IT MIGHT not grab the headlines, but the medium-sized family car segment is still massively important to motor manufacturers, accounting for one-in-three cars sold in Europe.

But with so many good cars packing the mid-range a new model has to be truly exceptional to stand out from the pack.

Mazda has always done things differently.

It launched an affordable two-seater sports car when others said the market was dead; it persevered with rotary engine technology when everyone else had written it off; and more recently it eschewed costly hybrid technology in favour of its own SKYACTIV system of highly efficient internal combustion engines.

The new Mazda3 has the full suite of SKYACTIV tech at its disposal - but is that enough to make it a contender?

ON THE ROAD: ​ From the moment you slip into the hip-hugging leather sports seat and grip the chunky steering wheel the Mazda3 feels ‘right’. You sit low, looking over the digital head-up display and along the bonnet. The ergonomics are spot-on.

It looks good from the kerb, too. Mazda has skinned the body with its Kodo design language - a muscular body with a strong backbone - and it works beautifully. Interestingly, the swept back swage lines and the way the rear arches wrap around the wheels are supposed to be suggestive of a rear-wheel drive (RWD) car, but the Mazda3, in common with every other C-segment hatchback, is front-wheel drive (FWD).

Mazda likes to do things differently but going RWD would be too much of a gamble in the C-segment.

With one of the lightest kerb weights in its class (courtesy of the SKYACTIV diet) the Mazda3 feels surprisingly frisky on a challenging road. The chassis - which is a third more rigid than its predecessor despite the weight loss programme - changes direction instantly and the suspension (MacPherson struts front and multi-link rear) deals with unexpected potholes and off-camber bumps without breaking into a sweat.

The Northern Echo:

Mazda offers a choice of three SKYACTIV-G petrol engines - 1.5-litre 100PS, 2.0-litre 120PS and a 2.0-litre 165PS - as well as the familiar 2.2 150PS SKYACTIV-D turbo diesel.

Mazda sent the diesel, fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, for testing and it turned out to be a real road burner. It may lack a few horsepower compared to the range-topping petrol but it stomps all over the 165PS 2.0-litre torque figure with a stump-pulling 380Nm of twist from just 1,800rpm.

What’s this mean? Instant go and great flexibility, even in the higher gears. Plant your right foot and it’s possible to chirrup the front tyres and get the traction control system all panicky without even trying. Downsides? Well, there’s a bit of diesel clatter, but nothing too distracting, and the exhaust note isn’t very exciting, but I would happily put up with that in return for the excellent performance and terrific fuel consumption.

 

​ ON THE INSIDE: ​ Mazda has moved the A-pillars a full 100mm backwards as part of its styling make-over of the 3 and re-positioned the exterior mirrors on the shoulders of the doors. The changes improve the looks but not the forward visibility - there’s still a blind spot when you’re pulling out of road junctions.

Mazda’s designers had two aims in mind for the interior - a snug cockpit for the driver and a relaxing atmosphere for the rabble. Mind you, they surely received inspiration for the be-winged instrument cluster from McLaren - just compare the Mazda3 with the McLaren 12C. That said, I’m sure Mazda drivers won’t mind.

The test car was fitted with Mazda’s new ‘Active Driving Display’ a head-up system which uses a clear panel on top of the dash above the instrument cluster to project driving data. The best I can say about it is that it works and the info is visible even in strong sunlight, but BMW’s system (which projects information onto the windscreen) is more elegant.

The Northern Echo:

​ WHAT DO YOU GET: ​ Equipment levels are cut-throat in the C-segment so the Mazda3 has to tick the same boxes as everyone else (electric windows, power steering, Bluetooth, USB/iPod connectivity, air conditioning and a touch-screen) but it’s disappointing to find an old-fashioned AM/FM radio tuner when the Government is already talking dates for the analogue switch-off.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT? ​ As well as making the 3 more efficient, Mazda has made it bigger - a lot bigger. It’s longer, lower and wider than the outgoing model and sits on a wheelbase that’s stretched by 60mm, so you get more of everything - leg room, knee room and luggage space. The 364 litre boot can, of course, be extended with the fold-down split rear seats to 1,263 litres.

​ RUNNING COSTS: ​ Despite being at a capacity disadvantage to many smaller diesels in this class, the SKYACTIV-D manages to return more than 70mpg (thank 60mpg in the real world) and just misses out on free road tax. Mazda says its fuel consumption claims are more realistic than some and our test bears that out.

​ VERDICT: ​ Better looking than a Golf and more fun to drive than a Focus, the Mazda3 is my new favourite medium-sized family car. Mazda knew it needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat in order to make this car stand out - and it’s done just that.

 

SPEC:

Mazda3 2.2D 150ps Hatchback Sport Nav.

Price: £22,545.

Engine: SKYACTIV-D, four-cylinder, in-line, DOHC, 16-valves Capacity :2.2-litres, 2191 cc Max power: 150ps at 4500 rpm Max torque: 380Nm at 1800 rpm 0 to 62 mph: 8.1 sec Top speed: 130 mph Combined fuel consumption: 68.9 mpg Emissions: 107 g/km CO2; Euro Stage 6.

Servicing Every 12,500 miles or 12 months (whichever comes sooner) Equipment: Powered driver’s seat, silver decoration panel, digital speedometer, head-up display, AM/FM radio, single CD/MP3, premium Bose® surround-sound audio system with 9 speakers, Mazda satellite navigation with 7.0-inch TFT colour touch screen, electric windows, front and rear parking sensors. Optional safety pack: Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), High Beam Control (HBC), Rear Vehicle Monitoring (RVM), Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS).