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2000 Mazda ProtegeThe Protege offers an impressive amount of headroom and legroom. In fact the Protege is as roomy as many of the longer, wider and pricier mid-size sedans. Space is important for taller buyers and its something many compacts dont offer. Front-seat roominess is comparable to that of a Honda Civic EX sedan.
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61 Reviews from Shopping.com
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What a fun car!
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Pros: Stylish, refined, reliable, good value
Cons: Noisy at highway speeds
I drove a Mazda 323 for twelve years. It was incredibly reliable and economical, but utilitarian. I was getting seriously bored with it, but the darn thing would just not die.
When I finally decided to get a new car I was certainly well-disposed to pick a Mazda again, but first looked at several others of the usual suspects in its category: Honda Civic, Toyota Echo, Dodge Neon. (Although not the Ford Focus, which is also highly rated in independent reviews.)
But I fell in love with the Mazda Protege (which replaced the 323 model several years ago) the minute I took it for a test drive. The seats are comfortable, the interior is roomy, the fit and finish are top-notch. What really sets it apart though are the handling and responsiveness. It drives like a much more expensive, sporty car.
I bought the LX version with all the options I could get. (This is in Canada, where the top of the line is the LX. In the US the top of the line is the ES, and the options are a little different.) I got automatic transmission, air conditioning and the Touring Edition Package. A CD player is standard, but I added on a cassette player too.
Keyless remote entry was not available as an option, which I found a little surprising, but I was able to get it as part of an aftermarket alarm system that I added.
The only thing I am not completely happy with is the level of wind noise at highway speeds. I actually measured it with my handy-dandy Radio Shack sound level meter to be 73dB at 75 mph. This compares to 68dB at the same speed in a Dodge Caravan. The difference is very noticeable, especially if you are trying to listen to an audio book or have a conversation on a cell phone. I don't know how this compares to other cars in its class, but reviews complain about the noise of a Neon, Focus, Kai, etc.
I have been driving my Protege for about seven months now and am completely happy with it. I've never had a car before where I actually looked forward to driving it!
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