Used 1997 Mazda Protege Consumer Reviews
Great fuel economy and reliable too.
Simply the best little car you could ask for. 5 speed shifts great, has sporty handling, has been super reliable (only a water pump in 5 years). Best gas mileage of any small car of its vintage with the 1.5L engine. Great for short trips but seating is not comfortable for me or the kids. Good layout of controls (It's a Mazda). No A/C and the car is super hot in summer due to non-tinted glass. Ours has manual windows but no problems with interior hardware to date. Everything still works. Engine was been great, passes emission test every 2 years. Not good in snow due to low sports-car like ground clearance.
Bamaleo Mazda
Do not expect great performance. Slow to speed. Best design of its category. Reliable
- 1997 Mazda ProtegeMSRP: $3,9901,152 mi away
Excellent subcompact car
This car has performed well---good balance between cost,style, economy,and comfort. Good AC-needed here in South Texas all year. Good value. Some irritating problems after 100000 miles, nothing major. Will buy a Mazda again.
The 1.5 liter, what a mistake!
Its a good all around car, but its not an enthuesiasts car, at least with 1.5 liter it isnt. It has the most body roll for a car its size, I know of SUVs with less lean. But its very reliable and well appointed. If you get this car, a 2nd generation Protege with very slow 92 horspower engine, at least get a 5 speed to entertain your self.
A Car That Makes Sense
Not only does the car have highly functional dash, it also is visually pleasing... The Protege doesn't seem like your regular cookie-cutter small car... The tiny 1.5L engine is capable, and sometimes suprising with the 5- speed manual... The back seat has good leg room and the trunk is rather large. I have owned this car for a year, put 20,000 miles on it, and have had no major repairs... any repairs needed were easily done within 5 to 10 minutes... Consider the LX or the slightly more expensive ES over the DX model...