1997 Mazda Protege LX review from North America

Replaced spark plugs and got a new Battery.

Needs new sideview mirror

Wipers will not park.

Rear trunk keyhole will not work.

Power lock button does not work.

3 scrapes.

Cracked windshield.

That's it!!

It is a reliable little car!! The only incentive that made my Dad buy this car was it was cheap. 2500 dollars CDN.

It is a beautiful red and has a neato spoiler.

The car is peppy and accelerates well and handles very good with the 14 inch rims.

The only things I do not like about the car is...

The cup holders.. What a joke??!! Can't hold a coffee cup or a large glass..

The wiper arms are attached to the motor by means of a nut.. A nut?!?! I had the D*mn thing unscrew on me when travelling on the highway and it was raining!! I have a GM Chevrolet Citation and it has a spline so it does not slip or come loose!!

The throttle is waaay too sensitive and it is hard to keep a constant speed. For this reason, I use the cruise whenever I can. If the car is in park, just tapping the throttle makes the rpms jump to 3000.. Maybe I am just being picky or am used to driving the Citation more...

The engine can get a bit noisy and shaky whenever it goes past 4000 RPM. Nothing to worry about though..

I like the exhaust note when the rpms are arounds 4000 or higher. And no, it does not have any of that riced up crap, it uses a bone stock exhaust..

Simply put, this is a nice reliable little car that gets GREAT fuel economy and is GREAT in comfort. I really like the flexible steering wheel and the feel of it..

The Seats are bucket and have VERY good support. The only thing I HATE is it does not have an armrest on the right. If that center console is supposed to be it, then it is the poorest excuse I have ever seen..

I really like the seats.. They have good lumbar suppor as well as thigh support. I am a bit of a small person and although the thigh support is good, it may not be for taller people..

Steering is tight. Has a good grip and road feel.

The suspension is good and it is tuned more for confort than handling and I like it.. I usually travel over bumpy roads and it is excellent.

Braking is very good.. It is better than the Aerostar and emergency stops without locking the wheels are superb!!!

I need to state that the car was abused.. The sideview mirror has been broken off and there are 2 scrapes in the car. There is one on the rear bumper too.. On the top of the driver's side door, you can notice a dent where someone tried to get into the car after locking their keys in.. Come on!! If I locked my keys in the car, I'd pay a locksmith to make a new key and it would cost approximatly 40-50 dollars. It is better than smashing the window or putting a dent in, both which are VERY costly to repair..

Again, I want to emphasize that this car is one of the bestest bang for the buck. I swear, I only pay 25 dollars to fill the tank and it goes a loong way!!

Good job Mazda..