The car is notably too new to have developed any marked problems, but I have noticed a squeak from the right rear suspension when going over bumps in the road.
Get ready for an extensive rant and rave folks! This is detail...
The exterior and interior appearance of this car is brilliant; I.e. really cool. Aside from that, however, I've been disappointed with many of this car's characteristics to date:
There is no usable center arm rest. The storage bin they have in between the seats is too low and short to have any use as an arm rest, and that's a LAME, uncomfortable design.
The lock mechanisms are outdated and incredibly stupid -- You can't rest your arm on the car door with the window down, as the lock pokes you right in the arm. They should have put the locks as part of the door handle (like in my old Nissan Sentra), NOT on the top of the door.
The engine is noisy and unrefined, hands down. Starting it up in the morning sounds like you're running a diesel engine, and that flat out sucks. It's also underpowered for a car Mazda wants you to think should compete with the likes of Subaru's Impreza, Honda's Civic, Nissan's new Sentra (particularly the SE-R), etc.. It looks vastly better than all of those cars (especially the Civic, which I think is the ugliest car Honda has ever produced in modern times).
The transmission is NOT as nice as my old Nissan Sentra's -- The Protege's shifter (apparently made by Ford; no wonder it sucks), is notchy, and, even worse than that, is geared to be wasteful, loud, and incredibly annoying. An engine RPM of 3500 at normal, boring, freeway speeds!? (70 MPH) Not only is the engine noisy at that RPM (as if it's quiet any other time, anyway), it's also a waste of fuel in a time when *saving* fuel is what we need to do here. In my perhaps not so humble opinion, I think Mazda engineers were morons to set up a gear ratio in that range for normal driving speeds. EVERY other car I've ever seen drives at around 2500 RPM at 70 MPH: What the hell was Mazda thinking? Scratch that -- I guess they *weren't* thinking.
And another thing regarding the gear ratios: What's up with the speedometer going up to 140? NO WAY the Protege is going up to 140 when it's already whining away at 3500 RPM at 70 MPH. Thanks for nothing in that regard, Mazda. The high RPM level at relatively low speed is my single most hated characteristic of this car. It's bad, really bad, and Mazda should be served with a class action lawsuit for wasting our fuel, money, and shortening the life of the engine because it has to work so comparatively hard at slow speeds. This represents a gross and negligent lack of care for matters that should be simple common sense.
The speedometer is labeled in weird, 20 mile increments. 65 MPH, a standard freeway speed throughout the nation, isn't labeled at all. You have to sort of approximate where that is. Good one, Mazda!
The rear window defogger works slowly, and has no auto off timer (My Sentra did).
The driver's seat belt was improperly mounted -- It has an extra twist in it that's both unsafe and uncomfortable.
The charcoal black interior color looks really cool... until you try to keep it clean. Anything and everything, like lint, hair, etc., shows up right away on every surface. That's going to be problematic, to be sure.
Things I really like?
As said, it looks awesome. Well done in that regard.
Safety equipment is nearly as good as it gets in any car: 4 wheel disc ABS, side impact airbags, belt pretensioners, child safety locks in the back, child safety seat anchors, etc.. It's rated well in impacts.
The seats are comfortable.
For a small car, the Protege is very roomy, both in front AND back; a rare, and appreciated, characteristic.
Power everything: Awesome.
Instrument cluster at night is lit in cool, soft red overtones which are easily readable. The only thing cooler is the VW Jetta's blue lighting -- Never seen anything cooler than that, personally. Too bad VW's are so expensive and historically unreliable (reflected by the absolute worst warranty in the entire auto industry).
And speaking of warranties, the 3 year/50,000 mile bumper to bumper Mazda backing is better than the industry standard. That's a good thing; You might need it. The jury's still out on my particular car as I haven't had it long enough to discover its true problem areas. Time will tell...
If the ergonomics are so bad, then why did you buy it?
I tend to be rather critical and make due note of things that reflect poor engineering, but, indeed, perhaps the tone of my previous post might have better been rendered with more temperate disposition.
That said, despite its many shortcomings, the Protege is still a fun car to drive, in general.
