Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  Mazda Protege Review - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By cliff9826 - August 29 - 2:00 am

  Car has sharp turning radius. Can pull into parking area with no problem at all. Car has good pick-up speed. Love the sound system. Lots of trunk room. Good car overall for the price. For taller driver lots of head room. Nice stiff handling. Only problems are that its not comfortable on long rides and I dont see where its great on fuel, I only get 250 miles on full tank of gas with all highway driving.

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  I love my 2001 Protege ES - 2001 Mazda Protege
  By Orbital - August 15 - 10:00 am

  I traded in my Golf GTI for this car and I have no regrets. I love driving this car, it doesnt ride as nicely as the Golf but the handling is far superior. All of the standard features are nice. But, the stereo in the Golf was far superior, even in 1995. Why Mazda uses cheap speakers is beyond me, but they are lousy and I will change them immediately. But I love my car!

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  Zoom-Zoom Protege - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By Cars4me89 - August 15 - 10:00 am

  This is a great value, except it needs a bigger engine and it really need a leather seating option(or vinyl).

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  Fun, safe car---saved my life! - 1999 Mazda Protege
  By ZackieLibro - July 23 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 99 Mazda Protege LX used in July of 2003. 3 weeks later, I had a horrible accident with it. The car was totalled, but I walked out with only bruised ribs. The seat belts, air bags, & crumple zones worked great! The cops said they couldnt believe I wasnt badly injured, given how severe the accident was. I loved my 99 Protege. It still drove great at 70K miles. I loved the car so much that I bought a used 2000 Protege to replace it. This is a great little car!

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  This isnt your typical Ford-based Mazda - 2000 Mazda Protege
  By moichman - July 23 - 10:00 am

  Ford controls Mazda as you know, and a lot of previous Mazdas were Fords in disguise. And Ford had a BAD mid-90s run in quality, making Mazda just as bad. The Protege is made in Japan by Mazda, and it shows. Not one day of problems. Easy to work on myself, brakes made it 40k before changing, styling is good. Interior rattles are annoying, but it was a new body style this year. Starts every day, cold or hot. Original tires were dreadful, but upgrades have solved poor-weather handling dramatically.

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  GREAT, SNAPPY & SAFE HANDLER - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By BOB FISHER - July 4 - 2:26 pm

  This compact is wonderful to drive. It has great appointments, lots of room and comfort for front and back passengers. The upholstery is very serviceable. The drop down rear seatbacks allow me to carry 8 2X4s when needed. I tried laying down to see if I could sleep in the car, but the trunk section is about 3" lower than the seat backs and the top of the opening to the trunk is not high enough to clear me lying on my side with an air vent under me to cushion the drop-down into the trunk. Oh, well. I miss my van, but the 28 mpg average is not hard to take. I love this car.

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  Pleasantly surprised - 2003 Mazda Protege
  By Puzman - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Downsized from an MPV, which I didnt really like. Protege is VERY fun to drive for the $. Power is better than expected, given the reviews. I never feel that it is underpowered, and what car couldnt use more HP? Handling, braking, and steering are phenomenal (though the ride is a bit stiff at times). The Laser Blue Mica color is stunning. Only complaints are minor- needs tinted sunroof and more sound insulation

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  Great Car For the Money - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By mung35 - June 4 - 9:00 am

  After having gone 1500 miles in the last month in this car, Ive come to know it fairly well. It has a lot of zip and performs great in all conditions. Awesome cornering and acceleration, great build quality and everything feels like it was made from premium materials. With that said, it has a few quirks. Clutch makes a strange noise when engaged below 1500 rpm. Also, fabric of the seats charges up your clothes and you so that the car shocks you everytime you reach for the door. Gas mileage isnt up to par with the Honda/Toyota counterparts; however those two lack the zip necessary to make a car fun. Being a previous Civic owner, I can vouch.

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  I Recommend the 5sp Man DX - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By Marty - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Got this car for $12K after factory rebate and negociations(A/C and CD included). Fun to drive. Good fuel economy. Makes my wifes 97 Altima seem sluggish. Brakes are very good. Handling is very good and gives a real sense of confidence. Takes a few weeks to become accustom to the stiff shocks. Seats are comfortable but seem to be of cheap build quality. Mazda appears to have great customer support.

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  I Recommend the 5sp Man DX - 2002 Mazda Protege
  By marty - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Got this car for $12K after factory rebate and negociations(A/C and CD included). Fun to drive. Good fuel economy. Makes my wifes 97 Altima seem sluggish. Brakes are very good. Handling is very good and gives a real sense of confidence. Takes a few weeks to become accustom to the stiff shocks. Seats are comfortable but seem to be of cheap build quality. Mazda appears to have great customer support.