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Well, i finally came around to taking my Pro 5 in for a full warranty service which included
cold clutch chatter and cold engine rattle and some other minor rattlings. The loaner that
they gave me was also the same gen protege - but a sedan - LX. Now keep in mind
the protege is in the same category as a civic; similar to that of an EX.

It was an auto, but that's okay since i love driving and having a smoke + coffee at the same time.

Design:

The exterior design of the Pro sedan i find is much nicer to look at as opposed to the Civic Sedan.
however the Civic coupe is definately nicer. Something about the Vic Sedan's tails just isn't right.


Performance:

Low end accerleration was poor for an auto, and actually, comparing it to that of my Civic DX auto
i'd much prefer the Civic's acceleration. It just seemed the Protege bogged down a little when trying
for quick short bursts. However, high end acceleration from 80-100mph is excellent and feels better
than the civic's high end. Then again, i didn't have Vtec in my DX. Suspension wise, it's pretty firm, going
over road bumps leaves no "WHUMP" which is what my Civic did going over speed bumps even at < 5km/hr.

Braking:

Braking was poor w/ the car at 35000km but then again it was a loaner so take into consideration
of some abuse. The lx comes with Front disc/rear drums similar to that of the civic but at least the car
sits on 15" steelies whereas my Civic had 14".

Handling:

This is where Mazda and the Protege accel in their cars. I took some on/off ramps this morning to work
and minimal body roll from the car when taking tight turns. Similar to that of my Pro 5. The civic on 14"s had
tons of body roll and wheel hop on tight turns.

Noise:

Engine noise is a deeper throatier sound as apposed to the DX and going over bumpy ruff roads the Protege
was still pretty quiet. However there are some minor rattles along side the driver side mirror/window. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/IMG]
Overall it feels pretty solid.

Interior:

The interior feels pretty roomy. Very similar to the Civic, but the slushbox shifter looks very bland like
the corolla. I'd take the shifter from the Civic anyday. - actually i'd take a MT instead. Design looks similar
to the Pro 5 but without the silver trims and the faux carbon fiber inserts.

Verdict:
Protege Sedan: If you want a sedan with good gas milage, nice exterior design, good build quality and excellent performance econo car.
Civic Sedan: Even better gas milage, decent looks, don't mind the bouncy suspension (softer ride), and excellent build and finish.
Protege 5: Good gas milage, tons of room, beautiful exterior design, fogs, 16" alloys, excellent braking/performance and good build quality/finish.


Some stats on the Protege sedan lx:

2.0L I4 Dohc
9.1:1 Compression
130hp@6000rpm
135lb.ft@4000rpm
AT 9.9L/100km city
7.4L /100km hwy
MT 9.6/100km city
7.3/100km hwy

ps. now i realize how much I suck at writing reviews..

 
Rep Power: 375

congrats on the review but ill take a 6 over any one of those

 
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Yea, I have never been that pleased witht the rear of my sedan.

Anyhow, I think the protege is a very nice looking compact from the outside. I especially like the front of the car as it looks pretty sporty imo. I think the exterior looks very nice from all angles actually. The rear actually looks decent compared to the vic and sentra sedans.

I also have read the reliability is quite good on them too. Seems like an all around good performing car. Could be a serious threat to honda and toyota if they could penetrate consumer's minds with the right message.

I wish I could get a loner sometime to use while my car is in for service. Well, mine hasn't been in yet but is going soon for the damn rocking seat! [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/IMG]

 
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Car and Driver thinks the Protege is the best in its class, mostly due to its handling. Actually I think in three comparison tests it finished first, and one was the 5 against other wagon wannabees.

 
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it is a nice car but wait until the 2003 protege comes out----T25 garret turbo comes stock and with rims and a decent kenwood system...

 
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Hello and welcome to the last SIX MONTHS!.

It's called the MAZDASPEED not the 2003 Protege

 
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and it's also very limited production, meaning dealer markup. it'd be a better idea to go to a mazda dealer that installs FM turbo kits.

 
Rep Power: 0

In Canada it is illegal for dealers to Markup the price - you pay for MSRP or lower.

 
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Sure, I'm sure all of us will too. But he is comparing the cars of same price range here... EX,LX,DX,Protege,Protege5... Mazda6 can be compared to Accords and such.

 
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Really, when i bought my civ. the dealer told me the msrp was higher than it was. he quoted me the price for auto.

 
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U got jipped?[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG]
But i believe in Canada there is no such thing as a 'markup' - at least in my past 5 years
of car purchasing i've never come across any such markups.

 
Rep Power: 0

Noodle is right... illegal in Canada for dealers to sell above MSRP. If you paid above MSRP, which is already a rip by itself, then you REALLY got ripped.

When I was shopping around in Ottawa, most dealers give a $1000 discount right off the bat if it seemed like you knew your stuff. It's getting discounts of around $1500 - $2000 that was tough.