![]() We love the big, bold wraparound tail lamps. The compact, chrome-accented grille, the distinctive front badging, the monochromatic body-side moldings, and the recessed door handles enhance that feeling. The Protege’s rounded corners, sculpted hood line and clean, uncluttered shape suggests a variation on BMW’s corporate look. Mazda’s designers have made no secret of the fact that they drew their styling inspiration from European cars. The redesigned Protege is based on the narrow-platform version of the Mazda 626 sedan that is sold in Japan and Europe. Along with the $450 delivery charge, that kicked the total price up to $17,870. Our ES test model was equipped with two options: automatic transmission ($800), and a premium package that included front side-impact air bags, power sliding glass moonroof, and ABS with the aforementioned brake force distribution. The $15,040 base price includes such standard features as power windows, door locks and exterior mirrors, tilt steering column, rear defogger, power rack-and-pinion steering, cruise control, and 60/40-split fold-down rear seats. ![]() The top-line Honda Civic EX sedan, with a 1.6-liter engine and manual transmission, is steeper, with a base price of $16,830. Protege competitors include the top-line Toyota Corolla LE, with a 1.8-liter engine and manual transmission at a base price of $15,068. Protege ES comes with bigger front disc brakes and a higher level of standard equipment. The Protege ES is powered by a 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder, 122-horsepower engine that is essentially a slimmed-down version of the 2.0-liter engine that powers Mazda’s 626 midsize sedan. ![]() A 4-speed automatic transmission can be added as an $800 option. (For California buyers, the 1.6-liter engine meets that state’s standards as an ultra-low-emissions vehicle.) A five-speed manual transmission is standard. Protege LX and DX models come with a 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder engine that puts out 105 horsepower. The Mazda Protege comes in three trim levels: The top-line Protege ES ($15,040), mid-line LX ($13,245) and entry-level Protege DX ($11,970.) New aesthetic touches for 2000 include chrome-accented interior switches, color-matched shifter and parking-brake levers, and illuminated power window and door lock switches to ease use at night. They include optional side-impact air bags for the front seats and an optional anti-lock braking system with electronic brake force distribution - a stability-control system commonly found on much higher-end cars. Mazda’s decision to plow ahead with luxury-car styling, comfort, and roominess in an economy car raised the bar for its competitors.įor 2000, Mazda has improved the Protege even more with a number of refinements. The changes shone even more in the context of the previous Protege, which was so fundamentally sound and aesthetically pleasing that Mazda could have gone a few more years without an overhaul. It resulted in a vehicle that was hailed in many quarters as the best in its class. The makeover included a new body style with a distinctly European look, a tough new frame, two new engines and a new transmission. Mazda totally redesigned the Protege for 1999. The Protege offers a comfortable interior, a comfortable ride, good high-speed stability and excellent handling. The Mazda Protege is as roomy as many of the more-expensive mid-size cars.
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