Used 2003 Mazda Protege5 Consumer Reviews
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This car is well worth the money
If it's style you're looking for for the least amount of money- this car is perfect. It needs more power, but overall it is fun to drive. The steering is incredible and the size of the car is very practical for every day driving.
Car nut buys and loves econowagon
Had 2001 Miata SE. Had baby. Sold Miata. My wife and I were wondering what we would get to replace the car that we loved. After debating a few options like the RAV 4, CRV, and Matrix/Vibe twins, we drove and loved the Protege5. It is as fun to drive as a four cylinder wagon can be, gets good fuel economy, looks cool, and can support my canoe on the roof. The leather seats are supportive, the instrumentation is where it should be, the radio is great, and it has every bell and whistle we need. Mazda has done a fantastic job with this car and I know we will be pleased for years, especially with Mazda's penchant for quality control.
- Base WagonMSRP: $6,495343 mi away
- Base WagonMSRP: $973998 mi away
- Base WagonMSRP: $5,7772,019 mi away
Lots of Fun!!
This is a great car, I love it!!! It's fun, sporty and so cool. Can't wait for warmer weather to get here, to open the windows and moonroof up. The midnite blue color is really nice.
bang for the buck!
After being totally frustrated by Toyota dealers in our search for a reasonably priced corolla, we saw an ad for a 2003 Pro-5 for $12,500 (sticker $17,200). Thinking it was bogus we checked it out. This car was loaded and it was for real. If the looks weren't enough the test drive sold us. We are buying another one after we sell our truck!
Great Car, Great Fun
Originally wanted a Mazda MP3, and learned to love the Protege5 just the same. Very sporty, extremely unique look, aggresize styling, resembles a BMW M Coupe.
Super Fun!
very great car! It's like my cute toy as a child. Very reliable. Never caused any problem for the year. The only thing I feel can be improved is the engine. A couple of dozen hp more would be great.
Chadlis
I bought this car just this month. While I have not bought many new cars. I do have to admit that I LOVE my Mazda Protege5! In my opinion, it's the best car I have ever owned. I love the Sportronic Transmission! I love it when people do a second look at my car!
Zoom Zoom
After careful research, i chose the Protege5. It is without a doubt, the best car i have ever owned. I would not hesitate to recommend it (or the dealership for that matter) to anyone interested in a Fun, Functional car with excellent handling.
Great Used Car
If you are looking for a good used car, P5 should be on the list if you can find one with low miles. I bought mine a year ago moving up, yes up, from Explorer. P5 was on my short list of cars as one of few small Wagons. The first day, I took it down twisty, country road and finally remember what I was missing out on. P5 is well designed inside, seats are comfy, all the switches, knobs and gauges are in the right places, and has the right gadgets too. Engine with 130HP is not too peppy but manages to get by, especially when kept above 3K rpms. It is very reliable engine. I have the autostick tranny which was 03s addition over 02 model. Smooth shifts when not under power in auto mode.
Do you have this too?
I'm guilty for crying out loud. I walk away from the car and check it out as I am going along. It's so hot. But there's a hitch: it's 2 months old and makes a rattling/almost low clatter when the engine's cold, does yours? The dealership denies it(took it in 2X) but is obvious as hell. Started about a month after I got it. Besides that, LOVE IT!
Nice Car
I really enjoy driving on curves with this vehicle, it really hugs the road. The seats are more comfortable than the Mazda Protege model. My Protege5 looks great and I get comments on it all the time.
Great car for the money!
I just bought this car and love it! I've read past reviews where one of the main complaints is the lack of horsepower but this car is zippy enough for me! I used my credit union's fleet dealer and my buying experience was wonderful and haggle free and I paid $16343 which included the sport auto transmission and abs brakes w/side airbags! The car is fun, fun to drive and looks great! Zoom zoom!
Only 2 days BUT
If your in the market for a small car . . . skip the NEONS and Fords . . . Check out the Mazda . . . WOW!
Zooom Zoooom Zoooom Aperautanauoo (sp?)
Best car I've owned (esp compared to the Jetta). I live in San Francisco and I feel like I'm in a commercial everyday zooming around the hills.
