Used 2002 Mazda Protege5 Consumer Reviews
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Great Bang for the Buck
This car currently has less than 1000 miles, but I am pleased thus far. I don't think you can find another car of this variety that offers the features and style given for the price. My car was one of the first built, so were a couple of minor problems that were probably corrected in later builds. This car loaded came in about 4000 less than a WRX. Granted it lacks the HP and AWD, but if you are going to be carrying a child, it causes you to drive a little more sensibly. ;-)
P5, not your fathers station wagon
A great car, fun to drive, nice to look at. I keep telling my wife a bought a station wagon, she says it is a sports car, who is right, maybe both of us. Some people say it could use more power, but for everyday driving it has more than enough.
- Base WagonMSRP: $10,975579 mi away
- Base WagonMSRP: $2,5991,022 mi away
- Base WagonMSRP: $6,9951,027 mi away
King of the sport wagon
I recently traded my 1999 miata ls in for a loaded 5 speed protege 5. This car is awesome. I get more looked and asked more questions about this car than my miata. I worked for a mazda dealership for almost 4 years and now work with BMW, but would rather be with mazda anyday. This car has great comfort, handling and so many features available. I truly believe mazda has a better product overall than honda and toyota, but just doesnt have the nameplate. I love my car and i think anyone that has one will agree it is a best buy in anyones book.
Zoom Zoom Zoom!
This is a great for the money. My wife owned a 2001 Acura CL 3.2 Type S prior to the Protege 5 and she loves it. The Mazda has half the power and a fraction of the luxury but is great to drive. The handling and look is sporty and the quality is top notch. We drove the Toyota Matrix and the Pontiac Vibe before driving the Mazda. The first two were thousands more and in our opinion were no more superior. Mazda really seems to stand behind there product also, with a great warranty and a commitment to customer satisfaction. We would highly recommend the 5 for anyone looking for a sporty compact wagon with the heart of a sports car.
VIVID YELLOW
I own a SAAB 9-3 Turbo if that means anything but I still find myself asking my girlfriend for the PR5s keys all the time to run errands. Interior/exterior design is excellent and in yellow it looks fast and fun; chick-magnet color. The PR5 - in standard form - still lacks the power for the enthusiast; it'll still beat a factory Civic don't get me wrong. As a side note: It's a shame people don't see (BUY) the utility and functionality of a 5-door sedan; i.e. Mazda6. Bottom line: 40 more horses would make this car a must-have sportswagon. Mazdaspeed says that their turbo kit is now available; Id wait until the warranty expires first.
Great!
This is a really great little car excellent fuel economy and fun to drive has cd and everything you need love the hatchback!!!
Excellent car
This is a wonderful car. After driving many other models, the MP5 was clearly a superior vehicle. It is fun to drive, great looking, comfortable and the quality is top-notch. It handles like a dream. The ride is a bit rough and it is a tad noisy, but these are minor complaints. Overall, this is a great buy.
Couldn't be happier with my Protege5!
I wanted a sporty hatchback, and was choosing between a couple of Subarus and Toyota Matrix at the time. Protege5 styling was very sleek looking in 2002, and nice looking chrome alloy wheels and low-profile Dunlop sport tires sealed the deal. The only problem I had with this vehicle was with the headlights. There was some kind of electrical/wiring issue there necessitating frequent replacements. Other than that, it's a dream to drive, performs very well in braking, acceleration and overall ride comfort for a relatively small car. The engine isn't that powerful, but I have a 5spd so you get the nice Zoom Zoom experience anyway. Love this car!
Things I have notices
On the whole, a great car. I took the car on a long road trip with no problems. Handling is amazing. I got this car fully loaded with 5 speed and all the extras including crome wheels, moonroof and deflector, cargo tray, 6 disk changer. I added a killer aftermarket alarm, paint protectant and dark tint, and it looks sweet with the silver paint. The weaknesses are all nit-picking.
Wife wrecked one with 4,100 miles
Wife was rear ended by a Honda CRV going 45 MPH afer she had stopped for an accident on the I 285 Beltway around Atlanta. CRV hit the rear, ran under Protege5, tiping nose into the ground. The car's frame collapsed perfectly, and even though not one piece of glass was broken, and all doors would open, and the car would run, the car was totalled. My wife received a sprained neck and back and only missed a day of work. She was sick that we could not get another car just like it. Our dealer worked hard to fine one 400 miles away and we are going to pick it up. This car is not only fun to drive, but protects you as well.
great value on great car
Great car for zipping around town. Fast enough with the 5-speed. Maybe it 'cause I had a '88 Volvo brick, but I don't thik this car is underpowered (the Volvo was underpowered...). Fit and finish are very nice for the price. Lot of stuff comes standard. Can't lose w/ 0% financing.
