2007 Mazda 3 MPS review from UK and Ireland

None to date.

Once you have adapted your driving to take into account the amount of torque on tap (380Nm at 3,000 revs) and the fact that 260 bhp is being transferred to the front wheels, you realise what a great handling car it really is (even in the wet).

I have read some unkind reports by so-called motoring experts in which the gearbox has been criticised; the gearbox is close-ratio, but, once mastered, is an absolute peach.

The car has an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph and a verified 0-60 time of 5.6 seconds and is therefore seriously quick. Not the sort of maniacal quick as with the type-R for example, but much more refined. I have read a report in which the tester commented that the car goes 20 mph faster than (a) he believed he was doing and (b) he thought possible and this kind of sums up my interpretation of the car.

In the past I have owned a Lancia Delta Integrale, a VW Corrado VR6, a Seat Leon Cupra R and Nissan 200sx and, with the possible exception of the Integrale, find the MPS more involving and definitely quicker.

The other good thing about the Mazda 3 MPS is that, if you should feel like taking things steady, the car is equally happy at low (ish) speeds.

With 4 doors, half-leather seats, a brilliant BOSE sound system and all the usual goodies you would expect from the Japanese, the car is very practical. The interior is superb, with nice touches like drilled aluminium pedals + scuff plates, supportive seats, recessed dials etc.

Before I bought this used car (2 months old and 1,200 miles on the clock from a dealer) I had previously been out in at an RX8, a new Seat Leon Cupra and a new Honda Civic type-R, but, having driven the Mazda the decision was made easy.

The car has also been criticised in certain motoring magazines for its 'bland' appearance. My car is cosmic blue mica and, I think, looks superb. Okay so it doesn't shout out loud, but at my age (40+) you don't particularly want 'Corsa boy' trying to play silly beggars. However you can be safe in the knowledge that, if necessary, you can leave a Golf GTi, Mini Cooper S etc in your wake.

I've also read somewhere that the car's acceleration from 60mph to 100mph is better than that of a Porsche 911.

Downsides?? Prefers super unleaded fuel (although this is not compulsory). Fuel consumption 25 to 27 mpg. Pushed really hard this can drop to 20 to 22 mpg. Tyre noise is a bit of an issue, possibly. Not much else, so far.

Thankfully the car is quite rare (I've only seen one other) and therefore people don't seem to know much about it; this avoids too much undesirable attention.