The first generation Mazda 3 MPS was defined by two features: it was incredibly discreet and hugely fast.

With a 2.3-litre turbo petrol it flew from 0-60mph in barely more than six seconds and had a top speed of 155mph, all while looking like a standard Mazda 3.

The new car is much more striking. There’s even a gaping bonnet vent designed to scare the car in front into submission.

Sharp front and rear bumpers add 20mm to the length of the car, and a whole dose of attitude. This is an attention-grabbing car which makes many of its competitors look old fashioned in comparison.

Power remains the same as before at 256bhp with 280lb/ft, but emissions have been cut to 224g/km, shrinking the cost of annual road tax by almost £200.

Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 6.1 seconds and fuel consumption averages 29.4mpg. This would have made it the quickest hot hatch on sale until the recent power war, which the 300bhp Ford Focus RS is currently winning.

But don’t think the Mazda feels slow. In third and fourth gear (torque is limited in the first two gears) the MPS is fast enough to pin you into your seat and pile on speed in a way many sports cars won’t match.

The rest of the car has changed more than the engine. Mazda has employed its weight-saving strategy to this latest model, and increased the torsional rigidity of its body by 41 per cent.

Because the car is so much stiffer, revised suspension has been fitted to optimise handling.

Autobahn stormer

We found it’s at its best on wide and flowing A roads and the motorway, where it’s devastatingly fast if you put your foot down. On tight and twisty roads the 3 MPS starts to feel hemmed in by the hedgerows as it’s simply too powerful and boisterous.

There’s lots of grip and understeer is almost non-existent, but the steering can feel vague on the limit, which limits confidence to really push the car.

Unlike the Focus and the Megane Renaultsport, the 3 MPS has a conventional front suspension system without Ford’s ‘Revo Knuckle’ or Renault’s ‘Perfo Hub’ and the result is more torque steer.

Accelerate hard and the Mazda sniffs out the camber in the road, and you need to keep on top of the steering. It’s best to meter out the considerable power gradually, and it’s rare you’ll actually need full throttle thanks to all the pulling power on offer.

Every Mazda seems to have a great gearshift, and the 3 is no exception. The stubby Mazda MX-5-inspired gear knob and short throw makes swapping cogs a pleasure rather than a chore.

Everything included

There are no options to choose for the new interior; instead Mazda has just included everything you should need. An LCD turbo-boost gauge, satellite navigation, climate control, heated front windscreen, keyless entry, bi-xenon headlights, parking sensors, Bose stereo, iPod connection, Bluetooth connectivity, tyre pressure sensors, and a blind-spot warning system are all standard.

In fact, it’s the hugely impressive spec list which sums up the Mazda 3 MPS. At £21,500 it offers customers willing to stray from the class-leading Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen Golf GTI more power and more kit.

But, this spec-sheet goodness isn’t everything and it’s the Focus and Golf which offer the purist a more involving driving experience.