I read about the Mazda 2 sedan about 2 years ago. The sexy coupe-like 4-door sedan was unveiled at the 2007 Guangzhou Motor Show, and was built and sold in China by Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co Ltd. At that time, there was no news on whether the car would be sold outside China. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out from The Straits Times that this compact sedan will be making its debut in Singapore some time in March 2010. This will be the first Mazda in Singapore that is sourced from the land of thousand smiles.

From an aesthetic point of view, the Mazda 2 sedan certainly has one up against its closest rival, the Toyota Vios. The 2's body contour is smooth and athletic whereas the Toyota gives the impression of a teen who swallowed too much candies. Mazda's designers managed to perfect the art of adding a boot to a hatchback and my view is that it is better looking than its cousin, the Ford Fiesta sedan. At 4,270(L) x 1,695(W) x 1,480(H), the Mazda sedan is slightly shorter but much wider than the Vios. This should translate to better handling characteristics in Mazda.

Expect the Mazda 2 sedan to be powered by the 1.5L VVT unit that is currently serving the hatchback version. Gearbox is a conventional 4 speed automatic. Nothing fancy about the drivetrain but the Vios none better. My only wish is that the hatch's rear drum brake gets replaced with disc brake in the sedan form.