More power to me
I love this car. I've owned sports cars suv's everything. This has got to be my favorite. I had a guy in a Jag tell me how nice my car is. I can't believe the looks it gets. And the handling is superb. All I ask is just for a little more power. Other than that who cars.
2002 Mazda Pro5
This car is awesome! This is my second Protege (first one a '93). Fun to drive. Definitely top quality build. I have the silver car with silver wheels, and it gets lots of looks and comments...
An Excellent Choice for The Perfect Car
I personally feel that this is the car to have. I traded in my 2001 civic with 43,000 miles on it. Anyone with a new civic should get RID of it, they are GARBAGE, my tranny went at 26,000 miles. Wheel bearings went at 35,000 miles. If you have a new civic, trade it in for this car, trust me!! The P5 is such a smooth ride, sporty look, great handling, quiet on the inside, fun to drive, especially with the sport mode tranny, and the perfect car for just about anyone.
Happy
I am happy with our choice. We got the car with moonroof, ABS, side airbags and alloy wheels for $16,750. Excellent value. Fun to drive. Pretty big inside, even for my 6'7" frame. My biggest beef is that the car has some wicked interior rattles on the highway. They drive me crazy. I will be taking it in to the dealer to take care of these. Also, you absolutely cannot store anything in any of the storage compartments without them rattling. A power point in the cargo area would be nice. Right front cupholder is unusable if you need the 12 volt power point at the same time. Handling is awesome. Would have liked a 175 hp version like the Matrix/Vibe.
Love My Protege5
This is an excellent vehicle. I don't think it is underpowered like the press does. I think the styling is better than the Matrix or Vibe. I have removed the roof rack, and the ride, noise, and gas mileage improved considerably. I have noticed a rattle in the front passenger door. On the plus side, I find the seats to be very comfortable. Given the wheelbase, wheel and tires, and suspension, the ride is somewhat harsh but the handling is excellent. Note that the tires develop a slight flat spot after 24 hours and need 5 minutes of driving for the ride to smooth out, so don't judge the ride before that point. I would buy this vehicle again in a second!
One recurring problem
I was initially happy with the car. The handling was superb and it suited my needs. However the odd size tires 195/55 16 are hard to find and expensive. The worst part has been the brakes. The left rear caliper siezed after 18 months and was fixed under warranty. I have had the same problem occur two more times in 7 years of ownership. I have replaced the rear rotors twice and the rear calipers once in 80,000. Plus 2 sets of pads and a rebuild of the the seized caliper twice. This is an unacceptable issue in my mind. My benchmark is my 1994 corolla that had zero problems in 120,000 miles.
Great Car
I own a muscle car (Mustang 68 Fastback) but needed a new daily driver. Tested the Vibe, Matrix, and Corolla. Car handles the turns almost as the car I sold 240SX Nissan. Read all the reviews by the mags as well as USA Today's ... the car has more than adequate power. Can handle highway inclines without downshifting or losing power like the cars I tested. Matrix with the 180 horses doesn't have the torque power at the 30- 70 range of the Protege 5. Plus, I didn't want a car that gets its power at 6,000 rpms ... too noisy. I'll take the Mustang for that, plus that's much faster.
Protege5: Good, not great
I had a 99 VW Jetta before buying this. Especially for longer distances, can't beat the Jetta for comfort, style and fun. The Protege5 is a great looker, but doesn't have the nice interior touches (lighting, seats, Monsoon stereo, materials) of the Jetta. It's MUCH lighter everywhere (doors, panels) and doesn't have the heavy, German clunk feel of the Jetta. The Jetta's ride is much smoother...the Protege5 is tuned to feel the road - a bit too much - but it does corner great. But so did the Jetta.
Great for the kids
Bought this car for my new drivers and I have been very happy. So far, it's been reliable and served them well. Great extras and good handling make it a fun car to drive. Lots of room for stuff too. The stiff suspension takes some getting use to. It's not a cushy ride at all. For going back and forth to school it's great !
bobngretchen
great car wife loves it
20,000 and counting......
I've had my mp5 for almost a year and I love it. The build quailty is great, no squeaks or rattles, and the engine has run flawlessly. I drive around 50 miles per day, on country roads, and get 28 mpg. It's a great looking "economy car" for money.
Lots of bang for the buck.
I live up here in the Great White North so I have the Canadian version of the P5 Only options A/C, Auto, Moonroof. Got them all. Total out the door $27000Can now thats a Great price with all the with all the standard options included...PS, PB(Disc),PW, Airbags,CD player, ABS, Speed sensitive steering etc etc. No other car offers so much. I tried the Focus ZX3 but found it to be a very badly made vehicle although the engine/transmission setup was better. I would suggest a K&N filter to improve power and gas milage.A good $40 investment.
love at first sight
I love the car to death. I found it handles great, gets great gas mileage, and is lots of fun to drive. This car is also very practical, makes going to work almost fun.
