What is it?

An all-new competitor in the Ford Focus, VW Golf, Audi A3 sector.

The new Mazda3 is being launched in both saloon and hatchback guises, and is guaranteed to stand out among the usual German dominated company car regulars.

Sharp, aggressive and sporty are all terms that sit well with the new car.

One of Mazda’s main drivers with the third generation Mazda3 has been towards build quality to match the market leaders.

This is most clearly evident in the new car’s interior which boasts top-class materials, chunky instruments, steering wheel and switchgear with much attention spent on cocooning both driver and front passenger into their own individual spaces.

The Japanese factory’s other main focus has been on achieving class-leading performance and economy statistics and for this it has further developed its SKYACTIV technology that is a building-block approach to optimising chassis, weights and engine performance.

Highlights of the new car include executive-level technology including radar-controlled cruise control, accident mitigation early braking systems, Cloud technology mobile connectivity through its BOSE enhanced infotainment package, and the fastest operating start/stop engine system on the market.

The car will hit UK forecourts early next year with engine options including the entry level petrol G1.5-litre with 98bhp, a G2.0-litre in 118 and 162bhp versions and a turbo-diesel D2.2-litre boasting 148bhp with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes.

I had the chance to drive pre-production models at Mazda’s ‘sneak peek’ workshop in Frankfurt and managed to try the presumed top-seller, the mid-powered G2.0 and the D2.2 also seen in the Mazda6.