What Car? Used Car of the Year - Family cars

Mazda 6 2.0 TS
Price from £6500 Year '03/03

It's hard to fault a car that's as accomplished as this and which costs just £6500.

The Mazda 6 is good to drive and reliable and, as it's not as common as the Ford Mondeo or Vauxhall Vectra, it also has an air of exclusivity.

It's even impressive enough to fend off the competition from the BMW 3 Series and Honda Accord to win this category.

The Mazda 6 was introduced in 2002 and, unlike many rivals, it still looks modern and fresh. The cabin is well laid out, with plenty of head- and legroom throughout and ample luggage space.

The 6 is also very entertaining to drive, with sharp steering and plenty of grip through bends. It is extremely reliable, too, with electrical niggles the only blot on its copybook.

The right choice
The 2.0-litre petrol version is noticeably stronger than the 1.8, and our judges felt it was better value than the dearer diesel version.

Base models are well equipped, but TS offers extras like a CD player and climate control, so it's worth finding.

There are plenty of cars for sale, and you'll find 6s of this age at franchised dealers, at premium prices.

Larger car supermarkets usually have a good selection of older cars at competitive prices. You'll find some less than 12 months old, too, but it's the '03 cars that offer the best value.

Budget decision
There aren't many Mazda specialists, so you might have to stick to franchised dealers for servicing, which will mean higher bills.

However, the 2.0-litre engine should give an average of just under 35mpg, while the group 9 insurance shouldn't cost a fortune.

Buyer's guide
Power: 139bhp
Fuel economy: 35mpg (average)
0-60mph/max: 9.9sec/128mph
Insurance: Group 9
CO2 g/km: 192
NCAP rating: 4 stars
Reliability rating:3/5
Service intervals: 12,000 miles

Also consider...

Up to £4000
Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX 5dr
'02/02 £4000

Nissan Primera 1.8 SE 5dr
'02/02/£4000

£4000-£8000
Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI (130) 5dr
'04/04 £7000

Up to £8000
Honda Accord 2.0 SE 4dr
'05/05 £10,000

Over £8000
BMW 320d ES 4dr
'03/03 £9500