Zoom Zoom Zoooooooom!!!!

The car I own is a black 2001 Mazda Protege 2.0L LX 5-speed manual. The options I have are power door locks, ABS, and air-conditioning. Dual front 2nd generation air bags are standard. Side air bags are not available in Canada, but they are in the US. I have now owned my Pro for just over a month. In my search to buy a new car I considered 2 other models: the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic (both 2001 models).

If you want a good comparison of these cars go to a site like Edmunds.com or Autobytel.ca (for those of us in Canada!!). I'll let you compare the numbers that you find on the site. What this review will be focused on will be MY experiences and my opinions.

Now many people will tell you that Honda and Toyota have the best reliability out there. Often, Mazda's are not mentioned at all. However, if you look at Consumer's Reports for the Mazda Protege, you will see that it not only has excellent reliability, but it is very highly recommended by them. Not only is it recommended by Consumer's, but (nearly?) every other magazine, website, etc. recommends this oft overlooked car!

There are many reasons why I chose the Protege over the Corolla or Civic. Here are a few:

1) Styling - Styling is HIGHLY subjective, but I really liked how the Protege looked. I found the Civic and Corolla boring to look at. Also, take a good look around when driving...I'd wager that you'll find many more Civics and Corollas rolling around the streets than Proteges. I kinda like driving something more unique.

2) Interior room - The backseat of the Protege is very large compared to the other 2. I'm not a giant by any means, but others who are tall (greater than 6'2")have told me that when they have the seat in a comfortable position for them, their passengers behind them still have ample room. Try this in the Civic or Corolla...your passengers may not thank you. Then again, I don't own these cars, so it's pretty much just my opinion from what I've read. If you really want to find out, check it out during a test drive.

3) Sporty Ride - I love the ride of this car. It takes corners excellently as there is not a lot of excessive body roll and the steering is precise. It is very fun to drive! In terms of power the Pro has plenty. With 130 hp (I'm guessing it's not 130 bhp!) there is lots of power to pass on the highways and climb hills when needed. The engine does not scream when it climbs the tach, rather is sounds like it is truly enjoying it! (Ok Ok...I'll stop the personification....).

4) Cost - For me, the cost of this car compared to similarly equipped Civics/Corollas was much less. This is probably one factor that people will have to determine for themselves as I have no idea what their financial situation is like. Also, rebates/incentives are hard to come by with Toyota and Honda. Mazda knows that it's the underdog, so they have great financing rates (I've heard of 0% in parts of the States!!!) and offer things like the Grad Rebate, free moonroofs and alloys, etc. There's also something called the "S-plan" but I have no real knowledge of it, but it's supposed to be able to save you a few hundred dollars at least (I think this applies to the States only).

5) Make - For those of you concerned that Ford may have messed up the design of the Protege, fear not! The 2001 Protege is 100% made in Japan. Even the Civic and Corolla are manufactured here in North America! Yes the Protege is one of the last true "Japanese" cars. Now I'm not putting down the quality of the Civic or Corolla; they are both excellent vehicles. I'm just saying that Ford hasn't done anything to destroy this great little car...not yet at least!

Now there are some things that others will undoubtedly point out against the Pro. The top will probably be resale value. It is well known that Hondas and Toyotas have excellent resale value whereas the Pro has risen to average resale value status. However, (at least in my case), I bought the car for less than I would have paid for a comparable Civic or Corolla (as stated earlier :D ), so the cost/resale difference is taken into account.

So all in all, what it all boils down to is that I love my Protege. It provides a comfortable, fun ride on both daily commutes and long trips. I've taken it on a few 7 hour (one way) trips and was extremely comfortable in the seats. Air conditioning works great and the CD player, while not spectacular, certainly puts out fine sound.

My suggestions: If you can afford it, get the up-model ES. It has 4-wheel disc brakes (the SE and LX have 2 rear drums and 2 front discs) and you can get the GT package. I believe that it also has different suspension, but I can't confirm that for sure right now. Check the official Mazda webpages for info regarding what other packages are offered. If you do go with an LX, make sure it's the 2.0 L engine. In Canada, the LX comes standard with the 2.0L, but in the States it's still optional. There is a noticeable difference between the 1.6L 105 hp engine and the 2.0L 130 hp engines.
Also, for great info from real people, goto Edmunds.com and click on "Townhall" search for the Mazda Protege's owners topics and take a read...ask some questions. The people there are very knowledgeable and are eager to help. Whatever you do decide, do A LOT of research!! Don't walk into the dealership empty-handed!

My vote: Buy this car! It's fantastic....gotta go Zoom Zoom now!!! Unless you want the Protege 5 that is...