A good experience
The only real negatives about this car are in the performance and maybe the size, although interior space appear to be plenty for most people. All the car needs is about 20 more horsepower to compete against other cars. This car is absolutely fun to drive. The gear ratio is a little on the low side which suits city drivers well, I guess.
Awesome Bang for the BUCK!!!!
A loaded car with moonroof, ABS and side airbags for 17200.00 is a hell of a deal in my book. I have read many reviews and the complaints seem to revolve around three issues: Power, Stereo, and Roof Rack wind noise. Why buy a car with 130 HP and an engine under 2000cc and then say it has too little power? The car has plenty of get up and go. The stereo is not the greatest, however, that is easily corrected at your local stereo dealer. The wind noise is not too bad. Sure when the moonroof is open at 70 MPH it gets a little loud, but thats natural. In a nutshell, this car looks great, is fun to drive, and wont break your bank.
iamz's review
With the P5, Mazda gave me the form I was looking for and did not sacrifice function one bit. Some have complained that the 130 horses and 135 ft-lbs of torque tucked under the hood, are not enough. Well, I have not found that to be the case. The torque comes in nice and low and churns out nicely. The handling is near perfect. It seems at times, the harder you push the P5 into a curve, the more stable and flat she becomes.
Great little car
Great car fun to drive. Handles like a Nissan Maxima but the price of a focus.
Zoom Zoom... You bet!
Went from a Winstar to this!!! We might miss the extra space, but that's all. This is a fun car to drive and it's comfortable even with the kids in the back! They love it too. We've found it to be quite versatile so far in our use.
Zoom-Zoom
Price, comfort, looks, ride...what else do you need? Maybe a turbo charger or about 32 more horsepower under the hood. Mazda, also needs to update their choice of speakers, they are terrible. Well, to the good stuff. Brings the fun out of any parking lot or congested traffic. This car drives like a go cart, which adds to your confidence and really brings the child out of you that can get you in trouble at times (Maybe its a good thing that there is not turbo charger under the hood?) Winter is coming, which will test out the car in different driving conditions. The low profile tires look great. Overall great car for under 20 G's.
Hubby has the last laugh . . .
I was drawn to the P5 from the first moment I saw it. Prior to that, I had a Matrix in mind.On the road it's obvious The P5 is a superior looking automobile. The P5 was the smartest choice we could have made. Loaded with options & priced lower than anything in its'class.I found the ride was strange at first, because I was used to a more plush ride in our Concorde LXI (o.k.-my wifes' car) Also, because I had never owned a Mazda before. Now I look forward to hopping in every morning and zipping to work. My wife is equally impressed & has asked me if I want to switch off and take the Chrysler some days. I have to keep myself from giggling, "that's okay honey, I'll take the Mazda . . .
Pro5
I was skeptical at first of the Pro5, since I was in a Z3 prior to, but I was pleassantly surprised how much fun it is to drive! It handles like a sporty car (not quite a sports car) but is still very practical for hauling and storing for long trips. It is extremely economically priced including several options. I received all options I wanted and still kept it around $21,000. I highly recommend the PROTEGE5.
Fleet Manager
I am the Fleet Manager at a Mazda dealership in Seaside california. I have so many customers asking me to get this car into inventory that I can't keep up sometimes. It targets a broad audience and handles like nothing else.
Finally A Spriting Affordable Wagon
Absolute blast to drive and I get comments often on how good looking it is. The downside it's not as well built as our 2001 Honda Civic. The protege5 has more annoyances at 2,000 miles than our Civic at 13,000 (these include windows that go up an down at different rates, some squeaks and rattles, and the drivers side window makes some weird sound.) The engine is adequate with lots of lower end torque, but kinda fights rev'ving in the higher rpms. I just think its first year quirks that'll hopefully be addressed.
Zoom Zoom...Cheesy but true!
Bought the 2003 P5 last month after 6 months of research. It's exactly what this single gal needs! Got rid of a Miata and Saab for my Protege5 (loaded, w/ leather, roof, 6-disc the works) and couldn't be happier with the price, performance, and handling. Highly recommend this versatile, sporty, and (gasp!) economical ride!!
Bang for da buck!
