(5000 mile update at bottom of review)

I had recently sold my 96 M3 and my old ford ranger was getting less and less reliable. I was on list to take in a 02 M3, but probably not until late next year. I needed a cheap, gas miser that would satisfy an enthusiast - I wanted a daily drive that wasn’t a total bore to drive. My ranger still runs, and did not need another truck.

I purchased a 02 Protege5 with a 5 spd. manual tranny and a moonroof as the only option for $16k. With TT&L and a dealer optional 6 year 100k mile warranty, the car was less than $19k. I was also able to take advantage of mazda's 0 percent financing over 36 months. It all worked out to be a great deal, and I will be able to save plenty while I wait for the new BMW. Insurance costs on the Protege5 are very reasonable, even with my high rates.

When shopping around, I looked into the Civic ex, Olds Alero, VW GTI and Jetta, Ford Focus, Acura RSX, Subaru Impreza, and Toyota Corolla and Celica. I drove several mini-SUVs - the Tribute/Escapte, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan XTerra - all about $10k more than the Protege5 when equipped and all rather sluggish and sloppy when driven hard - typical cheap SUV stuff. The new Chevy Trailblazer really impressed me, but the one I drove was $28k sticker. I also looked in the Mustang and Camaro/Firebird - but without the v8, they really are pointless. The Mazda won over the competition based on its outstanding value.

Before I start with this review, let me warn you that this is the first economy car I’ve owned in a very long time. I anticipate a move in the near future that will give me a long commute and a trip "back home" once a month or so that will necessitate owning a miserly economy car. Over the past several years I have owned several performance cars and recently I have learned the virtues of German automobiles. I have also co-owned other mazdas - a 3rd Gen. RX7 and two Miatas, all of which were mostly track cars. My ideal car for a daily commute would be an 89-91 model BMW M5 (or a new one ;) , but economics didn’t fair well, and I wanted something that required near zero maintenance. So I will review the Protege5 with a heavy bias on performance, but will try to be as realistic as possible.

As for the competition I list above, I quickly ruled out anything over $20k. So I didn’t even consider the Celica, RSX and the Subaru. (But I did test drive them all) I would like to say the new RSX was the most anticipated of all of these cars, and I would have paid more for it had it not been incredibly disappointing. The RSX handled poorly and was very front heavy. Especially considering one could not be had for less than $22k. It was also rather dull to look at and the engine and tranny were not $20k+ car status. Maybe the Type S was better? Regardless, the Subaru WRX was what really surprised me. A great handling car, with enough power to satisfy most folks, at around $26k. Unfortunately it was more than $10k greater than the Mazda after TT&L. The WRX seems to get lots of press as a competitor to BMWs and Audis, but let me tell you, although the WRX is a great drivers car - handles superb and acceleration is good, its no BMW. The turbo lag hurts and the interior is cheap and although it handles well its no where close to.. oops, sorry, were reviewing the mazda here. (But seriously, if you have less than $30k and want a real enthusiast’s car - check out the WRX, I would).

Objectively, the Protege5:

Engine: This is the cars biggest weakness. The 2.0 litre 4 banger needs to be revved hard before this car will move. It compares solidly against its competition. The civic ex and olds alero v6 engines were much smoother and refined (but not at all faster), the focus and corolla were far behind. The vw 2.0 was comparable, the 1.8 turbo felt racy, but watch the numbers and you’ll find it’s not reality. The Protege5 somehow carries itself as a "sporty" car. It just doesn’t live up to that image with its current configuration. With all the hype surrounding four wheel drive cars and larger output engine these days, its surprising Mazda didn’t try for something more impressive. Then again, for its price - it actually is quite impressive. A contradiction that’s hard for a guy like me to deal with for sure :)

Handling: Nice and fairly stiff. Better than expected. Typical FWD car characteristics, but it does track reasonably well and is more or less predictable through turns. There is only minor nose dive when braked hard. Cornering is sharp but requires steering or tranny correction when not perfect (and the weak engine make it hard to get perfect) - but it does lend itself to tight cornering, if only the engine didn’t require so much shifting. Regardless, it handled _much better_ than all of the other cars I tested. (Although due to dealer constraints, I could not be perfectly objective with my VW test drives. VW salesmen are wimps.) There is a Mazda coil over setup available for this car (not sure if its on the option list), but without a more powerful engine I couldn’t really see the point. Also, I have heard that this car tends to "float" around in heavy winds. I have not personally experienced this, but the car is very light in both weight and feel.

Steering: This is where this car really shined. The leather wrapped three spoke wheel (standard) was fairly thick and feedback was good. Rack and pinion steering was quick and precise and the power assist was rpm sensitive. No other car it competes with comes close.

