Hindsight is often said to be a marvellous thing – and, after handing over the keys to our long-term Mazda3, I can vouch for that.

During my two months with the hatchback, I was impressed by the strength of the overall package it offers – its styling, fuel economy, smooth performance from its impressive 1.6-litre diesel engine, and fine ride and handling.

But the one thing I’m missing above all at the moment is its heated front windscreen.

I’d already enjoyed the benefits of it on a couple of frosty mornings and felt rather smug when

I was sitting in my warm car waiting just a short while for the windscreen to clear while neighbours were outside with their de-icer and scrapers.

However, that feeling now seems like just a distant memory as a colleague took over running the car just days before the current cold snap, and now I’m wishing I’d hung on to the keys for a bit longer.

But I can’t let my error taint my view of the Mazda3, which showed itself to be a very strong fleet contender – with the real world fuel economy particularly impressive.

It boasts official combined fuel economy of 62.8mpg and, although I haven’t been able to match that figure, I’ve been close - my last two fill-ups have seen tank averages of 58.4mpg and 59.9mpg.

Author: Andrew Ryan