Mazda 3 review

Even tall adults will be spared any space issues in the front of the 3; there's plenty of leg and shoulder room, plus a generous amount of head room, thanks to seats that allow you to sit nice and low.

There's a good assortment of storage areas, too, including bottle holders in both doors, a rubber-coated non-slip area ahead of the gearlever and a reasonably deep glovebox that has enough room for the owner's manual and a small bottle. Oh yes, and a sizeable cubby under the front centre armrest.

There’s no option of a fully folding front passenger seatback, either, for when you want to fit exceptionally long items on board. The passenger seat does feature height adjustment on all models, though.

Although it's not especially adaptable, the Mazda 3 isn't bad for boot space. The 3's boot is a usefully square shape that helps it accommodate a solid tally of six carry-on suitcases. That's one more than the Ford Focus and VW Golf can manage, although the Skoda Scala will manage seven and the Skoda Octavia eleven.