2017 Mazda 2 vs Mazda 3

What's the difference?

It's an unhappy coincidence of the city car world that, while our smallest vehicles have never been better, fewer people are buying them than ever before.

Back when they felt like they were built using the aluminium that seals Milo tins and were as safe to handle as a ninja throwing star we were snapping them up in huge numbers. But for whatever reason (most experts just mumble the term 'SUV' a lot), the better they've gotten, and the less we've wanted them.

None of which bodes well for the for the Mazda2 Genki hatch, which, as it turns out, is very good indeed.

For over a decade, the Mazda3 has been part of a three-way battle for supremacy in the Australian small car market. The 2004 original threw the felines among the flying rats when launched, transforming the then-dowdy 323 into a stylish, well-equipped, and well-priced contender for Toyota's segment-dominating Corolla, and later, Hyundai's value-packed i30.

In 2017, the battle is still raging. Late 2016 saw a mild update to Mazda's flagship hatch and sedan range to add a few bits and bobs to the its already finely-judged specification. The Corolla stayed pretty much the same, and just this month Hyundai dropped what is now an annual tradition, an absolute cracker of a new car. This time, the all-new i30.

As you can see, Mazda has never had it easy, and it's a testament to the 3's quality, style and ever-growing reputation that it continues to hold its own in the top three.