Pro5; love/hate relationship
You know, I absolutely loved this car up until about 5k mile ago. I love everything about this car except for the poor design/build quality of the engine and wheel bearings. Had to replace right front wheel bearing at just under 60k, and now the engine is going out on it. My Mazda dealer says its either a wrist pin or rod bearing crapping out at ONLY 64,XXX miles. Other than that, this car would be absolutely perfect! If you plan on buying one of these beauties, be cautious and buy the extended service plan! Better safe than sorry
Fully Functional
Purchased the Automatic with Sportronic shifting due to its relatively close feel to driving a real manual transmission ( also allows my wife to drive the car). Has good acceleration and muscle for a car with only 130 hp. Fully functional whether hauling around people, dogs or furniture. I am a bit frustrated by the fact that the gas mileage is about 5 mpg less than posted for both city and highway. Fun to drive. Zoom Zoom!
Zoom, Zoom
I've only had my car for a few weeks but I'm very impressed. I actually bought the car without test driving but it was a gamble that paid off. It's very fun to drive, often come up with any reason to get behind the wheel. It rides smooth, has great handling and comes with every feature standard. A/C works great and the sound system is pretty good too, also gets great gas mileage. To sum it up, this is possibly the best car I've ever owned and I advise you to check it out.
Ditch the PT
After owning a PT Cruiser for 6 months, I dithced it for a Protege5. I had nothing but trouble with the PT and the gas mileage was abysmal (16 combined). The Protege5 outhandles and outperforms the PT in every area accept 1. The PT did have more cargo space. Otherwise, the Protege5 has been a joy. Plenty of room for my needs and waaaaaaay more fun on the back roads. Sure it could use a few more ponies under the hood, but that's what the aftermarket catalogues are for.
protege5 value and style
Satisfied with everything about this car. Sporty styling and great handling make this a tremendous value for the money for cars in this category.
Over-rated
Not a good car for any city driving: - Idle drops off dramatically during in- gear decelleration below 3k rpm, creating lurching. - Weak motor/transmission mounts create drive train bucking during street and stop/go driving. - Computer rpms are way too low (600 at idle) causing frequent stalls when starting up from stop lights or stop sign. - Rear suspension soft, causing front wheel to loose contact and traction during mild acceleration on damp roads. - Heater is poor. - Dealers have no solutions for these - Thanks to the "zoom-zoom" ads, logged as sports car by auto insurers (it aint), so very expensive to insure.
Best you can get for your dollar
I think this car might be the best value for your dollar on the market. It provides a great deal of cargo room/versatility and is a blast to drive. A lot is made of the lack of horsepower...if you are looking for a Mustang, then you are in the wrong market. This car is not underpowered by any means. Would it be more fun with 20-30 more horsepower? Of course. But again, I was not looking for a dragster and I have been extremely happy with the gas mileage I've been getting. (low of 28 high of 32 in mixed driving) On the fun to drive scale, this car is off the charts. It begs to be flogged and thrown mercilessly into corners.
A Very Reliable Car
I purchased this car used with about 50,000 miles on it. After 2 years and 25,000 more miles, I had absolutely no issues with this car. I couldn't have asked for more for the money that I spent. Leather seats, in-dash CD changer, sunroof... even the stereo system was good. To top it off I averaged around 30 MPG with mixed driving (I thought it would do better but couldn't complain). Unfortunately, I was just rear-ended and the car was totaled. I am seriously considering buying another Mazda as I was very happy with this car.
It's all that and more...
Absolute joy to drive. Solid feeling, comfortable and responsive. Not "underpowered" at all. Plenty of "ooomph" to merge and pass, more horses would just get you in trouble :) Fit & finish is superb. Materials used convey a expensive feel. Just at 32mpg on first 2 tanks (80% highway driving). Loads of standard features. Plenty of room for my 6'5", 300# bulk in front OR rear seats. You won't be disappointed with this car.
Best Unknown Deal
Why this isn't the most driven car on the road, I'm not sure. Considering Price, style, performance and reliability (1 year 26,000 miles, couple rattles, nothing major thus far) it cannot be beat. My daily commute makes me smile. Few can claim such a thing. Don't buy the Protege5, I like that people still look twice at it, wondering "What kind of car is that?"
QQUUIICCKK!!
Very QUICK car, good for driving in traffic, and curvy roads, until you get up to high elevations and you lose that last amount of power that seems so important. Quickness is its best virtue, and most descriptive adjective, which is more important than speed, because, we're not racing, are we? SPeed limits favor quickness over power. Super comfortable. The leather seats are fabuloso. The sport trans is fun and fairly functional in many sitations, like mountain roads, traffic jams (you won't need to move to the brake pedal as often). Smooth is another applicable term for this vehicle, especially when driven moderatly. The brakes seem superb.
