Mazda Philippines is pulling out all the stops to bring back the fun in driving and they’re using the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) as their venue. The Japanese brand, best known for ‘zoom-zoom’, ‘KODO’, and of course, ‘Skyactiv’ will have the biggest footprint among exhibitors at the World Trade Center, measuring at 1,000 square-meters. And it won’t just be the case of making things roomy for show goers. Mazda says they will bring in 13 all-new or improved models at the show. Yes, you read that right. Thirteen all-new or improved models for 2015.

Photos by Ulysses Ang and Mazda Press

Fresh from winning the Japan Car of the Year 2014-2015 award, the Mazda2 gains a new sedan form which debuts at the 31st Thailand Motor Expo 2014. The all-new sedan variant joins the hatchback in offering the most up-to-date Skyactiv technology in the Mazda line-up. In Thailand, the Mazda2 also brandishes a 1.5-liter Skyactiv-D clean diesel (Euro 5) engine good for a healthy 105 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 250 Nm of torque from 1,500 rpm. It makes the all-new Mazda2 sedan the first vehicle to quality for Phase II of Thailand’s Eco Car program. It easily exceeds the requirements of doing 23.2 km/L and CO2 emissions not above 100g/km.

Mazda has finally pulled the wraps off its all-new Mazda2 sub-compact hatchback, the latest model to receive the full Skyactiv treatment. The flood of photos came at the same time as when Mazda announced that the all-new Mazda2 started production at its Hofu Plant No. 1 in Yamaguchi, Japan. The global launch starts in Japan this autumn, with the world soon to follow.

So, Honda has finally released their all-new, Jazz. But where does it sit next to its competition? Well, we’ve stacked it up against its most likely competition in the sub-compact, gasoline-powered hatchback segment: Chevrolet Sonic 1.4 LTZ, Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost, Kia Rio 1.4 EX, Mazda2 1.5, and Toyota Yaris 1.5 G. We actually wanted to pit it against the Suzuki Swift 1.4 as well, but data for its interior dimensions are rather hard to find.

Mazda Motor Corporation has just announced that it will be building Toyota vehicles at the Mazda plant in Mexico. The manufacturing facility, which is currently under construction, will produce a Toyota-brand vehicle for sale mainly in North America. The sub-compact Toyota will be based off the Mazda2 and will start production around the summer of 2015 at a pace of 50,000 units per year.

Mazda's plant in Mexico is scheduled to start production by March 2014 with Toyota investing an "appropriate" portion of production equipment costs and development costs related to the Toyota vehicle and also an appropriate portion of costs related to the plant's production capacity increase.

Currently, the Mazda Mexico plant is scheduled to produce the Mazda2 and Mazda3 vehicles with an annual capacity of 140,000 units.

This could mean we'll see all-new Mazda2 before the summer of 2015 (perhaps as early as late 2013 or 2014), and that the all-new Toyota Yaris will be relegated to service in Europe and Asia while Toyota will be getting their own sub-compact car.