Like a good pair of denim jeans, Mazda says its 323 model is built to last. And just like your favourite garment, the longer you wear it the more it grows on you.

It certainly grew on me.

The review car we tested was the sports version 5-door hatchback which could almost be likened to a small estate car when the rear seats are folded down.

Given its high spec and driving performance, it’s hard to understand why Mazda don’t sell more of these cars than they do.

Mind you, the 323’s recent facelift to the front end is almost a quantum leap over the older version. And overall, it’s a nice restrained but elegant style which will still look good even when the newer models come out.

The latest upgraded 323 is a lot more attractive, with more presence than before. This is evident from its ‘twin deck’ lights ... narrow headlights sloping down to the top grille, a sweeping front bumper with inset foglamps and aerodynamic side spoiler.

From the side, the car looks long and low. The black surrounds around all the windows look really good. A spoiler sits over the traditional V-shape of the rear window.

Inside, the cabin is pretty spacious and the fittings quite superb. Plenty of excellent quality materials abound. Different textures are the key to this look and they integrate very well together. I especially like the luxurious material on the seats, and the charcoal suede-effect material continued on the doors - set off with a perforated leather-like material on the door handles. The seats are extremely comfy and the headrests just right.

The leather gear knob also has a lovely feel to it while the special leather steering wheel, which is adjustable, comes from Nardi in Turin.

More contrast is provided by silvered features on the dash, console panels and on the door handles.

The dashboard itself has a range of sporty, white-faced dials with black italic numbers, all nicely sized and easy to read. And the speedometer is bang in the centre where it’s easy to see. The trip information computer provides readings for temperature, average fuel consumption and the range left before a fill-up is required.

Instrument buttons on the radio are big and user friendly - there’s nothing fiddley to get annoyed with.

Cubbies include a good-sized lockable glove compartment, a deep box beneath the arm rest, another in front of the gearshift, and on doors. And there are the usual cup holders to prevent spillages.

It’s easy to get a very comfortable driving position and visibility is excellent as you are way above the scuttle line.

I found the suspension nice and firm without being over hard. A certain noise level over irregular road surfaces could be put down to the lower profile tyres on the review car than are normal to the lesser cars in the range.

Lovely clutch, very smooth though it acts rather quickly and this takes a little while to get used to.

The Mazda 323 is quite a flexible car with a few surprises. The split rear seats can fold down giving 756 litres of extra space. They can even recline independently for extra leg room on long journeys, as well as sliding ‘fore and aft’ to give even more space. And the front passenger seat can fold forwards to become a table surface for that quick snack at the side of the road or a bit of work on the laptop before an important meeting. Another nice feature is the big retractable arm rest in the back. As you’d expect with the long hatchback shape, there’s plenty of boot room too.

Standard features included ABS Brakes, four airbags, alloy wheels, air-conditioning, fog lamps, electric windows all round. The review car also came with a sunroof which was much appreciated during the mini heatwave at the time. The sunroof is included in the price of this particular car, though has a retail value of £600.

The driver’s outside mirror comes with a wide angle with two curvatures to allow a wider range of visibility, especially when making lane changes. But Mazda warn what you see in the convex mirror is closer than it appears so be sure to look over your shoulder or check your inside mirror before changing lanes.

An array of active safety features come into force in the case of any accident, some of which are designed to help you avoid an accident in the first place, including ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) which can improve stopping distances. There’s also traction control to help you keep in command during critical situations such as ice or gravel on the roads.

On the road throughout the review period, this particular car never showed any bad temperament. It held the road beautifully in every circumstance, and felt always solid and sure. The extra power in the 1.6-litre engine proved to be well worth the extra money, giving both very untiring motoring and extra confidence when I needed to overtake.

In fact it was hard find fault with anything much about this car, which makes it quite an easy article to write.

It’s not exactly cheap, though. Nor are its direct competitors. The Mazda 323 1.6 GT Sport has a price tag of £17,575 over the basic model (which is priced at £14,105). Main competitors include the 1.8 Almera 5-door Sport (with a 1.8-litre engine) at £17,035; and the Opel Astra 1.6-litre 5-door sport at £17,088. (All prices ex-works).

Getting back to how I came in, I think I could wear these denims for a long time!