12/16/2023 0 Comments 2003 mazda protege lx sedan![]() ![]() The Mazda Protege is a long-time favorite of ours. Enhanced by a taut and well-damped suspension, Protege is the "driver's car" of economy sedans. Credit goes to the first-rate steering system with gobs of feedback, perfect weighting and no on-center dead spot. On the road, the Protege is a bit louder than expected, but it does provide an excellent drive. For 2001, the interior features a new center stack design, new seat and trim fabric, a new interior color, a modular audio system, improved cupholders, ignition key illumination, power window switch illumination, a map light, a lockable glove box, and a lock for the 60/40 split-fold rear seatback. There's also a proper Germanic front-passenger door grip, nicely padded upper door panels where elbows often rest, lots of storage nooks and crannies, a large rear seat, and a commodious 12.9 cubic foot trunk. The driving position is excellent, with a thick steering wheel rim to grip and a properly placed dead pedal for the left foot. The firm seats are comfortable, and the seat height and cushion angle adjustments (on the LX and ES) are greatly appreciated. The attractive brushed-aluminum wheels go a long way toward giving the Mazda an upscale appearance, as do the jewel-like headlight reflectors, angular taillights and chrome accents. Mazda has updated the front end's styling, adding a new grille, hood, fenders and headlights. The Protege is one of the best-looking economy sedans on the market, and the 2001 improvements should only further the car's lead. Torque is rated at 135 foot-pounds, up 12.5 percent over last year's 1.8-liter engine. Optional on the LX and standard on the ES, the new engine puts out 130 horsepower. Power from the 1.6-liter is tolerable, but buyers looking for more acceleration should opt for the new 2.0-liter engine. The ES also comes with features like standard air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, and optional ABS and side airbags.īoth the DX and the LX use a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 105 horsepower and 107 foot-pounds of torque. For options like a driver's height-adjustable seat, power windows and locks, a tachometer, and cruise control, you'll have to step up to either the LX or the ES. The base-model DX comes with standard features like power steering, a tilt steering wheel and a split-folding seatback. Sold only as a four-door sedan, the Protege is available in three trim levels: DX, LX and ES. If you can find a Protege that's been taken care of, I recommend buying it.Now in its third model year, Mazda's current Protege is a snappy car that competes against vehicles like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus. of new vehicles but I've been using models that plug into the cigarette lighter for many years and they work perfectly fine. I admit that I wish it had the built-in GPS, back-up camera, USB port, etc. Over all, it's been a great car and I'll miss it when the time comes to change. I know exactly where the car is on the road or in a tight parking spot. Of course, I'm perfectly comfortable navigating now. With my Protege, there is no crease so that took some getting used to. My previous vehicles were all Fords so I was used to navigating using the crease down the hood. Allows us to sit higher in the vehicle and to feel less of the road. I bought seat covers and have a cushion under both front seat covers. It's a sport suspension so you "feel" the road, which is all the more reason I'd prefer to have higher, better-padded seats. The other thing I dislike is the low seating. Of course, that's only a pain if you have multiple drivers. It's on the passenger's door, so you have to adjust, sit back and check, adjust, sit back and check. One is that you can't readily reach the passenger-side, outer-mirror adjustment knob. In my experience, there are a few drawbacks to the interior. My latest mechanic said he's on his fourth Protege and doesn't care that they have none of today's bells and whistles. Virtually every time I take it in for servicing, the mechanic asks if I'm interested in selling it. My car's in excellent condition, with low mileage (less than 100,000 kms) and no rust, thanks to walking to work and parking underground all these years. It had about 12,000 kms on it and was exactly the colour I was hoping for (sand/champagne). It was a 2003 model, leased by a company for short drives around the city, then returned for resale a year later. I bought a second-hand Protege from the dealer in 2004. ![]()
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