The Mazda Demio is a supermini manufactured and marketed globally by Mazda since 1996, currently in its fourth generation. The Demio is marketed prominently as the Mazda2 and under previous nameplates including Mazda 121, Mazda Metro and Ford Festiva Mini Wagon.
The third generation Demio earned the 2008 World Car of the Year title, while the fourth generation was awarded the 2014–2015 "Japanese Car of the Year".
In Canada, Mexico and the United States, the Demio is sold by Toyota with slight styling changes as an iteration of the Toyota Yaris sedan. In the United States, it was initially marketed under Toyota's youth-oriented Scion brand as the Scion iA. For the 2017 model year, it was re-branded as the Toyota Yaris iA due to the discontinuation of the Scion marque. For the 2019 model year, the iA moniker was dropped. For the 2020 model year, the Demio-based Toyota Yaris hatchback is also available in the United States and Canada.
Originating with the introduction of the Mazda 121 in 1987, this B-segment small car was based on the Mazda D-platform. Ford also used a version of the first-generation DA 121 known as the Ford Festiva. Mazda later released the Autozam Revue in 1990 with the next generation of the D-platform DB. It was redesigned for January 1993, still based on the same DB platform. Kia also built versions of the DA and DB, both for itself and for Ford's sale as the Ford Aspire in the United States which Kia sold as the Pride and Avella. The name "Demio" is derived from Latin meus to show possession, which in many Romance languages has become "mio."
The "Demio" nameplate will be discontinued in all remaining markets in September 2019, to be replaced by the "Mazda2" moniker worldwide.
When it came to redesigning the Revue, Mazda came up with a tall hatchback, minivan-esque package (the Revue was already over 1,500 mm (59.1 in) tall). Introduced in a time full of negative press coverage, the Demio became a surprise hit for Mazda in Japan, and also foreshadowed the current crop of B-segment minivans such as the Opel Meriva, Fiat Idea and the Renault Modus.
A concept model previewing the DW series, called the Mazda BU-X was shown in 1995.
At its introduction in 1997, it won the Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference Car of the Year award in Japan.
Production of the new Demio started in July 1996 (sold as the 121 outside Japan and Europe) used the DW platform. Ford retailed a version in Japan as the Ford Festiva Mini Wagon. In 1998, the Mazda logo was changed to the current logo. The Demio was updated in 1999 with a revised exterior, cabin air filtration, retuned automatic transmission, and available DSC due to a 2002 redesign.
The original DW model was produced in Mazda's Colombia plant as "Mazda Demio" until the end of 2007, when it was replaced by the DE model.
The Demio was redesigned in 2002 on the DY platform. The Demio name continued in Japan, while the rest of the world dropped 121 and other names in favor of Mazda2. Since its debut, the 2 has been well received by the market pushing its Japanese domestic sale to as high as seventh place.
The badge-engineered Ford version, the Ford Fusion, is no longer made, as Ford began importing the Ford Fiesta on the global Ford B3 platform which is based on Mazda's DY platform. Production of the car for European market started at Almussafes Ford plant in Valencia, Spain on 20 January 2003.
All Demios come with ABS and EBD, and stability control is optional. An innovative feature offered in Japan is e-4WD, a hybrid car-type system which uses an electric motor to power the rear wheels of this front wheel drive vehicle when needed. In the Demio, this system is used only as a traction aid, not for increased fuel economy as in most other vehicles.
There are also a big difference in floorpan and pedal box - European-exclusive version of Mazda2 (DY) uses pedal box directly sourced from Ford Fiesta, rather than their own and also 4x108 bolt pattern instead of 4x100.
Three trim levels were available in Japan, Cozy, Sport, and Casual.
In Europe, trim levels were S, TS and TS2. The TS and TS2 were renamed Antares and Capella in 2004. The Japanese 1.3 and 1.5 gasoline engines are not available, but Ford's 1.25-liter 16-valve Sigma engine is used, and Mazda's 1.4 (in engine block is pressed Ford Motor CO) and 1.6 gasoline, plus Fords 1.4 TDCi diesel are offered, but called 1.4 CDTi by Mazda. (Virtually all the engine parts are interchangeable with the 1.4 diesel version of the Ford Fiesta and Ford Fusion of the same period).
The Mazda2 is sold with a variety of Z-family engines:
Mazda Demio:
Mazda 2:
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