Green, lean and keen: the new Mazda 2 - Lighter, quieter but iffy inside

So where's the catch? Well, the current car's double-folding rear seat has been replaced by one where the backrest simply flops onto the cushion, leaving a sloping floor: it saves quite a bit of weight, apparently.

To allow Mazda to use lighter steels but not compromise body stiffness, the tailgate opening is narrower and higher, too.

However, there's adequate room for four adults or a couple and three children and Mazda reckons the car will get a five-star rating for frontal crash protection.

Sound-deadening has actually been increased, despite the weight-saving programme.

The worst part about the cabin is the quality of the trim. Some plastics are hard and easily scratched, there are no rubber mats to stop things sliding around the storage areas, and when did you last see a top-specification car with black plastic interior door handles? In that respect, the new 2 looks over-priced.