Plug your MP3 player into the AUX jack and pump up the volume with the audio steering controls.

The rise of the MP3 has brought musical freedom on the move – and that should go for your car too. Enjoy your favourite playlists both at home and in your Mazda2.

Depending on the model you choose, there are two, four or six speakers to blast out your music. And with your CD player controls mounted on the steering wheel, just a flick of the fingers is all it takes to turn it up or change track.(available on TS² and Sport).

All Mazda2 engines combine the feisty with the frugal. Like the 1.5 Sport petrol engine with its spirited performance and road tax busting fuel efficiency.

Alternatively, choose from the economical 1.3 (75ps & 86ps) petrol engine or the 1.4 diesel engine which costs just £35 a year in road tax.

Both lighter and greener? Who says sporty driving can't be conscientious?

Hang out in the World Car of the Year 2008.

The Mazda2 picked up first place in the 2008 World Car of the Year awards. Not bad for a little one. With previous winners including Audi, BMW & Lexus, Mazda2 cheekily beat 38 other big contenders from across the globe, taking the highest score within the 'Environment Section'. Now that really takes some doing.

Maybe the judges simply recognised a real superstar when they saw one.

Lightweight but also incredibly strong. The use of high tensile steel means your Mazda2 is safe - as illustrated by its five-star NCAP rating.

The Mazda2 5dr is officially one of the safest superminis on the road. Euro NCAP gave five-stars for adult occupant protection – the highest score possible - plus a further four stars for child protection.

To help avoid trouble, superb braking performance is complemented by a four-wheel antilock braking system (4W-ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD). The Mazda2 Sport also benefits from Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) to prevent oversteer and understeer.

In the event of a collision, the Mazda Advanced Impact Distribution and Absorption System ensures you feel less of a shock. A crash-resistant passenger cell and up to six airbags soften the blow even more.