Other specific reasons for the purchase:
There are no competitors in terms of appearance. It combines elements of European styling with modestly aggressive lines that epitomizes my personal preference in a vehicle look. I wish it wasn't the case, but I think the new Honda Civic is heinous. Dang did they screw that great car up. The Toyota Corolla is among the most boring automobiles currently available. The Ford Focus? That's the ugliest car I've ever seen in my entire life (and it's woefully unreliable), and I can't believe there's even a single person on this planet who went out and voluntarily bought that thing with their hard earned money. God help them! There are no other cars in the Protege's class that even compare in appearance, save perhaps the new Hyndai Elantra GT, which looks like a Saab in my opinion. That's a cool looking car.
Mazda has established the Protege as a reliable vehicle. The FS-DE engine, despite its terrible lack of refinement, should hold up well. Body hardware, electrical components, and fit and finish should prove worthy of the investment. Comparative contrast: Chevrolet Cavalier. That car sucks in every way and should be an embarrassment to modern vehicular civilization.
I'm not a racer or hot-rodder by any means, but the Protege handles very, very well. It affords excellent outward visibility of your surroundings. It also incorporates nearly every current safety feature that can be had in a car, is rated very well in impacts, and I secured these features for a price that couldn't be touched by any other worthy manufacturer. I'd have otherwise had to pay a lot more. That carries a lot of weight in my book, so the Protege won my primary consideration and ultimate purchase based thereon.
As I said earlier, other than the lame (pretty much non-existent) center arm rest, and the sad door lock placement, the Protege is quite a comfortable car. It has a larger feel on the inside than any other in its class. That's good.
Now I have to reiterate the things that flat out suck in this vehicle:
The engine is extremely noisy, and such is a characteristic that surprises me from a Japanese build. I'd expect lack of refinement from, say, Ford or Dodge, famous for obnoxious 4-cylinder engines (read, Neon for instance), but not from Mazda. My old Nissan Sentra (GA16DE engine) has always been exceptionally smooth and quiet (it still is-- I haven't endeavored to sell it yet). Flat out, it's a great engine, and exemplifies refinement, efficiency and reliability. I expect the 2 liter engine in my Protege to be equally reliable, but it won't do so with the same civil smoothness that Sentra's 1.6 liter engine did. I've also had rather extensive experience with the Nissan SR20DE 2 liter engine that came standard in the somewhat legendary SE-R Sentras of the early 90's, and that engine also outclasses the Protege's without batting an eye. Starting up the Protege from a cold state continues to resemble the wonderful clanking of a diesel engine, or maybe a garbage disposal with a spoon in it. That sucks and Mazda should be ashamed for releasing an engine that poorly rendered.
The transmission is totally unacceptable. It's a bit notchy feeling, but that's not the problem. The problem stems from its total lack of mating to the engine. At normal highway speeds you're *way* over the industry norm in RPM's. I've never seen anything like it: 3500 RPM at 65 MPH. I smell Ford's influence here: "Let's throw one of our transmissions, not specifically designed for the Protege, in this car on the cheap and save a few bucks. Who cares about efficiency, quiet operation, or engine longevity?". The parties responsible for this transmission should be flogged, or at least publicly berated by GreenPeace fossil fuel conservation apologists.
The bottom line regarding this car and my purchase choice: Life has to be a series of compromises. For lack of anything else in the price range that I could afford in a new car, the Protege was the best balance of what I wanted. That's why I bought it. That, however, doesn't give Mazda a free license to light fire to my vehicular dreams. The Protege has some pretty serious shortcomings and I'd buy something else in a heartbeat if there were any other worthy options. The Honda Civic is a better car, but it's too expensive and is too ugly. Let's not even talk about the Ford Focus, shall we? I'm gonna be sick! Corolla-- One word: Boring! Hyndai-- They haven't established a documented record of reliability, so forget them. As said, I otherwise like the new Elantra GT, though. Dodge, Chevrolet (anything GM, for that matter, including Saturn), Daewoo, Kia-- They all suck and I refuse to waste my time or money on them. Nissan is also too boring these days, except maybe for the 'soon to be re-released' SE-R. That's too expensive in any event. Subarus are cool but also too expensive, and, to boot, I dislike the look of the new Imprezas. Those round headlights are a big "R" for Retarded. All European makes are too expensive, and I wouldn't yet consider the cheapest available European cars yet; Volkswagen. VW's used to suck beyond comparison, then they were mediocre at best, now the latest Passat is above average (thanks to VW cannibalizing Audi technology, not their own). VW has also improved their warranty to extend beyond the industry standard (a move I consider quite excellent). They still haven't proven themselves for long enough to be worthy of one's trust and money, though, so forget them.
