- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.5i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
138kW, 250Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 6.1L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
What small car should I buy?
The dilemma
Anna is in the market for a small hatch but would like more luxury than she can get for her cash in the new-car realm, plus safety technology such as autonomous emergency braking. She’s been looking at Mazda 3 SP25 Astinas and VW Golf 103 TSI Highlines of around 2014/15 vintage, or is there something else worth targeting?
The budget
Up to $25,000
The shortlist
The Mazda and VW are two of the best of the recent small-hatch breed, and both satisfy Anna’s luxury and safety criteria, so she really can’t lose.
There are, though, differences in how they go about doing the job, which we’ll delve into here.
Other options? Well, a large proportion of potential alternatives can be sidestepped based on either not having auto emergency braking, having it but offering only lower-level used stock for this money or – if they do tick both of those boxes – not offering a fundamental reason to jump ship from a 3 or Golf.
There is, though, a French-flavoured contender that might just keep them honest.
2014-16 Mazda 3 SP25 Astina hatch, from $22,100*
This Mazda’s generous standard specification includes leather, heated power seats, sat-nav and more.
Auto emergency braking is just one of a stack of driver aids in its full-figured safety artillery.
Its 138kW 2.5-litre petrol engine is gutsy but also quite thrifty (6.1L/100km) and it’s an assured, quite entertaining drive. It looks and feels like a quality item and it falls under a lifetime fixed-price servicing regime.
But its engine can be raucous when extended and road noise is more noticeable than in many small hatches. Its back seat is snug, its boot small (308 litres) and it asks for more regular servicing than the Golf and other rivals (yearly/10,000km).
Read Drive’s Mazda 3 reviews:
First drive: Mazda 3 SP25 Astina
Road test: Mazda 3 SP25 GT
Road-test comparison: Small hatches
2014-17 Peugeot 308 Allure Premium hatch, from $18,100*
This Peugeot is equipped with auto emergency braking and other driver aids, and has some trinkets the Mazda doesn’t (massaging seats, automated parking).
It’s an agile, engaging drive without any of the 3’s refinement niggles, has a big boot (435 litres) and yearly/15,000km service intervals.
But the Pug’s cabin loses point for back-seat space and storage, and its unique high-instruments/tiny-steering-wheel dash interface doesn’t work for everyone.
Its willing, flexible 110kW 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine is ultimately less frisky than the Mazda’s powerplant, thirstier (6.5L/100km) and also asks for costlier premium unleaded.
Its auto emergency braking system only works at low speeds rather than up to 145km/h like the 3’s – one of several areas it cedes to its rival in the safety-tech race – and Anna will need a suitably optioned example to get leather heated seats. Peugeot’s fixed-price servicing deal expires after five years/75,000km.
Read Drive’s Peugeot 308 reviews:
First drive: Peugeot 308 Allure
2013-17 Volkswagen Golf 103 TSI Highline, from $16,300*
Anna will need to put her faith in the used-car gods to find an example of this Volkswagen with leather, seat heating and other goodies .
It’ll need to have the ‘driver assistance’ option to tick the auto-emergency-braking box, too, and even then it only works below 30km/h.
Its 103kW 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine is this group’s least powerful, uses premium unleaded and its dual-clutch auto gearbox is prone to low-speed stutters. Volkswagen’s fixed-price servicing deal expires after six years/90,000km.
But the Golf is a classy package with a quality feel and standard features such as sat-nav. It has this group’s roomiest back seat and pampers occupants the most with its quiet, supple ride.
Its engine, regardless of its power figure, is willing, flexible and this group’s most frugal (5.2L/100km), and it drives with faithful dexterity. It asks for yearly/15,000km servicing and the driver-assistance option also adds adaptive cruise and automated parking to its kit bag.
Read Drive’s Volkswagen Golf reviews:
Road test: Volkswagen Golf 103 TSI
Road-test comparison: Small hatches
Drive recommends
The Golf is in many ways this group’s standout package but it also makes it the hardest to pin down our desired safety kit and a properly luxurious specification on the used-car lot. Victory here, then, is just out of its grasp.
That leaves the Mazda and Peugeot fighting it out, and if refinement, boot space or servicing frequency are important the latter starts to look quite compelling.
The 3, though, is punchier, thriftier, less polarising inside and offers more long-term peace of mind. Throw in its extra safety sophistication and it squeaks in to take the win.
* Values are estimates provided by Redbook based on an example averaging up to 20,000km per annum and in a well-maintained condition relevant to its age.