Used 2003 Mazda Protege5 Consumer Reviews
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love my new wheels!
kitty+randal, 01/12/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've been driving my MP5 for 6 mths. and totally love it. It handles well in the city and highway. It's comfortable, has tons of room for my stuff and looks so cool. I've never been happier with a car. I don't think there is anything in it's price range that holds a candle to this baby! I highly recommend it!!
went outside the box
indianared, 01/15/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Have been a Ford person for years. Noting the less than favorable reviews on the Focus, saw a Protege 5 and fell in love. Have had it 2 /12 months and is everything I wanted. I am retired and use it for daily trips locally. Average 26-27 mph. Husband has big 350 diesel 4x4 and we use the Mazda for our outings. He is 6' tall and 230 lbs. and have plenty of room.
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Great car for the $
mazdaman, 12/17/2004
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Love this car!! It is one of the most fun cars I have ever driven. Unbelieveable room in the driver seat. I am 6'4' and have more room then I did in my Blazer. Wish I had the compass and temp. Love the handling but the braking could be better.
Zoom Zoom in a small package
TN-P5, 04/18/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My wife needed a car to replace our failing saturn. I looked at everything in this price range. Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, VW, Kia, and all the americans. I was impressed with the style; it wasn't a little turtle like other brands. I'm 6'2 and when I sat in it, it had plenty of room. It drove great and was very peppy on the interstate. The price allowed us to get the sunroof, the abs breaks, and the side airbags. Very cool car. Ours is a 2002 model. After 8 months of ownership, I'm still very happy.
BEST CAR!! zOOM zoOOM zOOM!!
Puja Lakhlani, 02/12/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
aFTER A SERIES OF DRIVING SEVERAL CARS..I THINK THIS ONE IS A MASTERPIECE..SO CONVENIENT OR EVERTTHING!
Wow! What a car!
travelboy, 01/04/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I got a Protege5 at a Waco, TX dealership (after being frustrated with Austin dealerships). Black Mica; Moonroof w/ deflector; 6CD changer; wheel-locks; Sport automatic; polished alloys. Final price was $17,536. The car is a dream. It operates with the fluidity of a pen; it goes EXACTLY where you want. Amazing streering puts a smile on your face when rounding sharp curves. The space comfortable and the power and acceleration much better than my V6 Xterra. The Black Mica color adds an element of euro-class to the very athletic looking design. I was sold by the test drive. It is THE most fun-to-drive car I have ever owned.
a true
Gwa71, 10/21/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The best thing I can say about this car is that it is soooooo much fun to drive. The most fun is found on a deserted curvy road and the least fun is found sitting in traffic. This car begs to run.
Very good car...
DaisySara, 03/06/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I love this car!!
Great car for the money!
steph315, 01/23/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
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!
One of the best!
loguns, 02/12/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Have had this car for only a few month and have not been disappointed. ZOOM ZOOM describes it all.
I love my mp5!!!!!
jennphishin, 10/28/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I love it! I have driven several types and brands of cars over the years, but this beats them all! It handles great! Gets awesome gas mileage! Looks like an import without doing any mods on your own!
HOT HOT HOT
sarakay54022, 04/09/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have had my MP5 for a few days now and I love it. The exterior, the interior are awesome. The handling is superb and I love how quiet the engine is. The seats are so comfortable and I love the dash setup. Would definately recommend. A+
Pro5; love/hate relationship
jw82, 09/15/2008
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
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
I finally found the love of my life
suzpaintit, 10/22/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have to tell you I have always wanted a fun sporty little car and this little yellow bird brings my heart back to my teens. It's kicken! runs like shes on rails and still lets me do the Mom thing and when people stop and watch us drive by well let me tell you. This is the car everyone should drive at least once I know you'll have as much fun as I have will will continue to have
So far, So good...
stratt911, 04/20/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I purchased a 2002.5 model when they first came out and I currently have 9k miles on the car. Option include the sport automatic, leather, and moonroof. I was debating between this and a WRX but at the time, Subaru wasn't offering any financing specials. I am very happy with the P5's handling, sporty looks, and quality. I would definitely recommend the P5 to anyone looking for a great package at a great price. The only problem that I have so far is wishing it had more power (that's what i get for driving a wrx first). But this will soon be fixed with a turbo addition via Flyin' Miata.