Except for that persistent squeak from the rear suspension, to date there have been no mechanical problems with 1850 miles on the vehicle. This is a trend, based on my pre-purchase research, that I expect to continue for as long as I own this car...
I have come to feel that the purchase of my 2001 Protege ES was among the best I have ever hade. Having researched every other car it its overcrowded class, I came to the now brilliant decision that this car was the best for the money.
Nothing beats the Protege as far as looks. The new headlight and bumper design changed its look from "sleepy" to "just plain mean." Having seen the MP3 model with its lowered suspension, I can honestly say that it is the most bad-a** looking small sedan on the market.
The car is over a year old now, with a little over 18,000 miles on it, and I have had no major problems with it to date. Sure, the dark interior gets dirtier than other cars I've driven, but the interior design and the incredibly comfortable seats more than make up for it.
This car is so comfortable to drive. I'm 5'8", not big by any means, but my daily 6'4" passenger constantly remarks that he's never been more comfortable in a small car. I can ferry four average sized co-workers to lunch without a peep of discomfort from the rear passengers (even with the 6'4" guy up front!).
As with every other review of this car, the power train is my only complaint. My automatic is peppy enough, but 3100 RPMs @ 70mph is a little too "revvy" for my tastes. I've driven a Civic Si and the new RSX Type S... revvy is OK if you're getting an output that's worth it. 130HP is not worth the engine noise/fuel economy I experience. The gearing is weird, and you really have to wonder who decided to mate this engine to this transmission.
My only problem with this car (mechanically) so far is a strange floating shift point that often lets the engine rev too high before finally shifting, or downshifts at the wrong time. I'll be seeing my mechanic about this condition next week. Other than that, the hardware has held up excellently, there are no squeaks or rattles to speak of, and everything electrical works like new.
I would gladly buy another Protege if the transmission was re-geared to an "appropriate" range, and if everything else about the car stayed exactly how it is (with the exception of the auto-stick transmission on the 2002 Protege ES...I'll take that).
A follow up to previous review statements:
Now going into the 10th month of ownership of my Protege, I will add that it's a fun car to drive. It continues to handle better than any other car I've ever driven (except for a Porsche Boxter S). This is an admirable characteristic.
With nearly 10,000 miles on the vehicle now, only two problems have been noted: There are rattles from both front doors that I haven't been able to determine the cause of (I'm counting these as 1 problem), and the brakes do not stop the car smoothly. When making modest stops (i.e. not hard braking), it's noticeable that the car jerks slightly as it slows down (with the transmission also in neutral, by the way, so it's not drive train induced).
I determined that the trunk squeak mentioned earlier was due to the particle board flooring rubbing against the metal back of the car. I repositioned it and eliminated the problem.
Other than these issues, my Protege ES has mirrored the exemplary reliability noted by Consumers Union, and that which I expected from the beginning when I made my purchase.
Other things I've continued to note:
The engine is still noisy, especially when you start it up from a cold state. Very irritating.
The center "arm rest"/storage bin continues to be useless-- It's just plain sad design.
Fuel economy doesn't measure up to others in the small car class. The new Toyota Corolla, for instance, is a smaller engine (1.8 liter), yet it delivers the same horsepower and provides superior fuel economy (40+ highway). Current Mazda engine design, from an efficiency and noise standpoint, is sub standard in the Japanese vehicle segment. Honda, Nissan, and Toyota-- They all build much better engines. Period. The Protege's engine, while reliable, is very annoying and inefficient. This will hopefully change then the new MZR engines are released in North America with the Mazda6 mid size sedan/5 door/wagon. We'll see.
The ride quality is stiff and uncomfortable on long trips, punctuated by that bloody lack of a center arm rest.
The design placement of the lock mechanisms was chosen by a complete and total ergonomic moron (as was the center armrest). I love superfluous redundancy.
The engine runs at much higher than necessary RPMs at standard highway speeds. I continue to be shocked that Mazda saw fit to design the Protege with this sad transmission configuration. I hate it. Shifting has become smoother, however, as the transmission has been broken in. Hondas still feel better, though.