The perfect fun-to-drive carry-all
Absolutely nothing wrong with this car. It's a blast to drive, reliability is excelente (as with most Japanese cars) and it's more practical than anything out there.
Fun car with some annoying quirks
I bought this car in 2008 looking for a sporty hatchback on the cheap. At the time there wasn't much in the offering, unlike today where it seems like hatchbacks have caught on again. It's a great car for most occasions with plenty of "get-up", lots of room with the seats down, and a great exterior (imho). Unfortunately it's not without its problems: anything exhaust related (EGR valve for instance, the fact that it has TWO cat. converters that like to fail!) and of course the headlights, as most other reviewers have mentioned. All in all it's a fun car, but if I had to do it again I might have spent a little more money and gone for a Mazda3.
A better G20
I replaced a 95 G20 with this car. It is $5K less with more features. I have a fully loaded 5sp (leather, ABS, Moonroof, auto dimming mirror, security system) except for the roof rack. Fun to drive. I can understand why Car and Driver rated it #1 in 6/2002 issue. Doesn't match my Miata but I would rate it very close to the G20 if not better.
Best of three worlds!
This is a cool car: Nice styling, comes almost fully loaded, fun to drive, practical and affordable. The cargo space rather small so this car has to be considered as a 5 doors hatchback rather than a wagon. It's a combination of sport, utility and economy in one sub-compact car. Great!
Fun
This is a great car and fun to drive, I love the way it handles and lots of room for 4 people, or two adults and 3 kids.
Best Car For The Money!!!
I've giving up on the SUV to get a efficent car which has perfect gas mileage for the money. Protege5 is dependable, and handles curves very well, my kids love it. This car is the best car for money. Reliable! If you don't want to make frequent stops to the gas pump the Protege5 will be ideal car for you. Ron
Excellent All Around
This car handles better than anything else I have driven in this category of cars. The seats are comfortable and the ride is good. Overall, this car is the most fun I've had driving a new car in a long time. In fact, I've had mine for 2 weeks now, and I still can't bring myself to take out the paper that's covering the floor mats!!!! While this may not be the most powerful car in it's class, it may not be the roomiest car in it's class either, but for my dollar, this is by far the most fun and best handling car in it's class.
Beats the Competion - Hands Down.
Only had the car a few days, but after special ordering the 2003 just the way I wanted it it was worth the wait. This car is Fun Fun Fun to drive and has most all the bells and whistles you'd ever want. Read Car & Driver Review June 2002 - they describe this car to a T.
2003 Protege5
I love my Protege5! Mine is loaded (leather, 6 disc in-dash cd changer, sunroof, and a manual trans). The seats are comfortable - they feel like you are sitting and not slouching. Stearing wheel is small and easy to grip and the buttons on the radio and air are easy to use. You don't have to read the manual to learn how to turn the radio on! Another thing I really like about my car is that you can lock all the doors by using your key in the drivers' or passengers' door. And on the remote key, if you accidentaly press the unlock button and you don't open a door, it will relock automatically in about a minute. I really recommend this car!
i love my mazda pr5
THE MOST PRACTICAL,ECONOMICAL CAR I HAVE OWNED. VERY USEFUL INTERIOR SPACE, ADEQUATE ACCELLERATION AND COMFORT BOTH CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. PLEASENT TO LOOK AT AND A PLEASURE TO DRIVE. A BIG IMPROVEMENT OVER MY PAST TOYOTA COROLLA THAT WAS A FINE DEPENDABLE CAR ALSO. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VERY QUIET AND SMOOTH
I LOVE MY MAZDA PROTEGE 5!
I bought my car brand spanking new on November 12, 2003. I looked at the car without even test driving it and bought it. The color is what reeled me in! It is now August 2008 and I have not had ONE SINGLE PROBLEM out of my car. The only parts that I've replaced on my car are the front headlight bulbs and the tires! Still as the original brakes, clutch, transmission, radiator, etc. It's so much fun to drive and I have absolutely no problems making quick maneuvers in and out of traffic. This is my second Mazda and I'm a customer for life!
SO FAR SO GOOD
So far so good, no major problems. Took it in for an alignment issue at about 1000 miles. Other than that it's just been in for regular servicing.
