The new model, which will be produced in the carmaker’s plant in Hofu, Hiroshima in Japan, goes on sale in the autumn in Japan – where it is known as the Demio – with other markets to follow and faces some stiff competition from rivals such as the Ford Fiesta and VW Polo in the competitive B-segment.

Official details are limited but the new Mazda2 becomes the fourth member of the carmaker’s current model generation to feature the full range of SKYACTIV Technology and its KODO – Soul of Motion design language. It’s also said to bring a remarkably spacious and refined interior.

The Mazda2 will premiere in Europe with a brand-new SKYACTIV-D 1.5 diesel, as well as different power versions of the petrol SKYACTIV-G 1.5 depending on the market, along with manual and automatic transmissions.

Last month the carmaker revealed early specifications for the new 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D diesel engine, which is likely to feature in the Mazda3 shortly after the Mazda2.

The engine produces 103bhp, in line with similarly sized diesels from rival manufacturers, will target the lowest fuel consumption of any non-hybrid on the market.

The model also gains Mazda’s MZD Connect in-car connectivity system and the i-ACTIVSENSE active safety technology said to be class-beating.