![]() Now we just had to determine if we liked it. At 25, recently married and a full-time journalist, it didn't take long to realize that Mazda had made this car for me, and others like me. Let us explain.ĭuring the past 21 months, Mazda has completely redesigned its hallmark economy car and, with new Euro exterior styling and a revamped interior, set its sights on winning the business of a focused group of consumers: young, post-college, professional women. The conclusion? Life could be fun with one of these solid little cars parked in our driveways, especially if you're in your twenties. Winding through the Canadian countryside just outside of Toronto in a convoy of Mazdas, listening to Lilith Fair and swing CDs, a handful of journalists got a taste of what living with the all-new 1999 Protege might be like. The Honda is a tough act to follow but this new Mazda has plenty to offer the buyer looking to separate from the Civic masses. The keyless entry is standard this year on ES models.We admire Mazda for going after Civic-like quality and performance with the new Protege. New options include an LX Premium Package that comes with ABS, moonroof, and remote keyless illuminated entry. All three models lose the locking glovebox door that was standard last year. LX and ES models get a larger center console but lose the previous front-seat side storage trays. Inside there's a new driver's side vanity mirror, larger cloth door inserts, and three-point safety belts for the rear seat. A five-speed manual transmission is standard in the Protege but an all-new, four-speed automatic can be ordered with either engine.Įxterior changes range from a new "626-like" grille to body-colored door handles and side moldings (on LX and ES models) to 15-inch alloy wheels (ES only). This engine is standard on the DX and LX models while the top-line ES features a new, 1.8-liter inline four capable of 122 horsepower and 120 pound-feet of torque. As you might expect, power is also up with the new base engine making 105 horsepower compared to only 92 for the old 1.5-liter mill. Topping the list of improvements is a new base engine that grows from 1.5 to 1.6 liters. OK, so maybe the top-line ES brake system has gone from a four-wheel disc setup to a front disc/rear drum configuration, but since the new model is also lighter than previous Proteges, Mazda assures us that stopping distances haven't suffered. I love this car.Looking to take a share of the Honda Civic's sales numbers, Mazda's new-for-'99 Protege offers substantial improvements this year. My check engine light has been on for over a year, and I haven’t had an oil change in 20k miles and it needs tie rods and an axel and the suspension is shot and it has frame damage. It’ll always start in the cold and will just keep going. If you find yourself in a place where you’re considering purchasing a Mazda protege I recommend it highly. I’m 21 and I got my Mazda in 2016 and it had about 65k miles on it when I got it and now has 126k and it’s had a few issues that would have occurred naturally but I’ll admit I’ve put a lot of wear on this car plus been in multiple accidents where I was rear-ended so it does need quite a few more expensive replacements but those are due to specific issues cents that have damaged my car but other than those this car is super reliable and it’s the perfect size for me honestly and it’s been an amazing first car and I wish I didn’t have to replace it but the repairs are too expensive, I would even get a newer model if they hadnt been discontinued. ![]()
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