MAZDA - like arch rival Honda - can boast ultimate reliability coupled to enviable durability with its cars.

Every survey puts the two brands at the top for reliability and customer satisfaction, with less chance than winning the Lotto of seeing a rusty 20-year-old example of either.

In terms of design and the arrival of new models Mazda has recently reinvented itself.

During the last few years of spectacular growth the company has used those strengths as the corner stones of its new model development programme.

It means that although its latest models are seen as cutting-edge in terms of design and advanced technology, they retain the core values of tried and tested build quality and durable materials.

Independent tests indicate that a Mazda is just about the best bet on the used car market for those reasons.

The cars are built to an extremely high standard in the first place and are invariably bought by private owners who cherish them and treat them with respect.

This is epitomised by even the MX-5 roadster and RX-8 coupe models, which are more likely to be driven carefully by their owners than virtually any other sports cars.

Among the best selling models in the range are the Mazda3 and Mazda6.

As an alternative to a Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf the Mazda3 is an increasingly popular choice and in TS2 guise especially it is extremely well equipped.

With residual values of all Mazdas above 50 per cent after three years and some in excess of 60 per cent they hold their prices exceptionally well.

However, the Mazda6 has now been around long enough to be on offer at affordable prices, with the entry level 1.8-litre hatchback being little more than £9,000 for a good one-year-old example

The Mazda6 comes in a choice of saloon, hatchback and estate car formats, plus even a 4x4 version, with a range of three excellent petrol engines and a two-litre diesel with two different power outputs.

The estate model has been declared best in its class by a number of motoring magazines and all versions earned four-star safety ratings in the most recent EuroNCAP crash test programme.

The company’s MX-5 and RX-8 sports models are among the most sought after on the second-hand market, because they are the most rewarding to drive, with reliability being a bonus.

The Mazda2 is one of the most spacious of all so-called superminis and is a particular favourite among older drivers because it is so easy to get in and out of and is exceptionally simple to drive.

There is also an excellent people-carrier in the range in the guise of the Mazda5, which gets a five-star EuroNCAP rating, is lavishly equipped and comes with a choice of petrol and diesel engines.

The reassurance of knowing that the brand is so popular on the second-hand market means that new models can be bought with confidence, which generates more sales and an even greater choice on the used market.