Mazda Mazda2 vs Toyota Yaris

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Toyota Yaris Discontinued model
Mazda Mazda2 in South Africa

Mazda Mazda2

1.5 Individual Edition Auto FWD Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 417,300 ex-showroom
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 148 Nm ⛽ 16.7 km/l
VS
Toyota Yaris in South Africa

Toyota Yaris

1.5 XR CVT Petrol CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 359,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 15.1 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mazda Mazda2 vs Toyota Yaris: the short answer

Mazda2 and Yaris are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context Mazda2: current from ZAR 336,000 · Yaris: last listed from ZAR 289,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Mazda2 Yaris
Maximum Power Mazda285 kW @ 6000 rpm Yaris88 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Mazda2148 Nm @ 4000 rpm Yaris145 Nm @ 4800 rpm
Engine Size Mazda21496 cc Yaris1496 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Mazda216.7 km/l Yaris15.1 km/l
Ground Clearance Mazda2152 mm Yaris160 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Mazda2

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency
Specification evidence leader

Yaris

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Mazda2

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Yaris

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Mazda2 Yaris
Model Introduced Year 2015 2020
Generation Current DJ-generation Mazda2, updated for South Africa in 2026 Current generation on Toyota's TNGA-B platform
Facelift History The South African range received a feature and styling update for the 2026 model year. Regular updates with improved safety and features
Facelift Launched Since 2015 2021
Facelift Version Ending Current 2024
Body Style Hatchback Hatchback
Model Year 2026 2021
Production Status Active discontinued
Segment B-segment hatchback Hatchback
Tare Mass Kg 1070 kg 1110 kg
Vehicle Type Hatchback Hatchback
Spec Mazda2 Yaris
Length 4085 mm 4180 mm
Width 1695 mm 1745 mm
Height 1504 mm 1500 mm
Wheelbase 2570 mm 2550 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 152 mm 160 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 44 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 250 l 286 l
Kerb Weight 1070 kg 1110 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1527 kg 1515 kg
Payload Capacity 457 kg 405 kg
Towing Capacity 250 kg 1600 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 4.7 m 5.1 m
Front Legroom 1063 mm 1039 mm
Rear Legroom 881 mm 881 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 125 mm
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Front Headroom - 991 mm
Rear Headroom - 940 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Mazda2 and Yaris comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Mazda2 38 vs Yaris 37.

Efficiency index: Mazda2 64 vs Yaris 61.

Safety-equipment index: Mazda2 84 vs Yaris 98.

Practicality index: Mazda2 45 vs Yaris 53.

Ownership-cover index: Mazda2 not separately scored vs Yaris 43.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

Yaris leads by 2 points

Mazda2 and Yaris are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 59 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 90% source coverage
59
#1 Evidence leader

Yaris

90% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 61
Safety 98
Practicality 53
Ownership 43
Leads by 2 points
57
#2

Mazda2

75% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 84 Check Performance 38
Performance 38
Efficiency 64
Safety 84
Practicality 45
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Mazda2 +1 Efficiency Mazda2 +3 Safety Yaris +14 Practicality Yaris +8

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Yaris

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 53/100
Ownership 43/100

Mazda2

Performance 38/100
Efficiency 64/100
Safety 84/100
Practicality 45/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Toyota Yaris leads the specification evidence index with 59 pts vs 57 pts for Mazda2

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Yaris leads. However, Mazda2 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Mazda2 vs Yaris questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.