Mazda 3 MPS

Still an overpowered torque-steering monster, and still strangely addictive…

• Comfort

  If you don't drive it like an ape, it's actually a pretty composed thing. Because it's The Sporty One, the suspension's a bit lower and it's been stiffened, but it still rides smoothly, the seats are relatively comfortable and there's room for four actual humans.

  

• Performance

  Manages 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds from its turbocharged 2.3-litre motor, that pumps out 260bhp and 280lb ft of torque.

  

• Cool

  It isn't respectable. It's mildly terrifying. And that actually makes it quite charming.

  

• Quality

  As solid as any other Mazda product, so pretty good all round. Decent plastics, nice seats, great panel gaps. It's a solid car with a proven engine and transmission. Should be good.

  

• Handling

  Torque-steers tremendously. Then there's the understeer - even with the traction control on you're afforded just enough slide to get yourself alarmingly close to the nearest ditch. Finally, there's tramlining. Lots and lots of tramlining. The combination of which means it claws itself down the road on its own psychotic terms.

  

• Practicality

  As practical as any mid-size five-door hatch in the Ford Focus vein. The boot is OK at 300 litres, but not huge, but if you utilise the 60/40 split rear seats you can create a flat floor and double the carrying volume. There is no reasonable reason why we should regard reverse donuts as a practical thing, but we do. This car is very good at reverse donuts.

  

• Running costs

  This will be the most expensive Mazda3 to run thanks to that big motor and high-ish C02.