Category: Small Family 
Price Range: £11,950 to £19,900
Quick and quiet restart; punchy petrol engine; decent handling.
CO2 and fuel economy figures are good, but not sensational; i-Stop won't work in certain circumstances.
The combination of a stop/start system and 2.0-litre petrol engine is a good start for Mazda's new technology.
The new Mazda 3 is expected to do well in terms of residual values. The i-Stop system will also help to keep demand for this particular model high, thanks to its increased efficiency and green-tinged credentials.
In terms of fleet, an independent survey conducted on behalf of Mazda suggested that after 3 years or 60,000 miles the Mazda 3 is worth around 35% of its value.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mazda Mazda3
wrote on 16 12 2006