GREAT CAR
JTUCKER, 02/19/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
THIS CAR IS NOT ONLY GREAT LOOKING BUT IT IS ALSO FUN TO DRIVE..THE STYLING IS AWESOME... I ALWAYS GET COMMENTS WHEN I AM IN PARKING LOTS...I MADE A GREAT CHOICE IN BUYING IT... THE GET AND GO IS GREAT...
Only 2 days BUT
Coruvs, 01/29/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
If your in the market for a small car . . . skip the NEONS and Fords . . . Check out the Mazda . . . WOW!
P5 is a good deal for your money
beastprincess, 05/23/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Performance is good for a 130hp. A solid car. Interior Dash done well. Easy to use, see and looks appealing. An inexpensive car to buy and with the additions, you feel like you are in an expensive car. Overall, worth the money!
No regret
VTLee, 10/09/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
bought in August, current 1600 miles, absolutely fun to drive, not a single problem so far, still happy with the purchase
Best car I've tested in every respect!
abatterbury, 09/03/2002
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I tested many cars this summer, notably the Impreza and the Matrix--the Pr5 was the best of all of them hands down. Better confort, control, design, features and price (great incentives). I cannot recommend this car enough. I've owned my own for about a week now and it's been unequivicably positive experience. All my friends want one of their own, too.
great car
tony s nazir, 01/06/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
look good and handling is excelent. good price for car.
Fun, sporty and reliable !
Bluestocking9, 09/25/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We bought our P5 in November of 2002 and we've been extremely happy with it. It is fun to drive, it has wonderful styling and excellent pick-up for a 4 cyl. engine. It gets noticed on the street since it is unique and sporty.
Fantastic Car!
ZephyrCJW, 04/20/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I just bought a used 2002 Protege5 and am exceptionally delighted with it. I've not had so much fun driving a car since I owned a 1969 Mustang. The Protege5 may not have a V8 or V6, but this little puppy really hustles when it needs to and looks damn good while doing so!The headroom and legroom are exceptional.The front seats are very comfortable, even on long hauls. The rear seats fold down completely and you can haul around an amazing load of stuff. The interior is as stylish as the exterior. Lots of brushed chrome, a leather wrapped 3 spoke steering wheel, leather wrapped shift and easy to read, cool looking digital gauges complete the package.
Enterprise AL MP5 owner
Brian Saxby, 06/07/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
great car. love everything about it but the cargo room...needs more of it. i really enjoy this car excellent for trips. cheap price and well worth every penny.
Love my Zoom Zoom
Sarah, 04/12/2005
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've had my car for over 2 years and I love it! It is a wonderful little car. Gets great gas mileage and runs so good! I definitely recommend this car to anyone!
Best vehicle I've ever bought
Hector, 12/17/2002
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
So far this car has been an A+ performer. Looks, good performance, and the cornering ability of a tuned up sports car makes this truly a fun car to drive, could use a bit more power up front which I plan to add with the Turbo kit. Excellent purchase.
THIS CAR ROCKS!!!
dynotrick, 02/01/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This is my first new car and I love it! It is very reliable and super fun to drive and own. No problems at all, overall a great value. It will wipe the floor with a civic any day, and looks 10000000000000 times better than any of it's competitors!
Dig this car
olevet, 06/17/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
It took me more than a year of research and days of test driving competitors to come to the conclusion my new 2003 Mazda Protege5 was the best choice among the econo vehicles -- great handling, rock solid construction (still made in Japan), features galore and just a heck of a lot of fun to drive. Doing my new car shop via the Internet (feature story on Edward's web site), got my new Vivid Yellow rotege5 out the door with a standards along with roof rack, bumper guard, ABS/side airbags, tinted windows and wheel locks for $15,000 and some change. A no hassle negotiation ending with a great deal and a lot of car for few bucks!
