Squeeze a big, beefy diesel engine into a small hatchback and you have an effective tow car. With 141bhp and 266lb ft of torque, the 3 accelerated from 30-60mph in 16.7 seconds. On the road that should translate into assured overtaking, though the gearshift’s notchy and at very low revs, power delivery is a bit flat.
The Mazda was just as happy through corners as on straights, with a low peak reading of 0.7G recorded by the ATC unit. Our performance tester described the 3 as “agile and strong with good stability for such a compact car”. It lost ground in the practicality test due to awkward boot access and the lack of a proper spare wheel.
Mazda has a good reputation for reliability. At £18,000, it isn’t cheap for a small hatch, but twist the dealer’s arm and that should drop to under £16,500.