Quality engine, very little maintenance, excellent first car choice

not enough leg room in back, carpeting is not great, no tachometer even for auto tran, needs a little more kick

This was originally my dad's car. He bought it in 91 and ever since then, we take it in for scheduled tune ups, and had to replace a distributor cap adn that's it. The engine is very reliable. Bought it for 13000 Canadian including tax I think.
Now I got the car and my dad's buyin a new one. Ever since I got the car, I've been putting it to it's limits. Cornering above 45k is a little scary. It feels like you're about to roll over. After that, acceleration is a little laggy. Great for the city usage. Very economical on gas. Nice interior. I like the handling although it doesn't have power assist, it's still pretty good. Wind noise is bad. Couldn't here stereo when windows are rolled down. I wish I had AC but doesn't really matter in canada. Just heat. Haven't had a crack windshield till 2 months ago, which is pretty amazing from all the rocks flyin everywhere during winter. Lost 2 hubcaps. The clips are jsut pathetic. The rear door seals have to be replaced. It has cracks in it. Paint is jsut about to fade adn rust spots are starting to appear. Nothing a little touch up paint won't fix.

I would highly recommend this car for beginning drivers. It's a budget conscious type car for students, the engine keeps you from getting a lot of speeding tickets and it's nice to drive within the city where beginnners usually drive anyways. Good handling, good brakes, nice looks. Primed for upgrades if you want to. Why not, the engines' gonna out live you anyways.

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None

*Heavy Duty Motor (simply can't be killed. The car has 175,000km (around 105,000 miles and the motor starts every morning of February at -30celcius. No click, no bizarre noises. Simply one of the best 1.8 litres in the industry)
*Great on fuel (afert 8 years, still at 650 km with 45 litres)
*Roomy (for a sub-compact, it's hard to find that much room)
*Very nice front seats for long driving
*Ok handling

*Wind noises are a real pain
*Car becomes dangerous over 130km/hr even if the motor can take a lot more.
*Rear seats somewhat uncomfortable
*Brakes should be better

Not particularly fun to drive, not very powerfull, quite noisy on the highway and interior is so-so. BUT WHAT A GREAT MOTOR!!!! If you're looking for a very dependable car to drive in the city and once to twice a month on the highway, this is the car you need. It's not a sporty car but, in my opinion, it's possibly the best sub-compact on the market. Mine is now 9 years old and I intend to keep it for at least 3-4 more years.

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Nissan Sentra, Nissan Altima, Honda Accord

reliability, fun-to-drive, great looks, did i mention reliability?

weak stop-n-go power. can't do jack rabbit starts. but above 60...look out baby!

i am the original owner of this 1990 SE 4-door model, that was the introduction year of the protege. paid $10,300 out the door with Auto Trans option! yea, pretty amazing deal. i don't know where to begin, but let me say after 10 years, the only thing i had to change was the front CV BOOT rubber part because the rubber started to crack last year! i did the routine 3k oil change, and 4 year tired at 60k mile, i also had the brakes worked on, due to age. I guess what i am trying to say is there are NO PROBLEMS whatsoever. Now, the amazing places i've been to with my baby -- got the car in Alaska, and during my 8 years there, i never once had any problems starting -40 degree temp, my car was soo realiable that i often jump started other ppl's NEW cars, in winter i've taken this baby up 30 degree icy hills in search of x-country trails and in summer i've driven this car like it was a rover defender as i've navigated thru deep woods and backcountries in search of the perfect fly fishing spots! when i got relocated to hawaii, guess what? i had to transport my protege with me, so i moved from dead of winter alaska directly to 90 degree plus hawaii, guess what? the car was a champ! no problem! even though i dont have the A/C but i still survived hawaii. once again i took the car to sandy beaches in search of the mighty ulua shore fishing. no problem! after a year in hawaii i was relocated to southern california, guess what? that is where my mazda is right now. i've drive 85+mph on the I5, gone to wine country, etc. many times i forget i am driving a 10+ yr old car. the engine is as strong as ever. i've been lucky to have driven exotics like modena and boxers, but to be honest with you, i prefer my protege as it does everything so well. i'm also an audiophile and i am very pleased with its stocked stereo cassette system.
I don't know how long this car can last, but from the looks of things, another 10 yrs. I swear, Mazda Motors should ask me to do their commercials.
oh yes, i just remembered that i had to replace the muffler as my year and 2 months stay in hawaii rusted out the factor muffler.
what can i say? I am simply amazed by this car.

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honda accord, corolla

The mileage is terrific, 28 city, 32 freeway (70 mph, a/c off) It fits into any parking space, and low speed manuverabilty is excellent. It doesn't look like every other car on the road. The seats are exceptionally comfortable, and very supportive. The handling is superb. Mid and top range acceleration are very good to excellent. The o/d lockout works flawlessly. Basic, routine maintenance is very easy. Parts are readily available on the internet. Climate controls are very logical. The horn button is in the center of the steering wheel, where it belongs !

