2002 MAZDA Protege Consumer Reviews

Purchased at new 2002 Mazda Protege ES Manual transmission sedan. Best car I've owned. Very low in vehicle maintenance and have replaced the clutch only 2 x at almost 250k miles. I have a great "shade tree" mechanic who has stated that the 2000's Japanese cars will run forever if just taken care of. Despite its age, the power windows and 2-position tilt & open - sun roof still work. Certainly I use more oil at mileage but it's still relatively gas-thrifty with the 2.0 litre naturally-aspirated engine. Definitely no other new model out there to replace it. I'll continue to drive until I absolutely fall in love with a worthy replacement!

At the gas prices went up I bought this car and it's actually really good running car I'm third owner still same factory clutch curves like a kitten you can't even hear it run it's got 144,000 miles on it

I bought this car with 90,000 miles on it. It almost got to 300,000. Started burning oil and blue smoke so now it has finally taken it's last drive. It has taken the family everywhere. It is a small car, but when the kids were small. We took "White lightning. " Interior is still in great condition. I have replaced the timing belt 3 times and 1 clutch. It has been a great car.

My car is 21 years old. It has been dependable and economical . I have family and friends who have made fun of me for not trading it in. Everything works and yes. I have taken care of it. It looks good and still drives great

i have a 2002 Protege, it has been one of the most dependable cars i have owned. It is a fun little car to get around town because of its size. It has a zippy 2.0 and can fit mostly anyway when looking for parking. With regular maintenance and upkeep i am hoping to easily get another 100,000 from this vehicle.

Bought new in 2001, a protégé es in millennium red. It was fun to drive and decent on gas. However, the salt of Central NY winters dissolved the car by rust. Oil pan rusted through and had to be replaced. Thin, cheap metal. Body rusted out within 10 years and the car was no longer structurally safe. I sent it to the bone yard, engine and trans were still good. To you naysayers... vehicle was rustproofed and washed during the winter frequently. I also owned a 2001 Honda Accord ex which experienced none of the rust issues that this Mazda had. Would I own another Mazda in a wintery climate? No way. In the south? Surely.

This is a sporty looking little economy car that is fun and cheap to drive. My car is the lx doesnt have the nice leather seats of the mazdaspeed or mp3 protege and the cloth seats that come in it are not the most comfortable for long trips but are fine for daily commuting. Its not the fastest car in the world but its punchy in town and has plenty of power to keep you up to speed or pass if need be on the interstates. It gets decent gas mileage i get 24mpg,the gas tank is not very large so i fill up quite often but very cheap to fill. My car has been kept stock and in great condition parts are fairly cheap my plan is to keep it on the road till i can no longer find parts for it. I would say its a great little commuter car that honestly has enough after market parts and community support you can give a lot of love if you want :)

A Mazda protege is a great car for getting from point A to point B. It is a very utilitarian car. Cheap to fix and maintain, but very reliable and gets great gas mileage (usually around 34 mpg for me). I had this car for over ten years before I sold it, and I only sold it because I found a great deal on a much younger car. The size of this car makes it a great city car, you can parallel park it with ease. It has tons of pep at lower speeds, though it did sometimes struggle at higher speeds. But if you're looking for a great little cheap and reliable car, look no further.