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alluring version) and you’ll have noticed how everyone else seems to have caught the bug too. However, this latest Mazda3, priced at £27,375, has
more than colour on its side. My test model comes with Mazda’s new and clever 2.0-litre petrol engine that adds £1,580 to the bottom line compared to sticking with the older engine. The new power unit comes with what Mazda calls
spark controlled compression ignition which mixes conventional petrol engine technology with a touch of diesel cleverness to produce better economy and emissions.
On maximum power the 2.0-litre engine acts like a
normal petrol unit, where the spark plug sets off the fuel and air mixture in the car’s four cylinders. Ease back on the throttle (which means most of the time in a typical drive) and the engine turns clever enough for Mazda to claim a world first for this technology in a petrol engine. In essence, the spark plug ignites a tiny ball of fuel- rich mixture which expands so fast the rest of the much
NISSAN JUKE TEKNA +
Do you like Marmite? Your answer may determine whether you approve of Nissan’s Juke. When it was launched, it divided opinion and there was no middle ground. Rather like a certain well-known food spread. Launched in 2010 this small SUV-like hatchback
polarised opinion but certainly didn’t dent sales as it appealed to those looking for something that lacked the anonymity of most euro boxes. In its latest guise the Juke has lost a little of its quirkiness but probably increased its appeal. While it retains the individuality there are new, neat styling touches that will appeal to a broader set of buyers. Spaceship style front lights, dramatic LEDs and a sweeping grille give the Juke a presence lacking in more mainstream fare in this sector. Prices start from £17,860 for the lead in model and
there are six trim levels in total with prices topping out at £24,460. Standard fare includes such items as DAB radio, Bluetooth, cruise control, powered door mirrors, air conditioning and high beam assist for the headlights. It is a very comprehensive starter list of standard equipment. The single engine option for all versions is a
3-cylinder, turbocharged, 1.0 litre petrol unit with either manual or dual clutch automatic gears. It’s a super engine and whilst not unduly fast proves fun to drive. My Tekna + model test car sits just one below
the top line version and came in automatic form which utilises twin clutches, a method popular on many cars nowadays. It’s not perfect and often feels jerky, but in Nissan’s incarnation it proves pretty nifty and useable. Standard fare is good with an absolute plethora of
kit on this model and I really couldn’t imagine anything else you would need on a car. Priced at £25,860 and resplendent in two tone grey and ‘Fuji Sunset Red’, the interior proved even more vibrant with ‘energy orange’ highlights. Sounds awful but it really did work. With a modest 10.7 seconds to 60 mph and a top speed of 112mph it’s no sports car but feels peppy and good fun on the road. Combined fuel consumption is okay, but not great, at 44.1 mpg, but that’s about the only downside. It’s an admirably adventurous car and whether you’re young, old or even in-between, I can imagine those wanting something a bit different, a head turner (although not always from an admiring crowd), will love the Juke.
VEHICLE REPAIRS & MOTS TEL.01803 834234
CARS • MOTORCYCLES • LIGHT TRUCKS The Old Abattoir, Jawbone Hill, Dartmouth TQ6 9RN
leaner mixture in the cylinder ignites itself, as happens in a diesel engine. So, the new engine produces 178bhp against the 120bhp of the current (and continuing) engine but official fuel economy under tougher and more real world WLTP testing is as good as 51.4mpg compared to the 45.6mpg of the older engine. You can sometimes feel (and hear) the new
technology in action, with distant diesel-like hammering at some speeds and there’s a need to rev the engine to extract full overtaking potential, but it’s a convincing case of cleverness, without doubt. The rest of the car is more typically old school Mazda, which is nearly all a positive. So you will find a cockpit that’s well put together but veers (correctly) on the side of simpler useablity, with switches and knobs rather than taking the full touchscreen route that looks sexy but is simply annoying to use. Add to a sharp styling package and the Mazda makes for a competitive and attractive motoring package.
All quoted prices were correct at time of going to press
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