There is no doubting our 150hp 2.2-litre diesel Mazda 3’s ability to balance muscular performance, everyday economy (52mpg over 8500 miles) and a 107g/km CO2 rating, but business car sales account for a relatively small percentage of the 3’s registrations.
A circa 105hp 1.5-litre diesel variant promising a sub-100g/km return is not due until a mid-term refresh late next year, so the Mazda fleet department must exercise patience before it can follow the example of Honda, whose 1.6-litre diesel Civic replaced the 2.2-litre counterpart, transforming that car’s fleet fortunes.
