Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  Mazda Protege - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By narayanmg - May 3 - 4:53 pm

  I switched from Honda Civic to Protege. The driving experience is amazing. The car is so much fun to drive. I have a 5 speed model and love it in the city driving. I have had it for over a month and already clocked about 1500 miles on it. My average mileage in the city varies from 33-37 per gallon.

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  Overall A Good Buy - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By JonSMayer - April 25 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Protege for about 3 months now and it is doing well. The actual buying experience was horrible (Note: Avoid Kings Mazda in Cincinnati, OH at all costs) but I got a decent price for the ES with the 6- CD/Moonroof option for around 14,900 out the door. The wind noise no problem, I find it only noticeable on very windy days. The gas mileage was a little dissapointing, I think I get about 25-27 mpg combined. Another small complaint I have is that the air conditioning never gets really cold, and on hot days (90s) takes much longer than you would like to cool down. Other than that the car has done well and I hope that this trend continues.

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  Excellent - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By Tony - November 11 - 10:00 am

  This car has been a life saver in the past it is so affordable and very reliable. I love it. Over all A great car.

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  Wow, this car is fun to drive! - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By delrey - June 9 - 10:41 am

  This car is a lot of fun to drive. The handling, steering, and road feel are top notch for this car, especially for this class. It puts some newer and more expensive cars to shame. With that said, the car wasnt perfect. The best gas mileage I could get was 28MPG. Despite regular detailing, the car had a decent amount of rust. I went through front wheel bearings like crazy and I had to replace my front struts twice within the 130,000 miles of ownership. Interior is rather nice for the year but the radio is quite weak. A fun car to drive with minor flaws.

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  2003 Mazda Protege - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By Buzz Wichmann - April 3 - 6:50 pm

  This is a fun car to drive .. not as fuel efficient as my 96 Protege was but the better looks on the 2003 model negates the lower mpg rating for me. Still 34 highway/24 city not bad .. roomy comfortable car despite being so small with good sound system - highly manuverable as well with tight steering

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  Mazda comes with a few surprises - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By mediterrenean - November 24 - 10:00 am

  Good deal at its price. Acceleration is ok but the inside ergonomics is one of the best I have seen across compact cars. The exterior paint is so thin that it chips away surprisingly fast. If your bumber touches another surface, get ready to see black streaks on it. Both driver and passanger door rubber seals came off and ripped apart after a year. May be it is because of how weather in CA. However, that is totally unacceptable. The dealer agreed to fix it under warranty, luckily. Make sure you show them exactly what is needed, because they do not check the car on your behalf and offer service.

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  protege es - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By toddla - May 25 - 2:00 am

  After owning this car for 3 months, I can say I fall into the majority of owners posted here.I paid 14200 for an ES, 6cd/moonroof including rebate. The car is fun to drive, low on power, but I get 30mpg weekly driving steady 50/55 mph to and from work. Hello Mazda, build the protegespeed for the masses. Hands down styling beats Honda/Toyota etc.

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  Happy owner - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By vroom vroom vroom - November 5 - 10:16 pm

  I have had my Protege for almost two years now and it was been a joy to drive to work. It handles well for an economy car and has a surprising amount of room for my wife, two kids and my black lab. The 5-speed is smooth and precise. Steering has nice feel.

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  ES Rocks - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By Smoke286 - August 6 - 10:00 am

  This car is sweet, so much fun to drive

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  Will not be shopping for another Protege - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By jenna - April 13 - 3:36 am

  A few days ago, my Protege was completely totaled by another driver in a very minor accident. So, its durability is questionable. Within the first year of owning it, I had a reoccurring problem with moisture on the inside of the car. Whenever it would rain, wells in the trunk would fill with water with no drainage route. Windshield took forever to defrost/fog. In the winter ice would form on the inside of the windshield -not a fabulous prerequisite to my morning commute. The weather stripping began to peel from the passenger door, and the door handle became loose one winter. Also, the car would rattle whenever stopped in traffic.