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Volkswagen Golf 90 TSI vs Mazda 3 SP20

Both vehicles are five-star cars but the Golf has the edge in outright scores.

The problem with getting to the top of the heap is everyone wants to knock you off.

And when it comes to car makers, the battle is more mixed martial arts than Marquis of Queensberry. Volkswagen has engineered its seventh-generation Golf to take the fight to the Mazda 3 and anything else in the small-car class. At stake is the title of the best private-buyers' car in the country.

value

Volkswagen Golf 90 TSI

from $27,490

The Golf 90TSI Comfortline costs $27,490 with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto.The flip is the Golf doesn't have satnav but it does have a reversing camera.

Mazda3 SP20

from $27,990

The Mazda SP20 SkyActiv is $27,990 with a six-speed auto.There is little to separate the pair on specification - the differences all relate to the Mazda's age. The dinky little display mounted in the sweep of the dash has a standard satnav function

technology

Volkswagen Golf 90 TSI

The drive for efficiency has led VW and Mazda along divergent routes. The Golf uses a dual-clutch auto and turbocharged 1.4-litre engine mounted in one of the most advanced chassis built for a mass-market car. All the Germans are going for turbo engines as the most effective way to add power and cut fuel use.

Mazda3 SP20

The Mazda eschews that approach for a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine with a high compression ratio matched to a six-speed auto built specifically to maximise the engine's peaky strengths. On paper the Golf wins the fossil fuel debate with 5.4L/100km against 6.1L in the Mazda3 - but the Golf needs 95RON petrol to do it.

design

Volkswagen Golf 90 TSI

Every surface on the Golf is honed to a minimalist aesthetic that would have made Ludwig Mies van der Rohe - the father of "less is more" design - proud. He's dead but you can still appreciate it. The silhouette is unmistakably a Golf, just with sharper panel creases than the outgoing model.

Mazda3 SP20

The Mazda hatch is all about swoopy curves that make it look longer than its 11cm edge over the Golf. That doesn't translate into cargo space, as the VW's 380-litre capacity edges the Mazda's 300L. Rear room isn't great for adults in either car but the Golf's ceiling is higher. Cabin ambience is where the Mazda can't keep up. The plastics and chrome bling are well assembled but don't look or feel as convincing and the cabin layout is dated among the latest crop of compact cars.

safety

Volkswagen Golf 90 TSI

Both vehicles are five-star cars but the Golf has the edge in outright scores, based on EuroNCAP testing. So it should have, given it is four years newer than the competition. The overall score of 35.92 is 2.5 points clear of the Mazda.

Mazda3 SP20

The 3 was docked two points for a side curtain airbag that didn't fully deploy, which shows how strong the basic structure is. Both vehicles have the usual software controls. VW owners can tick an option pack that includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and assisted reverse and parallel parking.

driving

Volkswagen Golf 90 TSI

The philosophy that drives the respective engine development of these cars also dictates how you drive them. The Golf surges off the line without turbo lag and a zest that translates into chirped wheels if they're not pointing straight. The extra ratio in the VW helps, too; it shifts up or down to keep the car on boost as required, then quickly shuffles up the ratios when the right foot isn't as heavy.It is still easy to put both cars into double-figure fuel use in mixed driving.

Mazda3 SP20

The Mazda does its best work higher up the rev range and consequently isn't as slippery away from the lights or merging from a stop into roundabout roulette. Unlike the VW, the accelerator should be firmly depressed to get the best out of the 3. The power delivery continues right to the redline but in the interests of economy the auto box is configured to moderate inputs as much as possible. The flip side is its stop-start system just beats the VW for speed and smoothness. Both are first-rate systems, noted for not being noticed, but the 3 fires up a moment quicker with less of a grumble.

Verdict

Volkswagen Golf 90 TSI

Mazda3 SP20

The Mazda3 is down but not out. It isn't as dynamically sharp or as well packaged as the new Golf. It is still a viable alternative for those who don't want that anodyne look but the Japanese brand will tough it out until a new contender arrives next year. For now the Golf assumes the mantle of the smart driver's first choice, especially with capped price servicing and longer service intervals.