1997 Mazda Protege User Reviews

Go For It — Got very nice gas mileage, and got out of its own way pretty nicely. I can't say too much beyond that because 8 days into owning it I swurved into a guard rail on a rainy day. Oh, well. Life goes on.

Primary Use: Commuting to work

Great Car — Had it for 7 years and put 140,000 with no issues other than changing out brakes and batteries. Great car. It is a comfortable car that has needed little maintenance. I've been waiting for the clutch to go out, but it just keeps on going.

Great Millage On A Tank Of Gas. This Car Pulls Way To Slow! — I bought my car when it was only 5 years old had it now for 8 years and it has had a lot of trouble already. Pretty much right from the beginning I had engine problems, the car turned off during driving and split seconds and on again than it just keept driving. Also many times brought it to check the computer never found anything. My car just seamed to have a ghost in it. Now it just jerks me to the front whenever it feels like it. It's an automatic and the shifting is pretty bad. I like my little car but I hate it that it does this. I think I might have got a lemon. Nobody seams to know what the problem is. I have had to move over to the shoulder to park my car and turn it off to make the problem stop. My car would change itself to nutral on the dashboard but not on the stick itself. How rediculos is that!!! To fix this problem I had to turn off the car and wait than turn it back on!!! It happen many times on the highway and during busy traffic in the city!!! I am thinking of buying a different car now but not sure what yet. So I still put up with this how pathetic is that?

Primary Use: Family transportation

My Mazda — its alright very slow but likes to be revved the engine is quite peaky and has no bottom end. the suspension does a good job on a variety of surfaces including gravel at high speeds. The brakes work well once warm just like any other breaks. If coaxed properly the rear end will hang out rather nicely and as long as the driver wants it to hang out. The shifter isnt very good and the shift gates are very close together. The trunk provieds aduquate room for a car this size. The car is comfortable and is good on gas. With a good set of snow tires like the ones that I have on it right now it is a tank in the snow and is lots of fun.

323 - Ok I Guess — I got the Mazda Protege (or Mazda 97 1/2 as it was marketed here in Manila) back in 1997 as a graduation gift from high school. I really wanted a Honda Civic at the time, but the color we wanted wasn't available yet, so my folks bought me a maroon 323 Familia, which I drove till late 2001. Overall, I loved the car, so much so that we sold it to my Tito's family, and I still see it every few weeks.