I’m two days into a week-long liaison with the latest Mazda3 and I’m still not sure how I feel about its new look. It’s that rear-end, and the vast C-pillars if, indeed, you can even call them pillars.

According to Mazda it’s been designed to deliver a condensed and emotional look with a nose that’s close to the ground and a smaller gap between the tyres and wheel arches. Character lines have made way for smooth curves and bold contours that reflect the light and the surrounding environment. And, when you see the car in the flesh, it’s easy to see what Mazda’s designers were trying to achieve but, well, that rear end…

Moving on – and I will return to my feelings about the styling at the end of the 3’s stay with me – let’s talk about what’s beneath the bonnet because the Japanese firm is ploughing a very different furrow with its range of Skyactiv engines,

Rather than downsizing and fitting turbochargers Mazda are sticking with naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre petrol units. They come in two flavours – Skyactiv-G and Skyactiv-X – and it’s the latter version that’s powering my all-wheel-drive Mazda3.

It features a technology that Mazda calls Spark Controlled Compression Ignition and it allows the engine to switch seamlessly between conventional spark compression and combustion ignition. It lets the engine to run a lean fuel mixture under a light load – therefore improving both fuel economy and emissions – but still deliver plenty of power when needed.

Efficiency should be further improved thanks to the integration of a 24v mild hybrid system that stores energy harvested under braking and uses that to drive an electric motor to assist the engine during heavy loads.

Whichever engine you opt for, you’ll have the choice of either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The all-wheel-drive system is, however, only available with the Skyactiv-X engine and in top GT Sport Tech trim. A few things worth noting if you’re thinking of splashing out on the top-of-the-range model – the extra weight impacts adversely on economy and emissions and the additional traction will only really come into its own in rare circumstances, rendering it redundant for 99 per cent of the time.

The suspension on the 3 is quite firm, so if you’re after a supple, cosseting ride you would be better served looking elsewhere. It doesn’t isolate passengers from sharp edges and broken surfaces as well as the best of its rivals but in return you get a welcome level of composure along undulating roads.

The firm set-up should, in theory, also translate into sweeter handling and recent history tells us that Mazda certainly possess the wherewithal, and the desire, to put their cars close to the top of the class in this particular category.

In the dry you’ll find a decent level of grip at the front as you turn in and sweeping through a series of bends reveals a good degree of agility and well-contained body roll. It doesn’t require much prompting, however, for the front end to start to run wide, even with the benefits that sending drive through all four wheels brings.

The steering has some vagueness about the centre that shows itself when you’re trying to keep the car on the straight and narrow along motorways and dual carriageways, and there’s some lethargy when you start to turn the wheel. Once you’ve escaped that brief phase, however, it feels precise and nicely-weighted.

It’s quiet inside, even at motorway speeds, with both wind and road noise very well suppressed. The Skyactiv-X engine can be a little coarse when pressed, with a patter that’s reminiscent of a diesel but that’s not a surprise given the technology behind it.

The clutch and accelerator have a consistent weight to them and the short-throw six-speed manual gearbox is an absolute gem. It is slick, precise and has a satisfying click when you select a new ratio.

No one should have any issues getting comfortable behind the wheel. There’s plenty of adjustment – electrical on the Sport tech – in the driver’s seat while the steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake.

The fit and finish is top notch. The Sport Tech trim I’m driving sports a burgundy and black leather interior that looks very classy and is certainly an improvement on the sombre and uninspiring colours you often encounter.

Where there isn’t leather you’ll find high-grade soft-touch plastics and chrome highlights. There are few cars that can match the Mazda for perceived quality in the cabin.

The dashboard is tidy and easy on the eye. It has a nice logical layout with all the controls in easy to reach places. After a relatively short acclimatisation period you can start to rely on muscle memory to help you hit the right buttons rather than having to take your eyes off the road to find them.

Those controls function with a satisfying smoothness, too.

Mazda have decided against using a touchscreen interface for their infotainment system. You access the menus on the 8.8in screen using a rotary dial mounted on the transmission tunnel. There are a number of shortcut buttons adjacent to it. It’s an effective and easy-to-use set-up that’s standard across the range.

You just know, before you even climb inside, there you’re going to encounter some issues with visibility, particularly out of the back where the steeply inclined window-line, broad C-pillars – which I think I might have mentioned – and angled rear windscreen are guaranteed to produce some hefty blind spots. And so it proves when you’re sitting behind the wheel but at least there’s some assistance in the shape of rear parking sensors, which are fitted to every model in the line-up.

Step up a level and you get front parking sensors and a high-definition rear-view camera too. Top-of-the-range Sport Tech models add a bird’s-eye view camera to the mix.

There’s ample space in the front for taller human beings. The seats are nice and low, so headroom is generous, but there’s plenty of leg and shoulder room too.

It’s a different story in the back, however, where both head and leg room are at a premium. Six-footers will find their knees pressing into the backs of the front seats and their heads brushing against the roof. There isn’t much consolation for smaller people, either, because the tiny rear windows can make it feel quite claustrophobic while the relatively small rear doors make getting in and out more difficult than it should be.

There’s plenty of storage for your odds and ends with a good-sized cubby beneath the centre armrest that houses the USB and 12v sockets, a reasonably deep glovebox, useful door pockets with bottle holders and a small recess ahead of the gear lever.

The boot will accommodate 351 litres of your luggage – that sleek profile comes at a price – rising to 1,026 litres with the 60/40 split-folding rear seats stowed away. That first figure is actually lower that the previous generation 3, while the Ford Focus’s boot is 375 and the Golf’s 380.

The price of the Mazda3 places it closer to the premium end of the market and that’s justified both by the generous levels of equipment – LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, power-folding mirrors and air-con are standard on entry-level SE-L trim – and the quality of the cabin.

It isn’t as sweet handling as Mazda’s reputation would have you hoping, and practicality suffers thanks to that swooping profile but the generous equipment levels, admirable refinement and excellent fuel economy go a long way to making up ground lost to its competitors.

Oh, and I have to confess, that rear has rather grown on me. Not literally, of course.

Mazda3 2.0 180PS AWD GT Sport Tech

Price: £30,475

As tested: £31,345

Engine: 2.0-litre Skyactiv-X petrol

Transmission: 6-speed manual, all-wheel-drive

Max power: 180PS

Max torque: 224Nm @ 3,000rpm

Max speed: 133mph

0-62mph: 8.5sec

Combined: 45.6mpg

Emissions: 109g/km

For more information visit www.mazda.co.uk