2022 Mazda 2 vs Mazda 3

What's the difference?

The Mazda2 is part of the Australian automotive furniture. A long-time favourite of those at the affordable end of the new car market, looking for something compact and economical, but at the same time safe and practical.

A survivor of our enthusiastic shift to SUVs of all shapes and sizes, it’s been around in its current form for close to a decade. And in an on-going quest to keep the car fresh and competitive Mazda launched a new variant, the Pure SP, in late 2021.

It’s ideally sized for the urban environment, with lots to offer value-conscious small car buyers. But does it have what it takes to turn back the clock and fend off new and recently refreshed competitors? Let’s find out. 

If you’re having trouble finding stock of a small SUV or even a hatchback in 2022, I’d strongly recommend you look at a sedan.

The majority of buyers will engage in puzzling mental gymnastics to convince themselves they need to pay more for a trendy small SUV.

Yet, it'll have a smaller boot than the Mazda3 sedan you see here. Yes, this car and other attractive small sedans sit, ignored on dealer lots.

You don’t have to wait six months for it. You don’t have to pay more for less, and you might see why being lower to the ground means better driving dynamics.

For this review, we’re specifically looking at the mid-grade Mazda3 G25 Evolve SP, sitting above the base G20 Pure and packing the larger of three engine options.

Is it the sweet spot in the Mazda3 range? Does it have the right ingredients to lure you from a small SUV or out-of-stock hatch? Let’s take a look.