The 2015 Mazda2 is now officially on sale in Malaysia. Its launch comes months after its tentative prices were teased, and we can now confirm that both sedan and hatchback variants are priced at RM87,956 on-the-road with insurance.

Mazda's smallest SkyActiv model features a high-compression 1.5-litre direct-injected engine good for 114hp and 148Nm. It is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission which can be switched to Sport mode via a toggle placed neatly behind the gear lever.

It's a lot of pep for a car weighing slightly over a tonne, but kit count is just as impressive as output figures. Leather upholstery, keyless entry and start, automatic climate control, paddle shifts, head-up display, and a seven-inch infotainment touchscreen hooked up to a reverse camera are standard, making the compact feel just as, if not more sophisticated than the bigger Mazda3 and Mazda6 models.

Unfortunately, the Malaysian-spec model loses out on projector headlights with LED daytime running lights while airbag count is a modest two. AB, EBD, BA and DSC are standard, though.

A CBU from Thailand, the 2015 Mazda2 is offered with a three-year warranty and three-year free maintenance package. This makes aftersales services sound just as promising as the product, which is why we can't wait to put the new Mazda2 through its paces ourselves. Watch this space!