Back in the eighties, Mazda hatches used to be the automotive equivalent of white goods. You bought a 323 if you had no interest in motoring but wanted a reliable scoot that your friends wouldn't laugh at. These days those sort of tactics aren't anything like enough to cut the mustard in the cutthroat family hatch sector and Mazda's latest foray into this market, the Mazda3, is a whole lot more accomplished. I even caught a few passers by giving it the rubber neck treatment, such is its sleek styling. The car delivered to me for a week was a 1.6-litre TS2 model and it seemed very well built. It's the sort of car I like - good looking but not showy, with five door practicality, promising keen reliability and not averse to showing its playful side.

With Mazda now subsumed by the Ford empire, what we have here is a car that rides on the next generation Focus running gear. That means that not only is it a fun drive but it also offers plenty of practicality. The wheel at each corner shape gives a clue that there's a reasonable amount of space freed up for people inside. If you've ever driven a Mazda6 you'll feel at home in the 3, as many of the design themes seem quite similar. If anything, the plastics quality of the smaller car is superior. The steering wheel and overlapping aluminium-rimmed dials look very sporting and there are some nicely detailed metallic touches dotted about the cabin. The minor controls on the centre console are all very easy to get to grips with and upspec models feature an LCD screen that rises out of the dash top to house functions such as satellite navigation. Interior accommodation is middle ranking, Mazda perhaps deciding that if customers in this price range really want to maximise the sheer amount of cubic inches available in the cabin, they'll likely opt for something like a Premacy mini-MPV. The Mazda3 isn't huge in the back and the small rear doors don't open particularly wide. Headroom is very good, despite the swoopy styling. The front pair of passengers should have no difficulty getting comfortable although one drawback of the thick rear pillars is somewhat limited rear three-quarter visibility when reversing or doing a 'lifesaver' check when switching lane.

Fire the engine up and it settles into a smooth hum with none of the coarseness of the old Mazda 323's 1.6-litre lump. It returns some very respectable figures, getting to 60mph in 11 seconds and running out of puff at 113mph. An average fuel economy showing of 39mpg is around average for the class although the 172g/km CO2 emissions figure isn't the car's standout feature. Low insurance costs are, however, both variants fitted with the 1.6-litre engine falling in to Group 5, making it a car that may well appeal to younger drivers. Even if the 1.6-litre engine doesn't ring your bell, there are a number of others to choose from with 1.4-litre and 2.0-litre petrol versions plus a turbocharged 2.3-litre in the MPS hot hatch and pair of MZ-CD common rail diesel powerplants. The 150bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine will be of most interest to those subscribing to Mazda's whole 'zoom-zoom' philosophy but can't stretch to an MPS and it's a pleasantly peppy unit, zipping the Mazda3 to sixty in nine seconds flat. A fuel economy figure of over 34mpg is fair return for an engine with this much go, although the 196g/km emissions figure will probably have company car drivers checking out the diesel versions. Straight off the bat it's apparent where the advances are, with refinement and general drivetrain smoothness being a standout feature of the Mazda3. The five-speed manual gearbox is one of the slickest in class. This focus on refinement and civility come at the expense of ultimate handling capabilities. Although this chassis may well be sharpened up in sportier versions, the Mazda3 doesn't feel on home turf if hurled through a series of corners with extreme prejudice. The controls feel well weighted but keen drivers will yearn for a little more feedback and response. That can probably be engineered in with beefed up springs, lower profile tyres and industrial-strength anti-roll bars but for the time being, the Mazda3 should be applauded for bringing big car ride quality into a manageable sized package.

It would be difficult to find anybody who'd have an issue with the Mazda3. It's a very versatile, all-things-to-all-people sort of car that never lapses into blandness. If I was delving into my own pocket, I'd probably choose the 1.6-litre petrol car as it offers a competitive upfront price versus the diesel models. If you're planning to keep your Mazda3 for a very long time or rack up interstellar mileages, one of the two oil burners may work out more cost effective. Whichever model you choose it's hard to pick a meaningful Achilles heel.