Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  Last Mazda For Me! - 2000 Mazda Protege
  By Lamrin - April 2 - 4:43 pm

  This was my first new car. I regret the purchase. I should have gotten a Corolla. Gas mileage is a joke for a small 1.6L auto. I had the rad replaced twice under warranty. At 3 yrs I noticed rust on the bottom front passenger side door. I now have rust inside both rear wheel wells (winters are harsh where I live). AC no longer works and never blew very cold. CD player is extremely finicky. Sometimes it plays, sometimes not. I think it might be related to temperature and humidity. Volume goes up when turning it down. The OD button doesnt work anymore. Some dash lights in the tach are blown. The car is very reliable. Its never broken down on me. I like the interior and trunk space.

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  great car - 2001 Mazda Protege
  By edbeng - March 30 - 2:00 am

  this car is wonderful -- handles like a much more expensive sports car -- great car for anyone.

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  Great to feel young again. - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By MMTech1 - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I love the car. Test drove alot of cars before buying this one. Have the 2002 LX 5 speed. Was driving a Jeep SUV and switched to the mazda and now I feel like Im in High School again. Took a 5 hour drive down the coast line for a week end trip and had blast. My wife said if she new it would shave 20 years off my life she would have got me one a long time ago.

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  Still happy after 4 years! - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By J-man - March 25 - 8:13 pm

  Bought this loaded out ES model new in 2003 w/ nearly 4K off sticker. My wife drove the car daily but now after 4 yrs its my car. Very fun daily driver. Always liked the sporty firm suspension. Very nice road/steering feed back. Like a 4 dr miata! :o) We took a 12 hr trip and Im a 6 footer so it was a bit too cramped after a few hours (lots of breaks). Ideal small car for most uses. Car still looks sharp after 4 years, and still happy! Gas mileage is near the sticker claim of 30-32 hwy. The small tank means affordable $35 fill-ups @$3/gal. Great Mazda reliabilty and no maintenance issues so far. Still have orig. brake pads after 49k miles. Highly recommend this car for anyone!!

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  Nice compact - 2000 Mazda Protege
  By sprig - March 19 - 10:00 am

  A compact thats fun to drive. Very snappy, comfortable seats with plenty of room even for tall people. Nice and roomy back with the rear seats down. If this car stands up as well as Civics, its a great deal

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  Great Car - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By MSP - March 15 - 12:16 am

  The protege is a great car. Alot of people like civics and other cars, but the Protege is simply on the the best compact cars made in 03. When I purchased my protege I knew it would be a nice car. But I was really suprised how much fun it was to drive and what a great car it is. I would never have gotten anything different.

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  best in class - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By mazda autocrosser - March 12 - 10:26 pm

  This car is hands down the best economy car you can (could) buy. Yes, it could use more power, but its still peppy. The handling is better than cars costing a lot more, and the brakes are the best I have ever used, period. The Protege is truly a budget BMW; so much more fun than a Sentra, Civic, or Corolla. It looks good, too; after 3 years, I still find myself turning around to look at it as I walk away. Its a little loud on the highway, but the high-performance tires have a lot to do with that. I usually get 25mpg around town and a bit over 30 on the highway. My last Protege (a 1990 model) was running strong at 225,000 miles, and I dont expect this one to be any different.

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  Best small car Ive owned. - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By Mark L. - February 28 - 5:43 am

  In the past before purchasing this Protege, I had owned Honda LXs and Civics. All had great engines, but all would succumb to extreme body rust. Living in the Northeast this is expected. Since buying my 2002 Protege, I have no problem with rust or engine problems. Mazda also stands behind their product. Dealerships are hard to obtain. The problem encountered is tires. Original tires wear out quick. Snow tires are expensive, and all-seasons are no better. I bought Brigestone winters and run Dunlap summers. By far the best car I have owned!

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  Mazda Cozma - 2001 Mazda Protege
  By Cozma - February 23 - 10:00 am

  Needs a much faster engine. And maybe a little better tire selection.

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  Great Little Car - 2001 Mazda Protege
  By John - January 17 - 11:36 am

  Great mileage, at times getting 36+ on the interstate. Other than routine maintenance, never had a problem with almost 85,000 on the odometer. Highly recommend this car.