2003 Mazda Protege 5 review from North America
"Versatile, reliable, economical and fun"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Nothing.
General comments?
I really love this car. I've been a devoted VW guy for a good while and decided I was tired of visiting the mechanic so often. It's bright red with very classy black upolstery. I think the fit & finish of this car is top notch.
The handling is better than any of my Volkswagens. Very tight and more German than Japanese... very BMWesque, I think...
It could use a little more oomph, but I like getting decent gas mileage. It makes me feel a little better about driving a car from an environmental stand point.
I test drove the Honda Civic, VW Golf, Hyundai Elantra, Subaru Impreza and Ford Focus for comparison. The Protègè won me over hands down.
The folding rear seats are wonderful. It's quite nice to be able to haul that much cargo. I jokingly refer to this car as my "SUV".
Overall, I would highly recommend the car. It's truly the best I've driven.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 2003 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 liter 4 cylinder. Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 28 miles |
| Most recent distance | 7950 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Jetta |
| Date of Entry | 22nd June, 2004 |