The 1.6 petrol should account for two-thirds of all Mazda 3s sold in Europe and it’s reasonably quiet and smooth, but the small diesel is punchier and a lot quieter than the big diesels. Plus it’ll do 62.7mpg (compared to the equivalent new Golf’s 57.6) and only produce 119g/km.

The car spits out only 114g/km CO2 emissions which makes it into Band B on the Fuel economy chart making this car a serious competitor in the eco friendly market.

Surprisingly this superb Supermini has a sporty drive with a firm suspension, with extra grip around corners.

the slick dash design is a huge leap forward and you will be pleasantly surprised with some of the features that come standard including an MP3-compatible CD player with steering wheel controls and air conditioning.

For a Supermini, the Mazda 2 has plenty of space for four adults, and can seat five at a push. Boot space is probably what you would expect for a car of this size which is enough for every day use.

average of 65.7 MPG, the respective average Fuel cost of driving 12,000 miles is £938. This car can seriously save you some money.

The 1.6 petrol should account for two-thirds of all Mazda 3s sold in Europe and it’s reasonably quiet and smooth, but the small diesel is punchier and a lot quieter than the big diesels. Plus it’ll do 62.7mpg

Even brands with overtly sporty pretensions must be concerned with their fuel economy and emissions, a point that is further evidenced by Mazda's intent to launch start-stop technology in the U.K. on its newest 3, which has proven to be the Japanese brand's most popular model. Before the end of 2009, Mazda plans to add the eco-friendly tech to both the 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter gas-burning four-cylinder engines. Oddly, the car's optional diesels, which are significantly more fuel efficient than their petrol counterparts, will miss out on this bit of tech. It's interesting to note, however, that the 2.0-liter MZR four is the only powerplant is available in Japan, Europe and America, so it seems possible all three markets could benefit from stop-start if Mazda were so inclined.

Those that care little of fuel savings will be happy to welcome the Mazdaspeed (MPS across the pond) version of the 3 hatchback that is slated for release in March at the Geneva Motor Show. A twin-clutch DSG transmission is also reportedly in the works for the 2010 model year, so there's certainly plenty to look forward to from the Zoom Zoom company.