test drive the Suzuki Swift, since it also gets The Tick. Bargain hard on your favourite.

Small car for city living?

Answered by CarsGuide 18 Jan 2016

There are still baby cars with five-star safety and, given few trips and tight parking, I would recommend a Mazda2.

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Mazda 2 2016 Problems

Mazda 2 2016: Speedometer blacks out

Mazda, Tesla, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Citroen models recalled

Best first small car under $13k

Used Mazda 2 review: 2002-2016

Best small car for city driving?

Small car for city living?

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