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 i-Stop system functions efficiently and effortlessly, and is almost unnoticeable after driving the car for any length of time. There's very little vibration when the engine shuts down, and start-up is also quiet and civilised, which makes for a smooth driving experience.
The new 2.0-litre DISI engine packs plenty of punch, benefiting from decent levels of low-down torque for quick acceleration and overtaking. It's also extremely quiet on tickover and at motorway cruising speeds, and the sound only intrudes in the cabin under hard acceleration, when a light burble can be heard.
The Mazda 3 handles competently and the i-Stop, as you'd expect, is no different: there are decent levels of grip and it feels composed on twisty stretches of road. The performance of the new engine also gives it a sportier character, with an engaging eagerness.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mazda Mazda3
wrote on 16 12 2006