(Wed 01 Jul 09)

The new Mazda3 range (described by Mike Grundon in his launch report) has been completed with the introduction of the 2.0 Sport model, which is on sale at £18,025 in both four- and five-door forms.

The Sport uses a 149bhp two-litre petrol engine which gives it a top speed of around 130mph and a 0-62mph time of 10.4 seconds. But the fuel economy and CO2 figures are more important, and they're both enhanced by the fact that the Sport uses what Mazda describes as i-stop technology.

This is a new name for a system which is becoming increasingly familiar in the motor industry. What happens is that the engine switches off when the driver engages neutral and the car is either stationary or travelling at less than 2mph, the result being that fuel is not being used when it doesn't have to be. The engine then restarts within 0.35 seconds of the driver pressing the clutch pedal.

With i-stop, the 2.0 Sport is much more economical than the model it replaces. Regardless of body style, it has combined fuel economy of 41.5mpg and officially emits CO2 at the rate of 159g/km, putting it in VED Band G. That means you'll pay £150 in road tax this year and £155 from next April onwards.

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