2015 Mazda 2 revealed

A very nice improvement to the original 2 design. Nothing revolutionary as far as design is concerned, from this point the new 2 has a hint of the previous Ford Ka. Mazda is partially owned by Ford so the designed may have been influenced by previous sketches.


The 2015 Mazda2 (Demio in Japan) will go on sale globally sometime in the fourth quarter of this year according to carscoops.com
The new 2 will benefit from all the lightweight and efficient SkyActiv technologies, this includes engines, transmissions, body, and chassis.
The new 2 versus the outgoing model grows to 4,060 millimeters, it's 160 mm longer, 25 mm taller (now 1,500 mm) and most importantly it rides on a 2,570-mm wheelbase, up 80 mm. The longer wheelbase and increased headroom provides more rear seat leg space, as much as for a 6-foot-2 passenger.
Depending on the market, the 2015 Mazda2 will be offered with up to three engines at launch:
SKYACTIV-G 1.3-liter
100PS (99hp) 1.5-liter gasoline units, and the
105PS (102hp) SKYACTIV-D 1.5-liter diesel
All engines can be matched to either a 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions.

"The next Mazda2 will be offered with two 1.5L Skyactiv gas engines in Canada. The difference between the two boils down to the exhaust manifold. The base 102-hp engine uses a four-into-one system. The up-level engine earns the Skyactiv four-into-two-into-one header. Mazda did not say much horsepower this will add, but somewhere around 115 would seem fair. The header also promotes mid-range torque."
The suspension setup will be front struts and a torsion beam rear axle.
 
"The biggest changes are the increased body rigidity and the torsion beam’s mounting point. It has been raised and now sits a full 35 mm higher than the Volkswagen Polo, which is considered the best of the subcompacts at this point. The advantage is simple — the higher mounting point allows the wheel to rise and fall in a vertical plane, which kept the P185/65R16 tires and its contact patch uniform and planted. This made a big difference when the Mazda2 was pushed to the limit, as the back-end remained stable even when trailing-braking through a corner — many cars feel as though the back-end is about to step out of line under these conditions."

If you would like to read the full articles here are the links, driving.ca: http://driving.ca/mazda/mazda2/reviews/road-test/2015-mazda2-promises-to-be-a-strong-subcompact-contender
Loads of pictures at carscoops.com: http://www.carscoops.com/2014/07/new-2015-mazda2-officially-breaks-cover.html