1996 Mazda Protege LX review from North America
"My fuel efficient reliability icon!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I've had to replace the muffler and exhaust pipe at about 110,000 miles. This compares to 3 times that I had to complete this with my Honda Civic DX.
The airbag light flashes intermittently. This is a dealer only repair... which I'm afraid to find out how much this will cost.
General comments?
This car has been a model of reliability. 148,000 miles and I'm still driving with the original clutch... with no slippage. Even with the high miles, I'm still getting 38 mpg with highway driving. The car has not used any oil and always starts with the first turn of the key.
The 1.5 liter needs to go about 3200 rpm to travel at 70 mph. It is also weak when the air conditioning is on... especially if you are climbing a hill. Expect to down-shift in such a situation.
I'm currently shopping for a new car and the Protege is on the top of my list of small economy cars.
Recommended Reviews:
  | Economical, practical and comfy |
| Quick, reliable, and fun to drive |
All 1996 Mazda Protege reviews
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.5 Manual |
| Performance marks | 10/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 100 miles |
| Most recent distance | 148000 miles |
| Previous car | Mazda 626 |
| Date of Entry | 29th April, 2003 |