Best sport-compact wagon available
Simply all out FUN TO DRIVE!! I sampled each of the comparable vehicles:PT Cruiser, Focus & the Matrix/Vibe twins...taking each for an extended test drive...then I made my choice... The Mazda may be just a touch short on power...but the 130 HP it does provide comes on strong & willing & SMOOTH...The steering is absolutely the high point...just point & go...response from the wheel is accurate & firm. The suspension is tight & grippy..this car was made for cornering! What about the price? Mine came loaded with sunroof, chrome alloys & the compass/self dimming mirror.. all for $16,200...try getting all this in a Matrix!!
Fun, this is it!!!
I bought the vivid yellow, auto with moonroof. Car gets lots of looks on the road. Car is not as comfortable as I'd like or fuel efficient, but the price was right with the rebates. I figure I couldn't wait until December for the Mazda 3 to come out.
So far so good
Have not had it long, but so far really enjoying the car. Also test drove the Matrix, Vibe, Civic, and Corolla. Liked the Matrix, but would have felt like a fool revving around like you have to in order to get any kind of power. Also, the gauges in the Matrix/Vibe need changes, as does the ridiculous back-up alarm. The Protege5 handles so well, I am intimidated to seek out its limits. The ABS system works beautifully. The shifter and clutch are very, very smooth. And so far the dealership has been equally kind and helpful after the sale as they were before the sale.
back killer
great handling, reliable, everything works well, people always with compliments on car appearance/looks, had problem with a/c blower, dealer repaired it but disorganized bad service, long waits
Another buyer
I bought mine two weeks ago and waited to drive it a little bit before putting the review... I love the car: it's good looking, handles well, and cheap! I have all the amenities you might want in a car (fully loaded). It's a great time to buy it since the 2004 model comes soon. I got it at $450 below invoice (thanks to reading the advice of edmunds.com)! It's not a power beast, but I was surprised to be at 95mph and be relax and feel safe. Also the braking system is great, which was one of the most important points for me.
bad azz
I have had my car a little over 3 months. I bought my Protege5 out of nessecity. My car was biting the dust rapidly. As soon as I test drove the Mazda I knew the car was mine. My car has had no problems, and the ads saying that the Protege5 was fun to drive was no lie. In short...I love my car.
Good every day vehicle
This car is a great everyday commuter car but is not ideal if you're planning on taking a long distance trip. I took a 3 hr trip once and my back started to hurt about 2 hrs into the trip. There are some improvements that can be done to the engine and overall stability of the vehicle. Good interior design but can use some work on between door panel and front dashboard.
a very good urban transportation
Sporty design but not overdone. Good value even with the base model with features essential for safety, handling, comfort and space.Competitive pricing and factory incentives makes a great buy. A great choice for those who wants the space and convenience of a hatchback but not as big as the traditional wagon.
DSAP Dead Solid (Almost Perfect)
Only lacking in power off the line (Auto Trans.). Sounds and drives like a little race car in all other respects. I bought the automatic as the better half doesn't use the stick. The manual shift option adds another dimension to it! My 17 Y/O said it's like they slapped a hatch on the back of a sports car. Exceeded almost all of my expectations Met ALL of them
Great sports/wagon with excellent finish
I can't believe this is in the wagon catagory, it handles more like a German/Italian hatchback..Turn the wheel and that is exactly where it goes. Acceleration is "peppy" not neck-breaking, but the gas milage is well worth the loss of "jack rabbit starts and the styling is superb
Zoom, Zoom....
A great fun to drive car. Plenty of sports car characteristics, with additional cargo space, I'm not buying groceries for a house of 4, so the cargo area is just fine.
Fun little car
I bought this car last year at a dealer. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the body design, and i still love it. i think the new Mazda3 is a little too bubbly, when they designed this thing they weren't afraid to add a few edges! Fun to drive, has some of that "zoom-zoom" at lower speeds. unfortunately, the little 4-banger does have to try a bit to get up steep hills, and it is very sluggish when four friends are packed inside. Oil filter is kind of a pain to get to. This baby does have a good clutch though. catches in the exact same place every time. I kind of wish it was RWD, but that's wishful thinking. it's as close as you can get to having a miata that you can haul people in
FUUUUUUNNNNNNN. .zzzzooooommmmmm
fun little car... don't need the 200+ horsepower on a small sedan... 130 hp is sufficient enough.. not only is it fun but has a nice "kick" on take off.. this is a car i would diffinetely keep to pass on to my teenage boy... (this is a keeper)