Last yearÂ’'s compact family class winner, the 3 has proved one of the most surprising Driver Power successes. While it canÂ’'t match many rivalsÂ’ strengths straight out of the showroom, given time to prove itself you tell us it has a lot to offer. Just missing out on a top 10 position, the Mazda charts between 10th and 40th in every category. The handling is spot on, while strong stopping power is also praised. Next year, weÂ’ll be able to see if the firebreathing 256bhp MPS can boost the performance rating, too.