It could definately use more rearward seat travel. The lap belt is very poorly thought out, very difficult to fish out from between seat and body. Repairs are made very difficult due to very limited access space under hood. Parts are expensive. Acceleration at low speed is inadequate. The carpet was trimmed to narrowly, consequently it is constantly coming untucked from door sills. The rearview mirror is mounted too low. The steeringwheel gets dangerously hot in the summer. (A fabric cover is manditory.)

I got a terrfic bargin ! The car was sold to me for $1,500 below Kelly Blue Book retail price of $7,200. (I made a cash offer.) I absolutely adore this car. I would recommend it to anyone.

I did have a mechanical problem, this was due to the exceptionally low milage on the odometer. The gas tank had tremendous rust, which took out the fuel pump. I expect a problem or two with a used car. The local dealer is a complete rip off, in my opinion. I am pursuing action against the dealership.

I remain delighted with the car. Mazda did a great job. This is the perfect car for around town trips. It is also excellent for trips of less than three hours duration. (At least until I find a way to modify seat rearward travel. But then, I am over six feet tall.)

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Toyota Carina (a rare model.) They are comparably reliable, and get similar milage.

Durability, styling almost like a downsized version of a Mercedes-Benz particularly the read end. I like the large tail lights and they do glare.
Great gas mileage. Very reliable haven't had any problems whatsoever!!!!
Very roomy I like the 60/40 split rear seats, cruise control a real must for a car of this size. Love the power windows and door locks. Folding mirrors a real plus Better warranty and a pleasant dealership not like Toyota or Honda

Need more power tends to lack in speed.

Yes, I would recommend this car to my friends and family. I never come across a car that is so reliable and dependable. Too bad it's not offer in a coupe like the Honda Civics.

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With all the standard features much less than an optional package deal from Toyota and Honda. Have a 1987 Mazda B2200 pickup very reliable and dependable

This is a great looking car, with great feel, a great stereo system and not only that but its fast. The handles on this car are better than the ones on my mothers beamer. The stereo system rocks.

Brakes are a little shaky, but they arent bad. Thats all I got to complain about so far

The stereo system is better than the "special" audio systems installed on the Ford Mustangs and Focuses. Those cars are not even comparable to this car. This car is fast, has handles, and it fun to drive. Not only that, but it comes at a bargain price of only 15,000 for this gem. GO OUT AND GET ONE NOW!!! My sister had one and it lasted her 3 years and its runnin just as it did when she got it! Please! The choice is simple! heh. The only other comparable car is the Honda Civic, but everyone in the entire world has that car and its not even as good. Protege's rule

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Honda Civic, Acura Integra(Dont try it if you are over 6'2")

Styling, colour and space for a little car. Excellent miliage on hwy. We did 526km on 34 litres. In city I get around 400 or so with 34 litres. Had it for over a year...no problems. Looks like a very realiable little car.

1.5 is noisy and accelerator is quite abrupt when gear shifts. A bit scary taking the corner on the hwy. Rolls a fair bit. Not enough umph for hwy driving when you need to overtake those 18 wheelers. Got to do some major planning.

We look at the blue book (red book) and got an idea of the current market value. So for $12500 Canadian it wasn't too bad. It's excellent for city driving but not so on hwy driving. I an avid fisherman and an avid camper. My gf and I do alot of up north travelling in our little car. Not to mention garage saleing. We have put so much stuff in the car and on the roof. We bought a universal roof rack from US wally mally. Our next vehicle is going to be a Subie Forester or the Outback(months of research). Can't wait to have one. Will keep the Mazda as a second car or until it breaks down of if it ever will. Highly reconmend for city use.

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More roomier then others in its class. (Civic, Toyota)

STYLE:
- compared to other cars in this class (Sentra,Corolla,Civic)the Protege really stands out.
- A "cute" look, but a muscular stance--flared fenders, lower profile tires and very sharp looking 5 spoke rims on the ES version.
- Emerald Mica looks very sharp.

RIDE/DRIVE:
- Really like the sporty (Firm) ride!
- Steering is very crisp, direct.
- Car feels planted to the road. This can be attributed to the performance orientated tires on the ES version (Bridgestone Potenza RE92-P195/55R15) and the front and rear independent strut/coil suspension, with two stabilizer bars
- Brakes are very nice. They require some effort (when compared to the
2000 Sentra SE), but with the ABS and the Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBFD), you stop with a lot of confidence!

ENGINE:
- Loves to rev!
- Adequate torque.
- Does not compain when worked hard (actually likes too).
- Sporty sound.
- OK on gas (30 mpg on highway).

