2002 Mazda Protege ES review from North America
"Beats the pants off a civic or corolla"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
There was a TSB that was easily and quickly fixed by the dealer. it was a minor clutch problem that was noticeable, but didn't interfere with operation.
General comments?
If you're looking for a Japanese economy car, the Protege is head and shoulders above the rest. I sold my old protege (a 1990 I had in college) with 225,000 miles on it, and seriously thought about buying it back with 240,000 miles... it was that good. it never gave me an ounce of trouble, and I didn't even treat it that well.
I've had my 2002 ES for 64,000 miles now, and I can't say enough good things about it. my only complaint is that it could use a smoother, more powerful engine, but the interior is great, the suspension is wonderful for a $16,000 car, and the brakes are the best I've ever used. they are amazing. and it looks a lot better than most Japanese economy cars.
You can't go wrong with a protege..."zoom zoom zoom" is not just a slogan!
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| We got a lemon |
|
| Nice in a lot of ways, but overall unrefined and illogical |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2002 |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0L Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 4 miles |
| Most recent distance | 63000 miles |
| Previous car | Acura RSX |
| Date of Entry | 1st December, 2006 |