I had a 2006 2.0i Sport at first and loved it. I found the engine was very smooth and it had good enough performance to be fun on the back roads I use in Northumberland. The post facelift 2.0 litre Sport comes with leather Sport seats, steering wheel, ///M wheels and lower suspension. Not certain of the 2.2 which was available before the 2.0 litre. (The 2.0 litre replaced the 2.2 in the range in 2006).
I now have a 3.0si 6 cylinder. It is an amazing engine and very smooth as well though you would be hard pressed to keep your licence using all the performance on the road every drive - you can do that with the 2.0 litre engine which is rated at 150 bhp which I used to enjoy. I think the 2.2 is around 170 bhp but it will be the nature (and sound) of the 6 cylinder that might appeal as much as the size of engine. You really need to test drive both versions to decide. The 2.2 will have enough performance to enjoy it on the road if you hang on to the gears.
The 4 cylinder 2.0 litre used a lot less fuel than my present 3.0 litre. When driven spiritedly 28mpg (that was using the lower3/4 gears and up to the red line - wonderful fun and the engine took it and just kept coming back for more). On a more relaxed run you could easily attain mid to late 30s and into 40 + on a run.
With 6 cylinders I use more fuel (about a third with 2 more cylinders) and on a spirited run (use a lot of the revs but not red-lining like the 2.0 litre) I get 22/23 mpg and can achieve 36/38 on a very restrained cruise along motorways.
I would expect the 2.2 mpg to be better than my 3.0si but someone on the forum should be able to say for certain. The main thing is that I found the 6 cylinder engine is very susceptible to using more fuel when you hit the throttle. You CAN achieve impressive results but it takes a lot of restraint and as soon as you delve into the performance the mpg gets hit hard with 6 cylinders. As with all driving it depends how you drive - our Zeds are for enjoyment and we have relatively clear back roads to enjoy ourselves up here - used on a lengthy dual carriageway commute you might do a lot better? Someone will let you know on here I'm sure.
The 2.0 litre engine has a history of cracking exhaust manifolds - do a search on the forum and you'll see. It also has a history of throwing up warning lights as it seems susceptible to sensors being too sensitive (!) and this can take some sorting out. I did not have this problem with my 2.0 litre over 2 years but it did throw up one warning light which was cancelled and didn't appear again.
The 2.2 engine is based upon the earlier 3.0 litre engine (3.0i) which many say is good for 100,000+ miles if maintained well. Again lots of info on the forum - do a search.
In terms of buying there are lots of 2 litres about so you should be able to find what you want at your price with patience, The 2.2 is rarer and you may have to compromise on colour and spec to get one. (Took me 8 months to find my 2008 3.0si at the my price point).
The cost of running each should not be too dissimilar - the sport version of the 2.0 litre uses staggered tyres which can be expensive and servicing may be slightly more for the 6 cylinder but find a good specialist independent and the cost of running each version will be greatly reduced. See the buying guide on the forum before looking at any Zed it mentions the main things to look for and explains the different specs.
You may find a well cared for and cherished Zed will come up for sale on the forum. If you do decide on a 2.2 then I'd look at the 2.5 as well. I have forum friends that come out on our runs and they are a very capable Zed - there are more availabe and at a cheaper price than the 3.0 litres and if you decide to go 6 cylinder you might as well go to the 2.5.
Good look with your search - whatever you get - with care you will have a terrific sports car that makes every trip an event and do come join us on a 'hoon' - good hunting!
