(June 25, 2010) The new Mazda2, a small five-door hatchback, the smallest and lowest-priced vehicle Mazda will sell in the United States will arrive in August.

The 2 is Mazda's new B-segment contender, takes on the likes of the Honda Fit, the Toyota Yaris, the Nissan Versa and its platform mate, the Ford Fiesta.

Originally launched in 2007 outside of North America, the 2 has received numerous accolades, including being crowned the 2008 World Car of the Year.

The Mazda2 and the 2011 Ford Fiesta share vehicle architectures and a handful of parts sets — front and rear wheel bearings, front bumper strut mounts and the front sway bar and links. But everything else is unique to each vehicle, including the engine and transmission, Mazda says.

One noticeable difference between the Mazda2 and Fiesta is in horsepower and torque. Mazda's standard 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine has 100 hp and 98 pounds-feet of torque. The Fiesta has a 120-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 112 pounds-feet of torque.

To simplify selling, only two models are offered: Sport and Touring. White pearl paint and a four-speed automatic transmission are the only factory options. The Sport model with manual transmission stickers for $14,730 including shipping. Without the paint option, the top-of-the-line Touring model with the optional four-speed automatic transmission stickers for $16,985 including shipping.