The facelifted Mazda2 subcompact was launched in the Thai market on August 15th.

The previous iteration of the Mazda2 was introduced less than two years ago. The facelift is being touted as a swift move by the Japanese auto-maker, which usually lags behind others in introducing new products.

Mazda has raised its sales projection for the Thai market for this year by 20% from 38,500 units to 41,000 units, thanks to the popularity of the Mazda2.

The Mazda2 competes against other B-segment subcompacts such as the Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris, but also against the eco-cars - the Nissan March and Honda Brio.

The new Mazda2 starts at THB 545,000 (US$ 18,200), while offering a fuller complement of equipment than the eco-cars as well as higher safety, said Choichi Yuki, managing director of Mazda Sales (Thailand).

The Mazda2 has stimulated the small-car market dramatically, and gave the Mazda brand a great leap, pushing sales up 165% to 35,147 units last year.

"In the first seven months this year, we sold a total of 23,963 vehicles, up 20 per cent from the same period last year, and we are moving ahead to penetrate the market with the launch of the facelifted 2011 Mazda2. We are fully responding to our customer demands by installing sporty features in every trim level, including safety features, from the entry-level model to the top model," Yuki said.

The automobile market will grow further this year, he said.

"At present, sales of the Mazda2 [since its launch in November 2009] have exceeded 40,000 units, and it has significantly helped strengthen Mazda's brand image in the Thai market as well as create improved traffic flow at Mazda showrooms countrywide. The launch of the new Mazda2 is expected to help Mazda grow further and win the hearts of customers in the passenger-car segment. By the end of the year Mazda should be able to achieve 30,000-unit sales for the Mazda2 as planned, and our image will be strengthened further," Yuki added.