New Mazda2 Hybrid Is Cheaper Than Its Toyota Yaris Twin In The UK

The Mazda2 Hybrid was introduced last December as a rebadged Toyota Yaris Hybrid for Europe and is now available in the UK market, with prices starting from £20,300 ($27,548). While this is significantly more expensive than the regular Mazda2 starting from £16,575 ($22,495), it is still £520 ($706) cheaper than the identical Toyota making it a fair proposal for those who don’t really care about the badge.

The new hybrid city car is available in three trim levels – Pure, Agile, and Select – mirroring the range of its Toyota-badged counterpart. After all, we are talking about the same car with the exception of the badges. The self-charging hybrid powertrain consists of a naturally-aspirated 1.5-liter engine and an electric motor, producing a combined 114 hp (85 kW / 116 PS) and 169 Nm (125 lb-ft) of torque. Power is transmitted to the front axle through a CVT automatic gearbox, while the lithium-ion battery is large enough to allow a pure EV mode for short distances.

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In terms of equipment, the base £20,300 ($27,548) Pure comes with 15-inch steel wheels, electric and heated mirrors, automatic halogen headlights and wipers, a 7-inch touchscreen, air conditioning, and a rather generous ADAS suite that includes Lane Centering and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. The £21,150 ($28,694) Agile adds 15-inch alloy wheels, reversing camera, and the larger 8-inch infotainment, with the £980 ($1,329) Comfort pack adding digital instrument cluster, sport seats, dual-zone climate control, and LED lights.

Finally, the flagship Select, starting from £23,610 ($32,042), adds a more stylish set of 16-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, Gloss-black exterior accents, ambient lighting, wireless charging pad, and Blind Spot Monitoring.

Mazda will keep offering both the regular Mazda2 and the Toyota-based Mazda2 Hybrid throughout 2022. Despite sharing the same name, the two entirely different models are not in the same price bracket, with the Mazda2 ranging between £16,575-20,945 ($22,495-28,425) and the Mazda2 Hybrid positioned higher between £20,300-23,610 ($27,548-32,042).

Those who are wondering why Mazda decided to rebadge a Toyota supermini, this strategy helps the company achieve emission targets in line with the Paris Agreement, which dictates 50% reduced CO2 emissions by 2030.