The paint and windshields are easily prone to gravel damage; much more so than my last car, a 1991 Nissan Sentra. This bodes caution to potential buyers.
The Protege looks *awesome*. There are NO manufacturers that match it. Still. Even with the new Corolla. Oppositely speaking, the Mitsubishi Lancer is almost as ugly as the Ford Focus, and I find the it the second most ridiculous car currently being offered. It's not recommended by Consumers Union, either. Go figure!
Roominess is a hallmark of the Protege that has been matched by the new Corolla, but it's still a great feature of the Protege.
Despite many of its shortcomings and my lack of hesitancy to speak of them, I still look forward to driving this car when I hop in. It indeed is a good car, in general. I will, however, consider the Mazda6 and other mid-size vehicles soon. I insist on quiet, smooth, comfortable driving, and I'm just not completely getting it with the Protege. I also want leather, and Mazda decided we don't deserve that option in the Protege sedan; even their top trim ES, which I own. If I may be bold enough to speak frankly, that omission *really* pisses me off...
I Love your review! I rolled on the floor laughing as I read some of the comments you made about those morons. You should write for a car magazine. Awesome writing!!!
Honda Civics are awesome cars, and aren't ugly. I happen to own a 2003 Honda Civic EX Coupe, and everywhere I go, heads turn.
If the gear ratio is that much of a problem for you, than why not consider the five speed manual with an overdrive gear?
I have a Protege ES and I agree with everything you said. The gearing however stupid, is not that different in a Civic EX or VW Golf. They both run about 3500 rpm at 120km/h. It's not as noticeable because the Civic has a smoother engine, and the Golf has much better insulation.
One thing I've noticed on my car is that the stock 16" Dunlop tires grip well, but have poor noise and harshness performance. There are a few Grand-Touring tires out there that will make the car noticably more comfortable. You can safely up the size to 205/50/16 for more options and longer gear ratio. To top it all off I've been getting better fuel mileage out of them and they wear slow and even.
There is a fix for the cold start noise as well. There's a system on theses cars called VTCS that opens tumblers in your intake manifold to optimize cold weather performance. You can unplug it without much consequence, and the rough idle will go away.
When my dad was looking for a new car (to replace his '77 Oldsmobile 98), I recommended he look at a Toyota Corolla, me being a die hard Toyota fan. To be honest though, the Corolla is a ho-hum car with a large price tag attached to it. My second opinion was the 2001 Protege ES 2.0L, and he bought it the same day. My dad doesn't drive a lot, (only has under 40,000km on it now), but he absolutely LOVES this car! Compared to the Corolla, he got a lot more for his money, and it still was priced less than the Toyota. I am seriously considering purchasing a Protege for my next vehicle when (or if) my '88 Toy 4x4 pickup dies.
I simply wanted to point out that an engine turning 3500 RPM is doing less work than one pushing the car the same speed at 2500 RPM. And in a gasoline engine, torque and horsepower usually peak as they approach the red line. So high revs at highway speed is usually good for performance and durability.
As for the 140 mph speedometer, Mazda isn't kidding about that! Ever heard of the Mazda speed package? It includes a new computer chip under the hood and a car equipped with this will bury that speedometer.
I had a '92 Protege LX with a 5-speed for nine years. That car had no overdrive and turned nearly 4000 RPM at 75 mph, the prevailing speed of my commute at the time. I really liked that car; it had a lot of performance, handling, and nice interior touches such as European-style hollow headrests and marker lights on all four doors. And everything always worked, right up the 138,000-mile point, when it was totaled by a hit-and-tun driver.
I replaced it with a 2001 Protege ES 2.0, which is nearly identical in its equipment to the '92, but a bit less refined inside -- no marker lights on the doors, no hollow headrests, poor cup-holders. But this car has the same outstanding performance and handling as the last one I owned. And I'm loving the keyless entry -- I no longer have to worry about putting my key in the lock.
About the only knock on either car would be poor gas mileage. I do a lot of local driving, which puts me below 20 mpg. If I get out of town and onto the highway, I can push that up to perhaps 24 or 25 mpg. I expect a drop-off in economy in a twin-cam engine, but this is pretty poor, even considering the performance.
Great review and comments. I wish all carsurvey reviewers would give such a great commentary. I'm looking at buying a used 2001 and your comments really let me know I should go sit and make sure it has a comfortable feel to it.
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