Mazda 2 1.6 Sport

There's something of a renaissance going on at Mazda. First we loved the 6 family car, and it romped to wins in test after test. Then readers proved us right by voting it number one in our Driver Power reliability and satisfaction survey.

We were all so impressed that we thought we ought to put another Mazda through its paces. So here it is, a range-topping 2 1.6 Sport - and I've been charged with looking after it. With our office situated in central London, superminis are always in demand. The latest crop combine nippy urban handling with mature motorway manners, so they're perfect for my daily trek from Windsor in Berkshire, which takes in the M4, A4 and city streets.

And with other members of staff running a Honda Jazz and Ford Fiesta (which uses the same platform as the 2), we're anxious to find out how the Mazda fares when faced with the challenge of providing reliable, practical and efficient transport day in, day out. So the 2 has a stiff task, not least because I will also be loading it up with clobber for my six-month-old boy.

In the four weeks we've had it so far, there have been no dramas to report, with the 2 running smoothly. Not everyone is taken with its looks, though. Some feel the front is suitably neat and sporting, but they find the tall cabin too boxy and awkward. Most think the interior something of an acquired taste, too. But everybody likes the fact that it's comfortable and there's plenty of cubby space, with four separate stowage areas in addition to twin cup-holders and door pockets either side. For the most part, the design and layout is easy to get on with, and I'm a particular fan of the neat steering wheel-mounted stereo controls - there's even a button to mute the volume. However, the head unit itself looks like the protective strip of yellow plastic is still on it - making the digital display difficult to read.

And if it wasn't for the electric blue seat fabric, the cabin would be pretty dark. Only time will tell how well the trim stands up to hard use - will it mark easily and show up dirt? No one can deny the car's practicality, though. The rear doors open to 80 degrees, allowing a child seat to be installed easily, and the boot is plenty big enough. The Jazz shades it for outright carrying capacity and flexibility, but for a supermini the 2 is fine.

One thing several people have already complained about, though, is the spacing of the pedals. They're too close together, so it's easy to clip the throttle when you're trying to brake. Master this and you can get on with enjoying the drive. Good all-round visibility and a torquey engine that picks up well make this a good bet in town - it's much more nimble than our sluggish Fiesta TDCi. Out of town, it's pretty capable, too. It doesn't have the excellent ride and handling blend that made the 6 such a winner - there's no element of excitement to the dynamics, just an air of competence. At least it's a more comfortable ride than the Jazz, and the engine - capable of 7,000rpm - does sound pretty good when extended. The gearbox has a suitably tight shift, too.

One thing we will be keeping an eye on is the fuel economy. This Sport model may not be particularly thrilling to drive, but an average figure of 30.7mpg is what we'd expect from a hot hatch. We'd like to think this will improve as the miles pile on - hopefully the 2 will prove as cheap to run as the other superminis on our fleet.