2016 Mazda Mazda3 Neo review - Long-term owner

Multimedia and safety technology: 5/10

The multimedia set-up is basic. There are enough buttons on the steering wheel to avoid fiddling with the stereo but it hasn't aged well. Bluetooth drop outs are frequent.

Practicality: 7/10

Car is very practical if you just need something to commute in. The interior is simple and the fabric seats are easy to clean with just a vacuum. Despite being a hatch the boot is more than big enough.

Driving: 7/10

Drives really well. The (manual) gearbox and clutch are super smooth. Auto stop/start sometimes leaves you waiting an extra second for the engine to restart, worrying someone's about to lean on the horn or run up your backside. Ride height is a pain. You have to crawl up and down driveways to avoid scraping the front bumper.

Running costs: 9/10

Great on fuel, consistently averaging under 7.0L/100km. Insurance is fairly cheap, too (full comprehensive under $1000). Servicing is fairly straight forward. No major services required until you hit 120,000km.

Reliability: 10/10

Never had major mechanical issues. Mazda originally had a recall notice out on the windscreen wipers, but it's never caused a problem.