Excellent automobile
rds, 11/05/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Owning my pro5 has been a wonderfull experience. This car is the third Mazda I have owned, and the second Protege. As with the previouse two this has had virtually no issues or problems with the exception of a rattle that was taken care of at the dealer. It is as much fun to drive as the first generation RX7 I had in the past, and it has a much more people friendly rear seat than any other simmilar small wagon I compared it to. In a nut shell it always gets looks and makes me smile the minute I turn the key.
MAZDA fun
ray&kay, 07/01/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We recently bought a MAZDA protege5. After test driving the MATRIX and the Ford Focus this was our choice. Sportsy car, nice suspension and lots of standard options. Cargo space is a bit small for a wagon, but it keeps the car small for parking. Lowering the back seats gives you enough space. Nice mixture of wagon, small SUV and sportsy car.
Great Standard Options
skier, 11/08/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have this car about a year and a half and have put a little over 20,00 miles on it. We like snow sports and take long trips almost every weekend. It is comfortable for me and my 6'2" husband. With the seats down it is very roomy and the uneven split back seat lets you carry people and your skis, boards, etc. The standard options for this car include power windows/locks, a.c., and CD player. I find it very peppy (standard trans) and fun to drive. The interior has held together perfectly considering the use we give it. Gas mieage and acceleration are great for long trips.
Perfect
rwantin, 04/23/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I am not entirely sure this much fun (especially handling), looks, usefulness, and quality can be found anywhere at this (or even a bit higher) price. I love this car!
2003 Protege 5
Monika, 10/07/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I really like the way Mazda feels. When I saw Protege 5 I was automatically in love. This car offers fun ride and sporty feel, however, it has 4 doors and room for additional passangers. Seating is amazingly confortable. Styling is very cool inside and out. Very functional and fun! It feels as much updated and improved 323 from the past.
Glad the passengers have grab handles!
harley613, 09/04/2007
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Having a blast with my MP5 since I bought it early in the summer. Incredible handling has been the best part of the experience so far. My only grumbles are poor fuel economy at highway speeds, not enough vroom, and a lot of suspension shudder when hitting bumps while cornering hard.
Worth the money
mbryan, 04/25/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This is a great car. It handles very well, gets great mileage, and looks great! Get it in silver. I have never been able to turn heads in such an inexpensive car. The interior is rock solid. It never rattles, and the look would be appropriate in several pricier cars.
can't go wrong for the money
shred, 10/10/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
great looks, handles great and with all the rebates right now I got mine for a steal with everything in it! for the money, it's the best car i've looked
You get what you pay for.
jackson5, 04/26/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Although my Protege5 looks sporty the vehicle itself is more of a practical reliable car. Handling is excellent, but with a 130 hp engine performance is only decent. As a driver the car is a delight to be in, but as a passenger?... not so much! Passengers tend to get nauseous, because the car grabs the road too well. I'm not an aggressive driver either. Good protection from wind noise, but road noise gets excessive above 60mph. Don't get me wrong, I love this car ... for the money.
i love it!
sterster, 04/27/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
i think its a fantastic car. it looks great and i get nothing but complements. the manual is responsive and the steering has gotten me out of several situations with ease.
Still Fun
laferno, 10/10/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
When I first looked at this car I thought that it was a neat little car, but then I drove it and was pleasently suprised at the performance, cargo room, and comfort that this little big car offered. The car I had before this was a 97 Camaro Z28 with some mods and I was still impressed by the handeling of this little car and all of the stuff you get for a basic model.
One of the best
Mazda Fan, 08/30/2007
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've owned 6 Mazdas (2 626s, 2 MPVs, Millenia, and this Protege) this is the most fun to drive so far. I loved my Millenia, but I missed having a 5-speed, so I traded it in on the Protege. This car, like all Mazdas, has been very reliable. It is fun to drive and it handles very well. I've had 2 other verisons of the 2.0L engine. It is an excellent engine and the one in this Protege is the most powerful so far. My son has the same engine in his Ford Escort. It's no match for the power mine produces.
MP5 enthusist
eddie, 08/23/2008
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this car in March of 2003, as of today I have approx. 115,000 miles. I've gone through three sets of tires, new brakes and rotors, new radiator, timing belt, and one tranny flush. This car is awesome. Before this car, I owned the Mazda 626, so I was already hooked on Mazdas. The first year and a half, I would always take my car to the dealership to be serviced, but the cost got so high, I started doing all of the easy maintenance myself. That kept the cost of owning this car really low! All in all this car has held up and I love it till this day!
