Mazda 3 Problems

I’m not a fan of the CVT auto, so my pick would be the Mazda, which has a conventional automatic transmission.

The Focus is a great driving car, but there are serious issues with its dual-clutch automatic transmission, so serious you should avoid it, or buy a manual. Consider others like the Mazda3, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Kia Rio, etc.

As promised when you first contacted us we got in touch with Mazda about the problem with your GPS, and we finally got a response. Unfortunately, it doesn't answer your question. A company spokesman told us that: "without actual car details (of your car) it is difficult to comment or provide accurate feedback, so we would highly recommend that the customer (you) contacts Mazda Customer service, which allows us to look into his situation and communicate with him direct." So, get on to Mazda and put your request directly to them.

We have contacted Mazda and we’re waiting for their response. We'll update you once we hear back from them.

It's probably easier to eliminate those that don't stack up, those being the VW Golf, Holden Cruze and Ford Focus.

All have transmission questions over them.

The best options would be the Mazda 3 and the Hyundai i30.

You need to decide on whether you want an SUV or a hatch before you do anything else. The SUV gives you a better view of the road, is practical, and the CX-3 is a good choice, but hatches can also be attractive. I would rule out the Mazda2 in your case, as it would seem to be too small for your needs, but the 3, Corolla and i30 are all good cars that would deliver on the things you want.

The Focus is a good car with a serious flaw; it has a dual-clutch automatic transmission that gives trouble. I would happily have a 2012 Focus with a manual gearbox, but I wouldn't buy one with a dual-clutch auto. I'd be looking at a Japanese or Korean brand and going for something like a Mazda 3, Honda Civic or Accord, Hyundai Elantra with a good record of reliability.

I agree that Mazda's response is unsatisfactory. It remains Mazda's responsibility to carry out repairs on your car. I can only suggest you persist to the extent the dealer and Mazda know that you won't go away until they give you a satisfactory response.

All of the cars you name meet your criteria of size, economy, performance and handling.

You could also add the Mazda3 and 6 to the list.

Of all of those I would nominate the Camry as the great all-rounder.