Mazda 2 1.6 Sport

Ah, the British summertime. Warm weather, picnics, trips to the country and... a Mazda 2. With its big cabin, low running costs and lively driving experience, our long-term model has been the unlikely star of the fleet in recent months.

Although based on the Ford Fiesta platform, the Mazda has a distinct personality - not something you could say about the old 121, which was literally a Fiesta with a Mazda badge. The exterior design is still dividing opinion, however. Whereas the Fiesta is a textbook supermini, with tidy proportions and a rather conventional profile, the 2 is taller, boxier and has an almost baby-MPV feel.

The interior remains an acquired taste, even though it's both bigger and more practical than the Fiesta's. It's also better to look at, thanks to the large dials and brighter plastics. While there's still room for improvement - see the Honda Jazz for an object lesson in funky cabin design - it certainly has a sense of style.

Another reason why the 2 has found favour with so many is the flexibility of the load area. It may sound trivial, but the fact that the rear doors open virtually at right angles to the body is a huge advantage when trying to stow big items. Back seat passengers sit a little higher than those in the front, which is great for children who want to see where they're going.

There isn't much rear overhang, but the luggage bay is deceptively spacious, and the seat-folding mechanism is easy to use. Even the passenger chair can be laid flat - a feature that has often proved invaluable. While I wouldn't recommend the Mazda over a Jazz or a Vauxhall Meriva, it's flexible enough for a small family on the move.

In terms of driving dynamics, the 2 stands head and shoulders above its rivals. Thanks to its Fiesta underpinnings, the baby Mazda has earned praise for its easygoing nature. The pedals have been criticised for being set too close together, but the weighting of the main controls - clutch, brake and gearshift - is spot-on and makes town driving a pleasure. Despite its height, the 2 copes superbly with motorway journeys.

Even so, if I was buying a 2 I think I would opt for the 1.4-litre unit over our car's 1.6, because for the extra ΂£1,000 you pay for the range-topping model, the difference in terms of performance is marginal. Sure, you get more kit in the Sport, but for my money the 1.4-litre engine is the better motor and more suited to the rest of the car.

It will also be interesting to see how the 2's running costs compare to those of the Fiesta - or rather the Fusion with which it has more in common. I'm often asked if it's worth getting a diesel supermini, and I should know the answer by the time the Mazda leaves us in October. For now, it's returning 31.2mpg, while our oil-burning long-term Fiesta manages 48.2mpg. That gives the blue oval car a big advantage on running costs. However, I'll have to wait until the servicing bills have been added up before delivering my final verdict.