Because of the engine's flexibility, it should work fine with the automatic, especially with Sport AT.ĬONCLUSIONS: What do you get when you cross a five-door And that's the best description of the Protege5 - a small-displacement sports car with large-capacity room. It has good low-rpm torque, a healthy midrange, and an entertaining rush of top-end horsepower, all accompanied by a classic small-displacement sports car snarl. Relatively light weight and, with the standard five-speed manual transmission, a light flywheel and an acceleration-friendly final drive ratio work to make the best use of the engine's power. Horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 135 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm.ĭon't necessarily believe raw data. Valve twincam engine doesn't sound all that powerful, with 130 PERFORMANCE: Reading the specs, the Protege5's 2.0-liter 16. The Protege5 can turn even a routine trip to the grocery store into fun. Standard four-wheel disc brakes ensure good stopping ability. It's firm enough for good handling, with enough compliance for comfort. Chassis rigidity, already good, is enhanced by a standard front strut tower brace, and the fully-independent strut-type suspension is tuned for sporty fun. No ad hype here - the Protege5 is as close as you'll get to a Miata wagon. ROADABILITY: Mazda likes to say that there's a little Miata in all Side airbags and antilock brakes are available. Sturdy safety structure around the passengers, with front and rear crumple zones. SAFETY: The Protege5 uses Mazda's ``Triple-H'' design for a No compromises are necessary with the Protege5. Two adults shorter than six feet, or three children, fit easily, with ample covered storage behind, and the possibility of more with the rear seat folded. There is greater head and leg room than expected in the 60/40 split rear seat. A large locking glovebox, CD-sized console box, and door pockets in all doors provide useful storage. The driver gets cushion height and tilt adjustment, classic-looking black-on-silver instruments, and a leather-covered steering wheel rim. The front sport buckets are supportive, well-bolstered,Īnd much better than expected for the car's price class. Standard upholstery is grippy cloth, and leather isĪvailable. It has all of the contemporary sports stylingĬues, with silvery trim around the window lifts and console, andįaux carbon fiber flanking the center stack to add interest to the Low-profile speed-rated tires are mounted on alloy rims.ĬOMFORT: Inside, the Protege5 is equipped above its relatively Its flat-faced ``air dam'' front bumper fascia incorporates an auxiliary air intake flanked by large foglamps, the rear fascia has ``venturi-look'' styling, side sills tie the ends together stylistically, and the small spoiler over the backlight is the finishing touch to its contemporary sports look. Relatively short, with short overhangs, it's a two-box variation on the current Protege theme, but where the typical small crossover vehicle points toward SUVness with high-profile tires and roof racks, the Protege5 looks the other direction. Hatchback and wagon, with a passenger cabin that is longer than Logical side and my sense of fun, with a great combination ofĪPPEARANCE: In proportions, the Protege5 is between Week, and I'll miss it when it goes away. I've been driving a Protege5 with the five-speed for the past Still be had without manual mode, and a five-speed manual gearbox To improve the driving experience for customers who need anĪutomatic, but want easy control of it at times. The SportĪT adds manual-shift mode to the available four-speed automatic Luxury cars, they are rare in the Protege5's price class. Manual-mode automatics are commonplace in upscale sports and This year, the ``Sport AT'' (tm) automatic transmission. Mazda has added a new option to increase its popularity Versatility, energetic performance, and good fuel economy is hard Its mix of sporty looks and handling, five-door Life is full of compromises, but the Protege5 doesn'tĬompromise. But in the low-priced five-door (that's four doors and the hatch, or tailgate) sport category, the Protege5 still stands alone. Now, hatchbacks and small wagons seem to be undergoing a renaissance, with a few more entries in the field. When it made its debut a couple of years ago, it had no real competition. It's a sporty-looking four-door hatchback with sportsĬar attitude that is more than skin deep. The Mazda Protege5 would appear to have your Oh yes, and you are on a budget - it would be nice to have change from $20,000. A small crossover or SUV isn't in the picture - your enthusiasm is for driving. Reality says you need space for four and/or lots of stuff, more space than is even found in a small, sporty sedan.
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