Small family car with good performance

I am looking for a small medium size family car must seat 3 kids in back, economy not an issue due to limited mileage. Performance and style important, £20k budget for used 2 to 3 years. Lots of city use...

Buying a reliable small car.

Which would you recommend the most out of Mazda 3, Skoda Octavia, and Kia Cee'd?

Blue about colour choices.

I am currently in the process of buying a new car. I note with some amazement that several manufacturers only offer one base (non-metallic) paint colour. This really means that the RRP is not the RRP...

new Mazda 3 diagnosed with piston slap

My brand new Mazda3 petrol has only done 5000 miles but has been clattering when cold since 800 miles. A Mazda technician finally diagnosed piston slap and said he would make a report recommending a 'short...

Are Mazda 3s known for being susceptible for battery drain whilst parked for a few weeks?

Illness and zero degree weather meant that I did not start my 2009 Mazda 3 for three weeks. When I tried to start the vehicle the battery was flat. The dealer told me it was the extreme cold and they had...

Should I buy a spare wheel if the car doesn't come with one?

There's reams on your Ask HJ about the trend of not providing a spare wheel. I'm about to buy a Mazda 3 ... which I'm sure doesn't have a spare. What would be your best advice: buy a second-hand wheel...

Which tyres would reduce road noise in my Mazda 3?

I read with interest your answer to MB of Durley regarding tyre noise on his Ford Fiesta. I own a 09-reg Mazda 3 1.6 Takara automatic which I enjoy driving, but I cannot cope with the road noise, which...

I'm thinking of buying a Mazda 3 - is this a good idea?

I am thinking of buying a Mazda 3, as it seems to be a good car and offers better value for money and is less common than a Volkswagen Golf. Do you think this is a good idea? Also, I am not sure about...

I need an economical, reliable car with a warranty to replace my Volkswagen Polo. Would a Mazda 2 do the trick?

I currently own a Volkswagen Polo GTI. I have been having a few problems with it over the years and have decided its time to upgrade, as I do a lot of miles, and it's not the most economical of cars. I...

Should I buy a Mazda 3 on 0 per cent finance?

Having tested a Mazda 3 2.2 diesel I was planning to buy the vehicle outright from Perry's. However, they have offered 0 per cent finance based on paying half the cost of the car upfront, and this is on...