2003 Mazda Protege5 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Considering this is an entry level car, Mazda did a great job on it. For the life of the car I have never had anything break down on it. It was nicely styled and I received many compliments on it's looks. It had a nice and firm suspension and handled very nicely on the twisty roads. Power was average, but with the 5-speed manual, it was a lot of fun to drive. It handled all weather conditions well and had lot's of room to haul things and put smaller family members in. The interior was nicely designed; especially liked all the gauges in red. The biggest negatives about the car are the sound system (really could have used a better one), more power would have been nice, and a good looking coupe would have been a nice choice instead of a hatchback if it had been available, seeing as I really don't much care for the sedan styling.Dec 18, 2008

My '03 Mazda handles like a much higher-end car. Its quite tight and responsive, with surprising power for a 4-cylinder engine. The factory stabilizer bar really adds to its handling. The exterior is as sharp as it ever was. I have always liked the eye-catching design, and the Laser Blue Mica color is still one of my faves. As the car has aged a bit, I notice some of the interior finishes not holding up as well as they should. However, Mazda has done a great job in upgrading interior materials in their more recent models. A couple of annoying and potentially expensive things have popped up, i.e. a bum airbag sensor and a sprung seat belt latch. Other than that I have spent next to nothing on this car other than normal maintenance. For my next car I plan to upgrade either to the CX-7 or CX-9. Sep 10, 2008

According to Fairbanks Mazda, i was the first Lazer Blue Protege 5 owner in South Florida. Now, years later and living in Vermont, i still have my P5 and love it with every new day. This is my 5th Mazda and still proud. Never any issues, tons of mileage, and they all purr like a kitten. The reason for new Mazda's is the awesome looks and style. Though, have not plans to get rid of my P5 anytime soon....Aug 15, 2008

Current Mods: Injen Cold Air Intake|OBX Headers|ProtegeGarage Mid-pipe w/ high flow cat|Racing Beat Exhaust|Unorthodox Racing Underdrive Pulley|AWR Full Motor Mounts|TWM Short Shifter and bushings|Lowered (type unknown, done by previous owner) I just plain love this car! The exterior styling looks aggressive straight from the factory and it just looks mean when lowered with some nice rims. The black interior looks very nice with a little silver plastic trim. The leather seats could definitely hug you a bit more on those tight turns but they do their job. The only reason gave the Protege5 a 4/5 in performance is its lack of horsepower. With its aggressive styling and superb handling it demands more power.Feb 19, 2008