Review of the new Mazda3 2.2 MZ-CD

When it comes to its performance models, Mazda isn't known for holding back. The MPS versions of its Mazda6 and Mazda3 usually hit the market with big horsepower and bigger performance, intending to bludgeon the opposition into a pulp on the spec sheets long before prospective buyers have even contemplated a test drive. It's a policy that has not been unsuccessful and it seems to have been rolled out to less extreme versions of the latest Mazda3. That's if you can call a family hatchback with a 182bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine 'less extreme'.

We've seen powerful diesel engines in family hatchbacks before. Toyota's Auris T180 would be one example as would some of the quicker Volkswagen Golf diesels and Renault's Megane Renaultsport dCi. The Mazda3 2.2 MZ-CD certainly ranks amongst these big hitting models and givers most of them a mild shoeing on paper. This is a class of car that's positioned just below the really hardcore petrol-engined hot hatchbacks and their appeal is somewhat different, you could say more mature. A diesel engine usually means lower running costs and a more relaxed driving experience but the sporty looks and the lion's share of the fun you get with a hot hatch are still on the cards.

There are actually two versions of the MZ-CD 2.2 common-rail diesel engine available with the Mazda3 but it's the 182bhp High Power unit that will draw the fast hatchback fans like ants to a Lucozade spill. The other option is the still hardly limp-wristed 148bhp unit which produces its maximum torque of 360Nm from 1,800Nm where the range-topper has 400Nm from the same engine speed. Both are seriously punchy engines in the Mazda3 but it's the high powered unit that's most impressive. The 8.2s 0-62mph sprint doesn't tell the full story of its mid-range surge. Despite the brutality that results from a good prod of the throttle, the 2.2-litre diesel Mazda3 is probably most impressive when loping along the outside lane of the motorway. Refinement from these engines is very good, partly because they're barely breaking ticking over at legal speeds on the road, and that big heave of torque is always there, ready for a swift overtaking manoeuvre.

"The 148bhp model will be fast enough for most"

Based on the same basic underpinnings as the Ford Focus, the Mazda3 had a head start in the handling stakes. Unlike the majority of its key family hatch rivals, it has independent suspension for all four wheels rather than just the front pair. This higher tech approach manifests itself in the form of a more supple, fluid feel on the road. The Mazda3 rides reasonably well, soaking up the worst of the bumps while letting you know what's going on, but it might be on the firm side for some tastes. The steering is responsive and the car changes direction sweetly, keeping body lean on a tight leash.

Mazda is determined that its products will no longer pass under the radar of buyers and has fashioned an adventurous design direction to see to it. The lines are almost organic in the way they curve around the vehicle's surfaces, while the narrowly contoured headlights and the black grin of the huge central air-intake produce a malevolent front end. Both this gaping central vent and the smaller ones either side which house the fog lights on up-spec models are crossed by black fins, adding to the feeling that you could be looking at some giant insect. Mazda has aimed to retain some of the aggression and sporting focus of the exterior inside where the instruments are housed in two heavily hooded binnacles and the dash is divided in to curved tiers that mirror the lines of the bodywork, the upper one displaying important information in the driver's eye-line. The seats are supportive and the handbrake and gear lever are mounted high-up within easy reach though the satellite navigation screen on the dash's top tier is rather small.

The layout of the minor controls in the Mazda3 is ok but it can take a while to get to grips with the various systems. The materials used in places aren't up to the high standards set elsewhere in this sector but build quality seems extremely good throughout. From a practical perspective, the storage options in the cabin aren't particularly generous, with the thin door pockets and glovebox yielding little by way of capacity, forcing any large items into the deep bin beneath the centre armrest which tends to get over-stuffed. The hatchback bodystyle provides good rear passenger accommodation with plenty of space for a couple of six-footers and a big boot with 340-litres of capacity.

Being the range-topping diesel engines in the Mazda3 range, the MZ-CD units are only available with the plush Sport and Sport Nav trim levels. It's also only available in the five-door hatch bodystyle but few UK buyers will mourn the lack of a saloon. Mazda is throwing in DSC Dynamic Stability Control, traction control and an advanced braking system as standard on all Mazda3 models. There are also twin front, side and curtain airbags, adaptive head restraints and seatbelt pre-tensioners for the front seats.

All variants get alloy wheels, dual zone climate control air conditioning, electric mirrors and windows and a 6-speaker stereo. The absence of the three-door model seems a shame considering the sporting flavour of the '3' and that other manufacturers have used the three-door shape to create a coupe-like versions of their hatchbacks but the good-looking five-door should be enough for most.

Considering the kind of performance it can churn out, running a Mazda3 MZ-CD 2.2 shouldn't prove too costly. The official combined economy figures for the two engine options are 52mpg for the 148bhp engine and 50mpg for the 182bhp unit. Emissions figures are 144 and 149g/km respectively. Both engines are also compliant with the Euro V emissions standards.

Mazda has a record of going large when it comes to performance models and although the MZ-CD 2.2 versions of the Mazda3 drink from the black pump, they follow on in this proud tradition. The 148bhp model will be fast enough for most and many customers won't feel the need to upgrade to the 182bhp powerhouse. The latter car may have benefited from increased aggression in line with the high performance MPS model to mark it out but as it is, both cars yield an enticing combination of raw pace and low costs.

The Mazda3 isn't an obvious choice in the crowded family hatch market but the 2.2-litre MZ-CD engine is a fine unit and should bring more attention to the car. Attractively styled, well-built and rewarding to drive, there aren't many flies in this Mazda's ointment.

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