2002 Mazda Protege LX review from North America

Paint chipped all over.

I had this as a rental this month after my beloved Camry was totaled by a hit-and-run driver.

It is a pretty good car, especially great for my long (~50 miles round trip) commute. It got pretty good gas mileage, for the amount I drove it. However, I understand other cars in this class get even better and I only have the mid-size class to compare it to.

The ride is pretty stiff, but the handling is very responsive. Road noise was pronounced (although that's typical for a compact).

The automatic transmission isn't so hot though, as it seemed I had to do a good deal of revving before I picked up speed. Then, when I did get up to these ludicrous highway speeds it shook and rattled all the way. Despite this, it was an absolute BLAST to drive. And to be fair, such hard acceleration probably would have killed the engine on any of the other cars in the same class.

The Protege is a great looking car, and I wasn't ashamed to be seen climbing out of it. The car was roomy enough for me and all the junk I had in it, and the seats were comfortable enough for a compact. However, the radio reception was pretty poor and gave off some kind of static even when it was turned off.

It took the rough treatment I gave it, so I'll probably be back when I can afford the insurance! The insurance rate on this car, especially for young people, is a BEAST!