Big bang for buck
kenchan, 04/29/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Pro5's are a well equiped package even in the base models. I have the bare- bone base 5MT model but it still comes with pretty much all the convenience bells and whisles with no additional cost. There are also ample aftermarket parts to make this pocket-car handle even better...and ofcourse, I have already added those to my car. :)
Awesome Car
jeff123456, 09/11/2002
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The funnest car to drive. I wish it had more HP, and AWD. Only two complaints
Hard to beat for the price!
MazdaPro5, 10/10/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Compare the features with the competition and the decision is obvious.
Fun to drive with great value!
SY, 05/02/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Bought this car in Aug 02 out the door with tax for $19K. Now with 9K+ miles, great car to zoom around anywhere short or long distance. Can outhandle almost any car, but cannot outperform many cars, need to gun it to get it to move. A little bit of engine knock when using regular grade gas, but you make the call, premium-worthy enough to eliminate the knock? Cannot get to the storage behind cup holders when cups are there. Tiny armrest compartment can only hold CDs and can only rest one elbow. No cup holders for back passengers.
Great Car But Beware of Problems
jjkarns, 11/11/2003
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
Don't know where to begin. I love the car as its a fun to drive compact wagon. However with all the problems involved with the car it is wearing out its welcome. Engine gets terrible fuel economy, shakes and vibrates like crazy, has no power, and the transmission is already in need of replacement (clutch chatter that of course the dealer can't recreate. Third gear grinds already and pops out of gear sometimes when you put it in there!?! Of course Dealer can't reproduce problem). Interior door fabric is already worn out and the paint chips like crazy on the front.
Perfect single dad car
Clint G, 11/19/2008
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
I have had my P5 for about 50,000 miles. I installed a B&M short shifter which greatly increased performance and keeps the RPM up between gears. I have had no problems with the car in the year and a half I have had it. The only changes I made were to increase air flow to the engine by putting in a K&N drop in filter and cutting out the bottom of the air box which improved mileage by 1.5 mpg and bumped up the power by about 4 or 5 hp if you believe Import Tuner Magazine. I also changed to Lucas brand synthetic oil and gear lube. I put a hyperground system in as well, which does seem to assist acceleration and smooth out the idle to about 700rpm.
Not reliable or maybe not lucky!!!
Sam, 05/14/2008
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought the car 4 years ago. Recently, the engine started making a loud sound and it seems that it may cost me over $1200 to repair it (with only 86,000 miles on the engine). I was hoping to keep the car longer. At this level not sure if I'm willing to spend that much money on a car that's only 4 years old. What would happen in few months if I fix the car! Would it brake again! This is a major maintenance for a car this new. So I would have to say that Mazda Protege5 is not a reliable car or I'm an unlucky guy! I hope my comments helped.
A complete downgrade
Vanishing Boy, 09/15/2004
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 3 people found this review helpful
I was supposed to own a 2004 Mazda3 s 5-door but the dealership ripped me off and landed to this car. This car is mediocre in every way and dissapointing at limit. The stock tires doesn't grip submitting the car to plow on each corner. Engine power is smooth not fast and torque-less, thrashy at limit. At least every time my friends seat on the front passenger seat they end up taking a nap which is good, that means that the seats are very comfy. The steering and engine response are very responsive (although the steering has a slow feed back.
Don't buy one of these!
Scott, 10/19/2009
2003 Mazda Protege5 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 4 people found this review helpful
I had issues with this car from the moment I purchased it. My wife and I downgraded to 'save money' given the economic environment. We bought it in late 2008 with about 68000 miles on it, figuring it shouldn't give us any trouble for a few years. Well, I had put about $500 into it up until August of 2009 which I wasn't happy about. Then in August, the engine went out costing me $3500 for a used motor. Needless to say, I am less than satisfied and will never buy a Mazda again. The Mazda I owned before this one needed a new transmission at 30000 miles. Ridiculous.