MAZDA is celebrating the re-opening of its dealerships with some cracking offers right across its range which include zero per cent interest deals over 48 months with low deposits.

That means that the Mazda2 I have been sampling can be bought for as little as £188 a month.

It may be a supermini but it is big on personality and in GT SportNav trim it is crammed with kit and has premier class trim.

It has more features than cars that cost a lot more and comes with full leather upholstery and heated front seats as well as a heated steering wheel, a colour reversing camera and a pop-up head-up display system.

It also boasts many other attractive features and is ideal for motorists who want to drop a size without losing their creature comforts or quality.

This version is the flagship model but still can be had for a reasonable £18,295.

Under the bonnet there is a 1.5-litre petrol engine which produces 90bhp.That does not seem like much but the engine is always willing and lively and reaches 62mph in 9.7 seconds and can go on to a top speed of 114mph.

It is mated to a really nice six-speed gearbox which is great to use on country roads.

For the first time all five models in the range feature a mild hybrid system to lower emissions and improve economy and combined with smart start/stop technology resultsin emissions of just 94g/km.

Mazda has also updated the looks of the car for 2020 with changes outside and in the tidy cabin.

Exterior changes are mainly cosmetic with a new grille, revised headlights and a new rear bumper.

Inside there's a new look to the dashboard trim, air vents, door inserts and instrument hood as well as new more supportive seats. The cabin is also quieter thanks to better sound insulation.

A large rev counter dominates the dash with a digital speed readout set in the bottom right hand corner. The attractiveblue leather trimmed dash houses a seven inch colour touch screen which can be controlled via a dial or by touch.

There is room for four and out on the road the 2 provides a comfortable ride and handles and corners well with little body roll.

It is very agile and the steering is sharp and accurate and in town it is easy to park thanks to rear parking sensors combined with a rear view camera.

It is also practical with a 280 litre boot and this can be increased to 950 litres with the rear seats folded.