What we like

We love that the Mazda 3 has such an uncompromising focus on driving pleasure. With our petrolhead hats on, we’d steer you in its direction before any other hatchback. Its engines are smooth and free revving, its manual gearbox is the most satisfying to use in its class by a long shot and its steering is exceptionally well-weighted and surprisingly talkative. We love the interior, too – its quality still feels like a cut above cars such as the Focus and the Golf.

What we don’t like

It isn’t a very spacious car inside. The front seats are snug, while the rears can feel downright constrictive due to the sloping roofline, limited kneeroom and lack of natural light. The 3’s boot is also one of the smallest in its class. We’re a little disappointed Mazda couldn’t extract a few more horses from its 2.0-litre engines – a little more in-gear grunt on the motorway would add a welcome dash of flexibility to the driving experience.