Having spent a year some time ago with the fairly nondescript-looking, previous-generation Mazda 3, also powered by a larger-than-sector-norm 2.2-litre diesel engine, I’ve been looking forward to monitoring the evolution of Mazda’s lower medium species.
After my opening 700 miles with this chunkier and funkier successor that embodies the lower weight, higher efficiency Skyactiv approach, it’s ticks not crosses that dominate the opening report card, being nimble to drive, logical to operate and fairly frugal in the real world at 55mpg.
It has attracted strong initial whole-life cost predictions from the value guides too.
