Little things please or rankle when spending large amounts of time with a car.

Press-button folding mirrors on the 3 have been a boon in both narrow Devon lanes and city mews, while automatic lights provide another positive, even if they have a Swedish all-day tendency to remain on long after dawn or when emerging from canopies of trees.

Whatever pedestrian protection rating Mazda‘s designers engineered into the hatch they probably did not envisage people walking into their stationary car. But two small-ish children suffered (separate) head-banging, close encounters with the protruding clear rear light clusters, which from certain angles are almost transparent. Litigation is not pending.

Mazda 3 2.2d 150PS Sport 5-door manual
Mileage 4957
Claimed combined consumption 52.3mpg
Our average consumption 45.3mpg
P11D price £18,260
Model price range £13,500 -£21,500
CO2 (tax) 144g/km/19%
BIK 20/40% per month £58/£116
Service interval 12,500mls
Insurance group 10E
Warranty 3yrs/60,000mls
Boot space (min/max) 300/1360 litres
Engine size/power 2184cc/150PS
Top speed/0-62mph 127mph/9.2secs
Why we’re running it Can it step up to its
class mark like the 6?
Positive Driving appeal,
improving economy
Negative Equipment versus
petrol Sport model