INTERIOR:
- Lots of leg room, both in front and in the back!
- Front head room is awesome, even with the optional sunroof. - "Simple", no nonsense look.
- Guages are very ledgible and lighted green at night-easy on the eyes.
- The steering wheel is thick and sporty and the shifter fits in
my hand almost perfectly.
- Radio sits high on the dash. Don't need to take your eyes off the road
for long periods of time to adjust radio functions.
- Standard radio/CD sounds very nice. You can hear it even with the sunroof open and all the windows open.
- Fabric choice throughout the inside is very tastefull. I realy like the fabric inserts on the door!
- Driver seat is very nice--it can be adjusted 6-different ways to fit almost any driver.
- The seats are firm. Those without much "cushion on their seat" may find them uncomfortable, but for me they are perfect.
- Headrest can be adjusted high enough to rest your entire head on and do
a better job against whiplash in an accident.
- 60/40 folding rear seat to expand the already large trunk space.
- Big windows.

QUALITY:
- I was very supprised with how solid the car felt. When you close the
doors there is a high quality "thud" (it sounds better than my dad's
Maxima).
- As mentioned before, you feel planted to the road in this car. It feels
very solid at any speeds.
- Build quality is very high. This is one of the few "import" cars that is actually imported from Japan and I think that makes a difference.
- Even though the Protege is a "compact" car, with the large interior
dimensions and the solid feel of the car, you feel very safe driving it.

MISC.:
- Side mirrors fold.
- The paint is very nice.
- Trunk is large and even comes with a light.
- Standard 3 year 50,000 mile warranty AND roadside assistance!
- Body colored bumpers.

- There is a "lag" in the engine when you shift gears, between 1st and 2nd and 2nd and 3rd. If you are dogging the engine and shifting before 3000
RPM, the lag will be pronounced. Shifting over 3000 RPM the lag vanishes. For me I have had to change my driving style and rev the engine more to get optimal performance from the engine.
- Could use some more torque.
- High revs at highway speeds: When going 60 mph on the highway the engine is running @ 3000 RPM. But the engine is fairly quiet about it.
- Tire noise: The Bridgestone tires are noisy on the highway and the noise resonates to the back seat.
- Climate control: Small dials and they are a bit low on the dash.
- Even with the rebate, the price was a little high.

This is the first New Car I have purchased and I realy did a lot of homework! I needed a car that was reliable and economical. For a long time I was leaning towards getting the Nissan Sentra. It looks good, drove very comfortably, great engine (SE), does great on gas and it too felt like a very solid little car. But there was something about it that didn't settle well with me. Maybe it was the lack of a sporty ride I craved. Or maybe it was the heavy feel of the car. It could also have been the cramped interior dimensions.

I had always liked the look of the Mazda Protege when they redesigned it in 1999, but I thought they were overpriced. When I saw in the begining of August, Mazda was offering a $1000 rebate, I shifted my attention from the Sentra to the Protege. For the same price of the Sentra SE I was looking at, I got the Protege with a sunroof, anti-lock brakes and side-impact airbags. I paid $15,500 (after rebate). The only options I didn't get were the spoiler and foglights.

I am very gald I chose the Protege because it fit my driving style.
The Protege is a responsive Sports Sedan, with very smooth moves. It handles the twisties nicely and doesn't complain doing so! The engine is great--it loves to rev and won't punish you by pushing it.

If you are looking for a dependable, roomy, sporty, fun, good looking compact car, I would highly recomend the Mazda Protege ES.

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'85 VW Jetta (sporty ride, but very unreliable), '95 Honda Civic EX (nice solid car, very reliable, weak engine).

Very reliable car. Handles very nicely at 120 mph. Has nice acceleration at high speeds. very fun car, nice looking body style.has taken a beating with road racing,daily driven 60 miles per day put its still going very strong.Its a hondaeater, love my protege.

1 and 3 gears are alittle weak. replaced c/v joint 2 times,mazda can do a better job of making more after market products to add more power and dust the hondas.

paid 11999 after all said and done. I would highly recomend this vehicle to any one who wants to live life to the fullest.

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honda civic ex/lx/dx ,92 sentra,2000 protege dx

VERY Reliable Car. VERY Quick Car. Power, Performance is great for this car - hands DOWN if you see a 1994 grab it. Just a fabulous model! Can actually hit 130MPH+!!! on stock engine.

Now with 140,000 miles, I have problems with AC. Nothing else negative to say! Car has been a dream! BEST car I have ever owned. I have put over 120,000 miles on it and it has been a very reliable friend.

Where do I begin? This great friendly car has been in my life for several years now. I have replaced the CV Joints, Timing Belt, Belts & Cables. (ALL PM work) THAT'S IT! It has NEVER failed to start! It has NEVER left me stranded! It has NEVER had problems! (Try that with a car made today or an American compact) The car is quick, responsive and economical! (I have 5-speed) I get 30+MPG easily and this engine has 140,000+. Original clutch with no problems. I cannot be happier with the quality of this car. Sure, the features are low, the seating comfort is minimal. But, how lucky I am that MAZDA decided to cut corners on the seats AND NOT the engine or parts quality! There is no possible way that you will not be BLOWN away by the reliability and performance of this car! IT WILL ALWAYS BE MY FAVORITE.
As they say in the industry, they just don't make them like this anymore! If you need an opinion on this car, if you find a 94 get it!

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