The Mazda2 is suffering from dissociative identity disorder in the sense that it's also sold as a rebadged Toyota Yaris Hybrid in Europe. Over in Japan, the previous-generation model is getting a nip and tuck for 2023 in a bid to spruce up an aging product considering the small hatch was launched in 2014. With the previous facelift introduced in the domestic market in 2019, the "Demio" name was dropped in favor of the global "Mazda2" moniker.
With the second facelift launched in the Land of the Rising Sun, the smallest non-kei car Mazda sells gets an assortment of customization options, plus new Airstream Blue Metallic and Aero Gray Metallic paint jobs. The two-tone wheels can have body-colored accents while a faux carbon fiber roof is available at an additional cost. You'll also notice some rather striking orange graphics and a white finish for the grille and roof. In total, there are no fewer than 198 color combinations.
2023 Mazda2 (JDM)
Although the third-gen model is getting a bit long in the tooth, it does offer radar cruise control and a lane-keeping assist system. Niceties include a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic AC, and heated front seats, along with the parking brake lever and shift knob covered in leather. Customers get to pick from three accent colors for the dashboard and other goodies, but much like the MX-5 Miata with which it shares quite a few interior bits, the Mazda2 is showing its age on the inside.
The JDM-spec vehicle is available in these oddly named versions: 15C/XD, 15 BD/XD BD, 15 Sunlit Citrus, 15 Sport, XD Sport+, and 15MB. It comes with a choice between manual and automatic transmissions while all-wheel drive remains available. Depending on specification, prices vary from 1,529,000 yen to 2,541,000 yen, which works out to about $11,800 to $19,500 based on current exchange rates.
Since the old Mazda2 will soldier on in Europe for the time being, don't be too surprised if it'll receive some of these updates introduced today in Japan.
