The BMW 1 Series always had a unique selling point in the hatchback class: it was rear-wheel drive, like a sports car or one of BMW's executive saloons. That was supposed to give it a real feeling of balance and poise, and a level of driver appeal above and beyond the competition.  In reality,...

Is there a better looking hatchback (or affordable saloon) out there than the latest Mazda 3? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but we're utterly convinced it's easily as desirable as premium brand rivals such as the BMW 1 Series , Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class .  The 3's...

While the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra are the obvious choices in a crowded segment, the Mazda 3 is the best of the rest. What makes it so good? We’ll start with the styling, which looks chiselled and honed to within an inch of perfection, particularly following the facelift at...

The idea behind the 1 Series was simple: make a smaller, cheaper, hatchback version of the BMW 3 Series. BMW picked the perfect set of tools to achieve that, too – the architecture of the 3 Series itself, no less. This means 1 Series buyers really were getting a premium-grade car at a (slightly) more...

Development of the Mazda 3 and the Ford Focus always went hand in glove. They share engines, suspension and steering, though not mutually inclusively. Sometimes Ford has been ahead with one component. Sometimes Mazda. What can't be denied is that both cars have been steadily improved. And now, for the...

In the beginning was the Ford, and the Ford was a Focus. The rather unassuming hatchback has become the default choice for many and a car against which everything else is measured. Look up 'affordable family hatchback' in that imaginary dictionary everyone goes on about and you'll see a picture of a...