Sure, you've read all of the other reviews and they all said how great the P5 is. Well, guess what---they are ALL true! I've owned a 99 civic Si and let me tell you, I think this, overall, is more fun to drive than my Si. This is probably the most fun to drive car I have owned since I had to get rid of my 1990 RX-7 Turbo. Well imagine that. The RX-7 is a Mazda to. Coincidence? I don't think so. Do yourself a favor. Go buy straight to your local Mazda dealership and BUY THIS CAR! I guarantee you won't regret it. Oh, my P5 is silver with ABS/side airbags/4- speed shiftable automatic transmission (cool)/and pwr moonroof, plus all standard options.
loved and lost
This was my first new car and wow,not what I was expecting. The 2.0 four cylinder feels more like a six,maybe thanks to the five speed attached to it. Handling that feels like a little sports car, thats what my insurance company said too. Great audio system and overall lovability. But like most cars it couldn't handle black top, but loved ashalt and black top is where i wrecked it, thus loved and lost.
Sporty Station Wagon
When looking for a new car my husband still wanted something fun and sporty, me being more practical wanted something more family oriented for our new infant son. Then my husband introuduced me to the MP5, it's perfect! It's fun and sporty... our vivid yellow MP5 is really an attention getter and doesn't feel anything like a practical family car, but with 4 doors and a roomy back seat it's the perfect combination of fun and practicality. Our only complaint is the power but if you take it out of overdrive it gets a little more power for in town driving. This car is a must buy in addition to being fun and practical the price is great!
The Best Sports Wagon for the Price
We bought this in Delaware because none of the NY dealers could/would get us the Vivid Yellow one in the Summer of 2001. Been perfectly reliable and the subject of a great many enquiries at stop lights. Far the best looking vehicle in it's class. So much fun to drive it is difficult to keep within the lease miles :-) Handling is great but probably needs more rubber in the front, particularly in the wet. You need to keep the tire pressure correct to maintain the handling. Brakes excellent. Good for tall (6'3") and short (5'1") drivers. Plenty of room for the Mother in Law in the back.
It Rocks
Great car for the money.
Zoom, zoom!!!
All around great car!!!
I love my car!!
Just bought my first car and i love it. got the leather and its a great deal for just $390! well worth the money. makes the biggest difference. now it has the luxury feel as well as the IS300 sportcross looks. great handling as well.
P5 Rocks
Overall a great car. Traded in a Volvo S40 and never looked back.
NEW ENGINE
ON MY WAY TO WORK, MY REAR WINDOW BE- CAME VERY DIRTY. ALSO THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. BY LUNCH TIME MY ATTEMPT TO GO TO THE DEALER FAILED & I WAS PUSHED & HAD TO BE TOWED. DEALER INFORM ME THAT ALL OIL PRESSURE IN THE ENGINE WAS GONE & A NEW ENGINE IS BEING INSTALLED (THANK G-D FOR THE WARRANTY) AS WE SPEAK. SOMETHING AINT RIGHT!!!!
Zoom...
The P5 is FUN! It is a great car to drive, handles fantastic and is versatile. The only drawback of the car is horsepower but it has good torque that just about makes up for that shortcoming. It has a very flexible engine without the peaky power that some small cars have. Comfort is great as I have done over 700 miles in a day (solo) in this car. Very nicely carries both a canoe and a kayak on top with Yakima racks.
MasdaP5
Great car. Much better value than Honda. Some reviewer want more power, but it has all the power I'll ever need. Suitable for all ages not just zoom-zoom st
Protege 5
A great looker and handles the road awesome. Comfortable seats and has enough legroom and headroom(even with sunroof). A couple minor gripes are that there are no cupholders in the rear and the ones in the front are not very deep. Could use some pockets on back of front seats. No choice in the interior colors. Some people complain about lack of power. Seems enough for me especially going from 0 - 40.
MazdaMeASAP
Mazda is cleary the most under appreciated car company in the market. The Protege5 is in a class by itself for people who know they don't need 800 cubic-feet of space, love to drive (not ride) and can still appreciate a good looking example of automotive design (no snarling hood nostrals, bat-wing fins and exessive door ribs).
p5 over 1 year and 25,000 miles later...
We are a 1-car family and rely on our p5 for everything. We have taken 2 1000+ mi trips in this car and a 2500+ mile trip. All with the baby. Still like the taught suspension and great steering feel. Fun to drive. Easy to drive. Can get around slower traffic with ease. Very stable and safe at higher speeds. Interior is squeak and rattle-free and materials are holding up well. Easy to stay comfy driving long distances. Still get plenty of "cool car" comments! Needs more power and less noise. No mechanical problems. We will probably keep it for 4 more years or up to 2 kids. Over 2 kids, shut up and get a minivan.
My Mazda PR5
I purchased this Pr5,as i liked the styling,and the look.It is almost nine months and have no complints,except one.The quiteness of the interior leaves a lot to be desired.Gas mileage is good,twenty five to the gallon.It handles and responds well.I have had a Mazda Millenia[lease]in 1997,and had very satisfactory experience,which led me to purchase this Pr5.