The 2012 Mazda2 comes with a four-cylinder engine that reviewers said offers adequate power on city streets, but can feel strained when climbing hills or passing on the highway. The standard five-speed manual transmission makes the best use of the engine’s power, they noted, though most agreed that the available four-speed automatic shifts smoothly. Equipped with an automatic transmission, the 2012 Mazda2 gets an EPA-estimated 28/34 mpg city/highway, which is typical for a subcompact car. The Mazda2 impressed test drivers with its sharp steering, strong brakes and agile handling, which they saidmake it particularly fun to drive.