2001 Mazda Protege ES from North America - Comments

Nothing.

However, I replaced the rear speakers, where were blown when I bought the car last fall.

The 2001 version of the Protege retains the performance and handling of the '92 Protege LX that I had before.

Purchasing a five-year-old used car with 97,000 miles on it was not difficult for me because I had a good experience with my '92 Protege, because the Japanese seem to have an edge in reliability and longevity, and because this car is just plain fun to drive.

This car is sporty, inside and out. The styling is more aggressive for 2001, and the ES features white-faced gauges that are easy to read. At night these are back-lit in red, which is easier on your eyes than white or blue because it allows your pupils to remain open for better night vision.

The interior of the 2001 lacks some of the features that, while minor, were nice touches on the '92. Gone in 2001 are the European-style hollow headrests and marker lights on the doors. And the cup-holder is poorly designed -- in this this case, one size doesn't seem to fit anything. The '92 cup-holder pulled out of the console and provided a deeper, more stable grip.

Gas mileage with the twin-cam engine (1.8-liter in '92, 2-liter in 2001) is poor for a car in this class. I'm lucky to make 20 mpg around town, and seldom crack 25 mpg even with highway driving.

However, I don't log a lot of miles per year right now, so I can live with less gas mileage and more performance, which I certainly get in this car.

I don't know, but it's kind of written by a real cool used car salesman or some rice rocket nut.

Yeah, a car salesman is really going to tell people a subcompact gets 20 mpg.

The review is real, the poster is just enthusiastic about the car.

I am not a car salesman or "rice rocket nut," though I stand behind my comments regarding the Japanese advantage in durability and longevity.

As my beloved uncle said many times -- he has owned a GM dealership for nearly 45 years -- Detroit lost its "can do" attitude because when challenged by imports and regulations, Detroit's response always seemed to be that they could not do what was being required. As he put it, "eventually, they began to believe that, even though it wasn't necessarily true."

My first four cars were American. Mercury, Ford, Chevy and Pontiac. I touched all the bases before going Japanese; I did my time. Don't EVER call me a nut for rice-burners!

Mazda is one of the good marques -- like Nissan, they're cheap on the used lot and provide good service with reliable features.

I'm just a guy who likes a small car that's fast, dependable and loaded with features.

Hello, I had 1995 Olds Cutless break down and now it needs a timing chain, and possible valves redone making the repairs if both need to be done around $2500, of which I do not have money in hand to do. However, I need transportation. I stated the previous because, I am looking at a 2001 Mazda Protege with 74,450 miles from a used car lot and noticed that mileage stats on paperwork in car (previous owner left with car manual) stated something like 26 miles city and 31 highway. You state above that your city mileage is bad. I guess I wonder after reading all comments and if I purchase this Mazda am I going have the same lousy gas mileage. Or does this car still give you decent gas mileage if you maintain in properly. I have done some research on this car and that has brought me hear to this site. However, if anyone can assist here I would appreciate it.

Mazda had three or four versions of the 2001 Protege on the market. If you are looking at a plain version, your gas mileage probably will be better than mine (an ES with a 2-liter engine). Also, I drive relatively few miles per year, mostly locally, so that also hurts my gas mileage.

Perhaps I've been lucky, but reliability has not been an issue with either of the Mazdas I've owned over the past 10 years. Both were bought used, five years old, and both have been 100 percent reliable (with proper maintenance).

I will say that with proper maintenance, reliability has faded to a relatively small issue with modern cars. The advent of fuel injection and the ongoing perfection of computer chips means your car will start, be it a Hyundai or Mercedes.

I do my own oil changes -- not because I have to, but because it forces me to look under the hood every 3,000 miles, more or less. If a belt is worn, or a CV boot is torn, I see it and fix it before it becomes a bigger problem.

With the soul of a sports car, Mazda definitely rules...