Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  Great car at a great price - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By chumly - September 28 - 4:24 pm

  I bought my Protege 5 in January 2004 for $13,900 due to its being replaced by the Mazda 3. Im on my 7th year and it has been a great car! I have 160,000 miles and Ive had few issues. At 120,000 miles it started running rough and I found that the hose connecting the airbox to the intake was cracked. It cost about $90. At 100,000 miles I replaced the timing belt, belts, hoses, water pump for about $1000 through the dealer. Other than that it has been basic maintenance and has been very reliable. It now needs new struts, but otherwise works fine. I hope to get a few more years out of it.

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  Protege5 - Pretty Good So Far - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By Troy Winston - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Since I have only 3000 mileson this new Mazda Protege5, I cant comment on overall reliability.I can give a basic review. Handling is good for a car in this class. Fun. Exterior design is top notch, and FAR superior to its peers like the Toyota Matrix. Interior is nice with decent quality of materials, and with a great sound system, easily besting its competition. Some weak elements are the front strut tower brace that I can bend. The only real gripe I have is that is certainly does NOT deliver "zoom zoom". Its 130 HP motor is a pathetic performer that does not rev willingly to its peak at 6k rpm. I should have got the 3 model that just released.

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  Fun car, but unfixable problems - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By mike187 - May 18 - 7:00 pm

  This is by far the most fun vehicle I have owned. Looks cool and handles awesome. I bought new and planned on owning it a long time. I properly maintained this vehicle from day one. At around 20K my MP5 started having problems. Squeaks from the front and rear suspension over bumps. The rear noise was fixed, but after multiple visits the front was never fixed. During warm weather, the vehicle smells strongly of coolant. The radiator was replaced, but it still smells of coolant. The auto-transmission leaks -- multiple visits, multiple attempts to fix, still leaks on my floor! Worst of all, the car intermittently would die after pulling away from a stop. Looked at many times. Never fixed.

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  Get one while you still can - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By mkaresh - January 14 - 2:00 am

  Great looking and very fun to drive. The engine is powerful enough to be fun with the manual but not so powerful that its easy to get into trouble. Steering and handling are outstanding. The interior looks much nicer with leather. Its roomy for such a small car--I currently have three child seats in the back. Engine a bit rough and noise levels are relatively high at highway speeds. Ride can be busy, but better than my test drive led me to expect. Overall, an amazing car considering how much I paid ($13,343 with ABS, leather, and sunroof).

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  Zoom Zoom Zoom = Fun Fun Fun - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By Joy joy - August 13 - 2:00 am

  Purchased my Protege5 six days ago, so I cant say much on reliability and build quality quite yet, but it is fun to drive. Very peppy and stiff handling. The options dont cost an arm and a leg either. Good wind noise protection, but bad road noise at 60 plus mph.

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  Cant complain - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By Tammy - July 12 - 7:36 am

  Have 27,000 miles on my car and needed new tires. Cost over $700 to replace... ouch! I like the looks and feel of this car and no troubles except has had problems staying in alignment. Choppier ride than I care for but Ive been in worse cars.

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  MAZDA fun - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By ray&kay - May 9 - 10:00 am

  We recently bought a MAZDA protege5. After test driving the MATRIX and the Ford Focus this was our choice. Sportsy car, nice suspension and lots of standard options. Cargo space is a bit small for a wagon, but it keeps the car small for parking. Lowering the back seats gives you enough space. Nice mixture of wagon, small SUV and sportsy car.

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  i like it! - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By funcommuter - May 9 - 10:00 am

  solid ride, not the greatest acceleration but awesome handling. This car is definitely fun to drive.

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  Best all-around sport compact - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By Lamsock - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for over a year, and its been great. I havent driven that many total miles (<10k), but its been rock-solid. Not one problem. Unlike Mazda3 (Ford), Protege5 is made 100% in Japan, and it shows. Quality is so far beyond anything made in America- even at much higher prices. I find the Dunlops are adequate, as long as you drive with care in inclement weather. In dry, trust me, theyre like glue. EXTREMELY fun to drive! Not that fast, true, but since the revs are high most of the time, you almiost always have a decent amount of power on tap. Ride is firm, but never harsh.

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  What you need to know - 2003 Mazda Protege5
  By Phillyguy - January 13 - 5:40 am

  This is a great, reliable car with snappy handling. I average about 28 mpg here in Philly driving 50/50 city/highway. Im at 35K with no maintenance issues so far. Still on the original Dunlop tires. Wont go for the Dunlops as a replacement. The tires are an odd size and only a few companies make an exact all-season match. Switching to a 205 profile seems a good compromise although mileage will drop a little bit.