Unveiled as five-door to huge acclaim last year, the Mazda 2 supermini has been a resounding hit for the Hiroshima-based car maker with success culminating in it being named 2008 World Car of the Year.

Now a three-door Mazda 2 boasting an even sportier design is available to the European market.

Adrian Hearn was in the stunning sun-kissed archipelago of Stockholm, Sweden for the first European drive of the Mazda 2 three-door.

View more images of the three-door Mazda 2

Having been on the European launch last year of the five-door Mazda 2 in rain-soaked Tuscany last year and having had one on loan for a week a few months ago, I can confidently say the Japanese supermini is the best car of its type on the market.

The Mazda 2’s handling is sublime, you get an engaging drive and there’s a mass of grip through corners – and thanks to its lightweight shell it’s also nippy and fairly green.

When faced with the chance of driving the new three-door Mazda 2 in Sweden I jumped at the chance. First impressions show the three-door to be sportier-looking than the five-door. You get the sleek lines running up the side of the car which, according to Mazda ‘evoke movement and athleticism’ – something which may have offered inspiration to the new Seat Ibiza and forthcoming Ford Fiesta. The rear side windows are smaller than on the five door but do in fact look better, as is the case with many three-door cars.

Better looking

However, while it’s a better-looking car, as expected you’re faced with a few practicality downfalls. With three doors you’re going to need someone in the front to get out so you can get in the back, but the door opening is 163mm wider to help you get in the back in a dignified fashion, although you can’t open the rear windows.  In the back you can comfortably seat two six-foot plus passengers but there’s not really room for a third.

From launch, the three-door Mazda 2 is available with three engines; two 1.3-litre lumps producing 74bhp and 85bhp respectively and a 1.4-litre diesel with 67bhp. We’ve driven the petrol models on the five-door Mazda 2 and were pleased with the spritely performance so opted for the diesel to take for a spin.

With just 67bhp and a claimed 0-62mph time of 15.5 seconds I wasn’t expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised by with the performance. This is mainly thanks to the diesel engine’s 118lb/ft of pulling power which makes it great for driving round Sweden’s twisting and turning back roads. The 1.5-litre engine with 102bhp will join the range in July and is the pick of the bunch for performance with a 62mph dash of 10.4 seconds.

Stunning handling

There are masses of grip on the road and you can really chuck the Mazda 2 around at put your foot down without fear of losing traction. There’s minimal bodyroll and the gearbox is great - really smooth and direct while making a sweet clunk as you push it though the gate into the next gear. It’s hot hatch handling without a hot hatch engine.

Emitting 114g/km of carbon dioxide places the diesel model in tax band B (£35 a year) and averages 65.7mpg. The other models are also respectable with both 1.3-litre models averaging 52.3mpg and then 1.5-litre averaging 47.9mpg. All three petrol models are in tax band C meaning an annual bill of £120.

Inside, the interior of the Mazda 2 remains the same with the gearbox in an elevated position beneath the centre console making it a perfect place to change gear from. The radio and CD player are built into the dash and feature a symmetrical array of switches with the air-con dials placed above the raised gearbox.

View more images of the three-door Mazda 2

All models feature driver and passenger airbags and an alarm and immobiliser as standard while the TS2 and Sport trims also getting curtain ‘bags. The top-spec 1.5-litre gets traction control which is £550 option on the other models. Although the three-door Mazda 2 hasn’t been tested by EuroNCAP, the five-door which has the same platform and safety features was awarded a maximum five stars for adult occupancy and four stars for children.

£500 cheaper

The three-door Mazda 2 is £500 cheaper than the five-door model meaning prices start from £7,999 for the entry level 1.3, rising to £11,649 for the 1.5 when it goes on sale in July.

As a driver’s car, the Mazda 2 is the best on the market and definitely suited to the younger motorist, but you can see the more mature motorist opting for something a little less flash.

As a model to choose, the 1.5-litre is the best performing and the diesel the greenest with the most pulling power. But if you’re looking to save money on motoring I’d opt for the higher performance 1.3-litre model which is friendly on the wallet and still offers brilliant driving dynamics.

The three-door is sportier looking than the five-door, so it’s a matter of choice for whether you want style over practicality – but the three-door does have the benefit of being £500 cheaper.

The Mazda 2 is arguably the best supermini available at the moment. But later this year the new Ford Fiesta – which shares a lot of components with the 2 – goes on sale and is expected to give the little Mazda a serious run for its money.

View more images of the three-door Mazda 2