Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

• 

  very happy owner - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By wtkidd1972 - July 7 - 1:23 pm

  I bought this car without truly being interested in a Mazda Protégé, just interested in a small, inexpensive, economical way to get to work. I had never owned a Mazda before, but the Protégé seemed like exactly what I was looking for. Six years and 95,000 miles later my Protégé runs just as well as the day I brought it home, and is still just as fun to drive. All I do is keep up with oil changes, and keep putting new tires on it. I’ve replaced the brakes once. This car has been amazing. Would love get a the new Mazda 6, but find it hard to get rid of the Protege when it still feels like a new car.

• 

  A Great Purchase ! - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By 1960vw - July 7 - 10:00 am

  A great little car with plenty of pickup! Very roomy for two adults front and two in back. Very good gas milage.

• 

  Mazda is sooo underrated! - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By lonestar - June 1 - 10:00 am

  Purchased a leftover 2003...cant believe it was still on the dealer lot. Havent owned a Mazda in 14 years...and had forgotten what I was missing, obviously. Selected the Protege over the Civic and Corolla.

• 

  This self biodegradable rust - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By monsieurmarc1 - May 29 - 3:53 am

  This self biodegradable rust and so we do not see the rust when it is too late, its awful, if you see surfaces with rosettes loan goest indicating the rear wheels of rust, the outline of wheels it is too later. One year after the car is good for parts, water ready drivers foot hole in the floor and in the trunk, too rusty to be repaired and this morning the windshield broke the rusty structure was break the fast, the car is good for parts, total loss caused by rust, the vehicle design is the cause it destroys itself, can resist the normal duration of a vehicle in a Canadian winter , calcium and abrasive on the roads

• 

  Expensive upkeep! - 2000 Mazda Protege
  By Protege LX_Owner - May 21 - 4:56 am

  I bought it when it had 12K miles and the car was practically new. I took good care of it; changed oil on time within 3-5k miles - depending on my driving habits, routine maintenance and BRAKES (more on that later) etc. Over the past 8 years of ownership, the car has been very reliable but with a cost! My service receipts so far have totaled up to about $3,800 to date - thats an equivalent to $45/mo or $542/year!! The costliest thing ever to take a toll on the receipts were the brakes; during the course, I have had eight (yes, thats 8!) brake pad replacements which included rotors and rear shoes every other alternate times. The upside: at 125K miles, the car still runs like new.

• 

  02 Protege - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By jetskier111 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Been a great, fun and reliable car. I really enjoy the look of the exterior and the interior has done extremely well. It runs solid and true, may not be the fastest out there, but then again that wasnt its goal! If your looking for something that isnt a driving appliance- has reliability and is safe, check this one out.

• 

  The 1990-1994 Proteges are better - 2001 Mazda Protege
  By ProtegeOwner - April 22 - 10:00 am

  The new Mazda Proteges are ok...but they are way underpowered. I have a 1994 DX which is a 1.8L SOHC 4 cylinder. My SOHC engine, which is only 103hp just right out murders the 1.6L DOHC engine thats in the new Proteges. I was very disappointed in the 1.6L when I test drove it. That engine had no pep or pick up at all. Whats with all that Zoom Zoom talk when the new Proteges do not have any?!?!. The First Generation Proteges are far better than the new ones.

• 

  My Car - 1999 Mazda Protege
  By Mavis Gardner - April 13 - 10:00 am

  My Mazda has given me good service. It has never stopped on the road nor caused me any concern. I always take good care and get maintenance when necessry,

• 

  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.

• 

  car review - 2000 Mazda Protege
  By Alfredo148 - April 4 - 2:00 am

  excellent small car for the value offered.