I chose the Mazda from a short list with the Focus and the Golf. The VW disappeared rapidly as back in September 2009 the dealers appeared to have little interest in taking my money, or even speaking to me. Ford were more difficult to eliminate but with my chosen models at actual on-the-road prices the Mazda appeared to offer vastly better value. I read all the reviews I could find, including HJ, and after 4000 miles I would say that their overall view gave a fair appraisal of the car.

I thought very hard before choosing the petrol iStop instead of the 2.2D (150). In the end I decided against the diesel because my mileage is low and the diesels seemed to have too many previous issues such as the DPF. I also liked the extra gadgets on the iStop for less money. The iStop itself was a minor factor, I simply wanted a 2 litre Sport manual and that came with it. The iStop works exactly as described but I seriously doubt it does much for my mpg. This is a combination of the system (it has to keep restarting due to air con, lights, heater, etc being on) and my usage. Most of my driving in traffic is constant inching forward in creeping queues, so there is barely time for the engine to stop before it needs to start again. My everyday usage (either heavy London traffic or enjoying the performance on minor roads) seems to be giving 30-31 mpg (manually, by brimming the tank). Overall, including some motorway mileage, my manual calculation is just over 32 mpg whilst the computer is showing 33.6 mpg from new. I know that the published figures have little real-world meaning but this seems very poor given a small car and Mazda's emphasis on fuel efficiency.

Pros:
Great fun to drive on country roads and has a really sporty feel *most* of the time. A good indicator of this is that for the first few days I kept finding my speed was significantly higher than I expected. This surprised me given the quoted 0-60 (10.4 sec) and having had a V6 in my previous Ford. However, sporty only applies if you like to use the excellent gearbox frequently and keep up the revs (see below). The gadgets have proved to be addictive. They influenced me to buy this model and I wondered if they would live up to expectations. They did and I would now really miss them. Highlights for me include keyless entry, power folding mirrors (getting into my garage), reversing sensors (ditto), leaving the climate control on auto, heated front screen and seats, the Bose stereo, shopping bag hooks in the boot, and the sat nav (but see below again).

Cons:
The engine seriously lacks torque for its size, especially at low revs. You can drive in a relaxed manner but acceleration and tractability in higher gears or at lower revs is very limited. The only time this is a serious problem is pulling out of junctions when you need to be aware that there will be a definite lag before you pick up good acceleration. I have adapted my driving style but you cannot simply thrash it in first while turning out of a side road because the front end gets decidely twitchy, even in the dry. I also found that although it corners beautifully I initially felt less confident on country roads because it bounces and floats a bit due to a relatively soft suspension. The other big con, noted in almost all the reviews, is road noise. This obviously varies with road surface but at times it has really annoyed me. I have now got used to it and do not notice it most of the time but this is a major fault for what is otherwise a very refined small family car.

There are also various quite trivial niggles that Mazda could easily have fixed but have not bothered (or not noticed):
Drivers seat is too short (and I am only 5' 8").
The entire rear end gets dirty at the slightest hint of mud on the road - and so does your hand opening the boot.
Auto position for wipers is too insensitive and the 4 settings seem to make no detectable difference.
Auto headlights come on in broad daylight and cannot be user adjusted (only dealer).
Various minor controls are confusing and/or obstructed (eg by turning steering wheel, gear lever, etc)
No speed cameras or easy update for sat nav (and screen is too small).
No spare wheel (I have already had two slow punctures and there is nothing but a repair kit for anything worse).
Front sidelights too dim to drive on, even before dusk.
Why is the handbrake lever so close to my passenger's leg?

*Apologies for posting this twice.
There was a website fault and no way to delete second version.