ONCE upon a time, downsizing inevitably meant compromising. As well as learning to live with a smaller cabin, drivers had to put up with dreary looks, cheap materials and poverty row equipment levels.

But times have changed.

The premium marques have moved their tanks onto the supermini lawn - and made a helluva mess.

Folks don’t mind paying a premium for a small car if it has the right badge, head-turning looks and a cabin that doesn’t resemble the interior of a coal bunker.

Now here’s the Mazda2 - a premium supermini without the prestige price tag.

Based on the Hazumi concept unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, the slinky supermini resembles a shrinky dink Mazda3.

The 2’s slinky looks are based on the same Kodo design language as the 3, the CX5 and the 6 saloon and the musculature gives the car instant street cred. The signature 'wing' front grille and predatory headlamp styling together with a dynamic, muscular, cab-rearward design, which incorporates a longer wheelbase to maximise interior space, looks great.

The Mazda2 a supermini that doesn’t look like a shopping trolley; it’s a grown up car that just happens to be small.

But not that small when you’re inside. The wheelbase is 3.1-inches longer than before and you can see the benefit from the back seats where there’s more legroom than a Fiesta.

From the front seat the driver will appreciate the stylish fascia with its Audi-esque eyeball fresh air vents.

The sporty leather-wrapped steering wheel and the digital rev counter/trip, which resembles a McLaren 12C (I kid you not), both hint at the Mazda2’s true personality: you can tootle to the shops in it, but you’ll enjoy the drive even more if you take the scenic route.

Mazda offers a brace of SKYACTIV 1.5-litre high compression petrol powertrains in 75, 90 and 115ps states of tune. For real misers there’s also a 105ps SKYACTIV-D diesel engine. All of them deliver a balance of lively, agile performance and highly-competitive fuel economy with CO2 emissions from as low as 89g/km and fuel economy up to 83.1mpg (in the 105ps SKYACTIV-D diesel) and 105g/km, 62.8mpg (90ps SKYACTIV-G petrol manual).

Customers can select their all-new Mazda2 from five regular grades – SE, SE-L, SE-L Nav, Sport and Sport Nav – or choose the Sports Launch Edition while limited stocks last. The latter features 16-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, dusk-sensing lights, rain-sensing front wipers, rear parking sensors and free-of-charge Metallic/Mica/Pearlescent paint in a choice of four colours. Inside, it comes with the MZD Connect system featuring a 7-inch colour touch-screen, a rotary Multimedia Commander, DAB radio and a satellite navigation system.

Depending on model, available equipment includes: smart keyless entry, climate control air-conditioning, a 7-inch colour touch-screen, a rotary Multimedia Commander infotainment control, MZD Connect, DAB radio (for the first time in Mazda2), and a satellite navigation system with three years of free map updates.

With on-the-road prices starting at just £11,995 the new Mazda2 looks set to make a big impact on the small car market.