MAZDA believes it has stolen a march on people-carrier competitors in its production of the compact space wagon the Premacy. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show the Premacy is set to go on sale in the European market in the second quarter of this year.

The company claims the mini-MPV market is ripe for development. A Mazda spokesman said: 'The Renault Megane Scenic is the only established mini-MPV. It's not a crowded market and we have, through developing the Premacy in just 23 months, stolen a march on competitors who are planning to bring in their own mini-MPV.'

Citroen, Toyota, Vauxhall and potentially Volkswagen are planning to enter the mini-MPV fray. Vauxhall will be the first to follow Renault with the May introduction of the Zafira.