Transmission (manual 5 speed): Shifting was precise. I like shifters that are somewhat notchy and I do not like the low, short throw "sport" shifters that are sold to boy-racer wannabes who just don’t know any better. With that in mind the Protege5 delivered a respectable gear box, but some others will not agree with me - I assure you they just don’t know better. The clutch however is very light weight and feels almost toy like. A heavy duty clutch would really help this car. Its easy to understand why the clutch is so light when you figure in the fact that the engine is so weak - I find myself doing lots of downshifting. Overall the tranny is better all of its competition except the honda civic.

Braking: 4 wheel discs are standard. ABS with side impact air bags is optional at $800, dirt cheap. I didn’t opt for this but wish I had - for no other reason that they are a good value and add a nice safety feature. Braking is good and linear - this car is very light. Other cars in its class did not come close, the focus and honda were close though when equipped with 4 wheel discs and abs.

Interior: I was really impressed with the fit and finish of the interior. Power everything is standard (most cars in the class are not). Stereo with CD is standard (most cars in his class are) but sounds flat. Seats are firm but side support is missing. I’ve always been unimpressed by Mazda’s interior build quality, even our RX7 had quality problems inside - but the Protege5 is very nice. Everything fits well, the carpet and seats are of good quality, and the ergonomics work well. My only complaint would be the cheap feel and placement of the cruise control, which otherwise works fine. The interior compares well with the honda and corolla, and is much better than the alero and focus.

Exterior: I predict most people will purchase this car based on its good looks, great exterior build quality and clean lines. The front air dam and clean light assemblies (front and rear) give this car an expensive and fast look. In reality it has neither of those virtues, both good and bad. Everything fits together very well; however the door and window seals were lousy - but comparable to the other cars in this category. Wind noise over 70mph was very high (yes, with the moonroof closed). The exterior build quality was comparable to the VW Jetta, which is very impressive indeed (with the only exception as to the door and window seals).

Overall:

Of all the cars I’ve bought over the years, this was the hardest. Not because it wasn’t a great car, but because the competition is thick and this was not a car I "wanted" to own, but rather "needed" to own. Oh yeah, did I mention the engine was a little weak? ;)

If you have an extra 10 grand, look into the WRX. If you have an extra 10 grand and are more into status than driving, check out the RSX, which should be easy to own and operate. If you are in my category (less than $20k) - also check out the honda civic - in ex trim it is very nice. After ruling out the WRX, I really expected to buy a Jetta. Having owned BMWs and Porsches - there is nothing at all German about the Jetta. In fact it was even more disappointing than the RSX, and its very expensive.

Regardless, all of these cars have very minor differences - I based my decision on my driving preferences and yours will be different. So test drive them all.

Some advice when buying a Protege5 (or really any car):

Never buy a car the first day you look at it.
Never buy a car without seeing it during the daylight.
Never trade in a car to the dealer, try to sell it outright. A dealer will rarely give you more than you owe on a car if it is not paid for.
Although the dealer will complain that the markup on these cars is only about $700, it’s pure BS. You should be able to talk them down at least $500-800.
Get the ABS and side air bags, nickel and dime them on the price and proclaim how they safety should come standard.
Always come to a deal close or at what you want, then demand an option or less down. When they refuse - leave. Don’t come back for a day or so (not the next day). These cars are commodity and they will most likely keep one with the color and options you want. You’ll be amazed at how much easier they will deal with you the next time you drop by.
Make the dealer throw in the floor mats at no cost to you.

Ive found this is an easy car to be happy with despite its flaws. When making my monthly payments I feel even better :)

Cheers,

Street

--- 5000 mile update ---


Typical MPG: 29 (My commute is 99% interstate)

Everyone tends to love this car. I recently took a long trip with 3 people in tow and for the first time in my life, no one complained about comfort. I also like the fact that, unlike civic and corrola owners, I don't see a car like mine every time I drive around the block (at least not yet).

At about 3000 miles, the check engine light came on. The Mazda dealership (Diamond Mazda of Baton Rouge) was very polite and helpful and was even patient enough to explain everything to a wanna-be wrench head like myself. The problem turned out to be an emissions control device that was not working properly. The dealership picked the car up and had it back before lunch with everything fixed. Best service I've ever gotten, this warranty stuff is cool and it lasts for 100,000 miles :)

I have to admit I am totally amazed by the way this car handles and controls. The more I drive, the more capable I find it. On the interstate, in heavy traffic, there is no problem finding your way to the front of the pack - just make sure you keep the engine revved up over 4 grand. Sure, this is what sold me on the car - but I am continuing to be impressed every day.

------------------------

Amount Paid (US$): 16300