Mazda 2 2020 uncovered: Stylish light car gains slight makeover

Mazda Australia has confirmed its new-look Mazda 2 will hit Australian showrooms in early 2020, bringing small styling tweaks, updated safety tech and improved occupancy comfort to its ageing light car line-up.

Though exact Australian pricing and specification is yet to be locked down, CarsGuide understands most of the updates revealed overnight for the Japanese market Mazda 2 will carry over to local vehicles.

From the outside, the Mazda 2 wears a redesigned lower front bumper for what the Japanese brand is calling a "sense of width, stability and elegance", while the interior is revised with new colour options and more comfortable seats.

A retuned suspension set-up, increased sound deadening and the brand's 'G-Vectoring Control Plus' system, also promises to improve noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels in the new Mazda 2.

Options available to Japanese buyers include a power-adjustable driver's seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror and the 'i-Eloop' brake regeneration system, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is also added to the multimedia system.

Safety systems also gain a bump thanks to the availability of adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and adaptive LED headlights on certain grades.

The Australian engine line-up is expected to continue over as before, with the a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine powering both hatchback and sedan body styles in two states of tune – 79kW/139Nm for the base Neo grades and 81kW/141Nm for the Maxx, Genki (hatch only) and GT variants.

For reference, the current Mazda 2 range opens at $15,320 before on-road costs for the manual Neo hatch or sedan, and tops out at $24,150 for the automatic GT.

Is the Mazda 2 the most stylish light car you can buy in Australia? Tell us what you think in the comments below.