Manoeuvrable Mazda 2 holds its own on Azores tour
There’s a little-known cluster of islands, technically part of Portugal but 1,000 miles off its coast, called the Azores. They’re in the same time zone as Iceland, formed from volcanoes, and sometimes referred to as ‘Europe’s Hawaii’.
They wouldn’t be most people’s first thought for a driving holiday, particularly as many haven’t even heard of them.
Speaking with some of the locals, they explained that a lot of maps don’t even include the minute cluster of islands.
However, if you’re looking for perfect roads and incredible views for a couple of days away — the Azores have everything.
We flew to the island of Sao Miguel. From there, tourists can easily hire a car and set straight off. Our route would be completed in a Mazda 2, taking us around the entire island, along coastal roads, across inactive volcanoes and via incredible mountain passes. Even this is manageable in one day, with plenty of time for sightseeing.
With some tight winding roads ahead, the Mazda 2 was the perfect combination of small and manoeuvrable but with enough space for our luggage. Our Mazda 2 SE-L had five doors, reasonable boot space for two people, and easy to use satnav and infotainment.
There are some strange road rules on the island, such as: Always assume there will be another car parked just beyond a blind corner, or someone stood in the road with a wheelbarrow, and other road users may drive straight at you (so being in a nippy Mazda 2, with its 90bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine, will come in handy should you need to dive out of the way fast).
We hit the road bright and early, running into some light traffic in this place where not a lot seems to happen. We took the coastal road west towards Lagoa Azul, which translates as Blue Lake.
You can clearly see this was previously a volcano, now filled with blue water. Along the top edge is where the Azores rally takes place, and for a truly spectacular view of this area, you can take a trip to the top of a nearby hotel.
The Monte Palace was opened in 1989, with rooms giving an incredible aspect of the island. However, that didn’t last long, with a recession soon after forcing it to close its doors. Now, it’s little more than a skeleton of the hotel it once was, but tourists climb to the roof for some amazing views or, at least, a good scare.
We strike back out to the coast before heading to the centre of the island — our second stop and another volcano. The incredible roads again climb higher and higher, as we weave around hairpins and dodge cruise ship tour buses.
The little Mazda 2 never misses a beat either, as long as you’re in the right gear for these steep inclines.
While the drive was chaotic in parts, with cruise tour buses around every corner, when the opportunity rises to drive through the more remote areas, the peace and quiet leaves you in awe.
Winding up the coastal roads and around twisting bends, which could match those of Switzerland or Italy but with a tropical feel, the Mazda 2 held its own — even with the minuscule engine.
