Without a turbocharger the Mazda 3's entry-level 2.0 Skyactiv-G petrol engine produces 120bhp. That's about the same as the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines you get in rivals like the Ford Focus and Skoda Octavia. What does that mean in performance terms? Well, the Octavia 1.0 TSI 115 feels a little more flexible in the mid range, but the 3's engine still has enough shove so you're not constantly shifting gears to keep up with the traffic. And in our tests it proved faster from a flat-out standing start than a Kia Ceed 1.0-litre or Skoda Scala — 0-60mph took a creditable 9.4sec.