Mazda Protege5

pocahontas

here's some information from Edmunds.com's Future Telling.



What do you think? Thanks for your comments. ;-)

Pocahontas
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Hatchbacks Message Board

protegextwo

If this vehicle is produced in Hiroshima Japan, as are the rest of the Protege's, this vehicle will have rock solid build quality and reliability. Mazda is the king of zoom in the econo sports sedan category and now they are producing one of my favorite configurations, a hatchback!!!

-Larry

tomciviletti

Love the yellow paint, but I'm not sure about the front end. Maybe a little to impreza-like.

vadp

http://www.canadianautoreview.com/la-mazdasportwagonrear-900.jpg

the front is very similar to this one:

http://www.canadianautoreview.com/la-mp3front-900.jpg

silver_bullet

protegextwo, hate to rain on your parade, but the upcoming Subaru WRX sedan and sportwagons will eat this car for breakfast, and still be hungry afterwards.

vadp

As I remember you had (still have?) some doubts about the WRX. Actually you were questioning if the WRX performance gains over the RS engine are worth of extra 5K.
The Protege is gonna have aprox the same lb/hp rating as the turboless Impreza.
What's you point?

vadp

http://www.geocities.com/protegetech/protege_5.html

maltb

Do you have an estimate of what the 2002 Imprenza will sell for?

vadp

http://www.maitreg.com/Cars/impreza/2002/index.asp

hkchan

Edmunds, and I'm sure others as well, has the prices posted already.

vadp

No prices at Edmunds as yet.

vadp

http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.nc2?kbb.CA;225355&91941;car&5&M34M1&

hkchan

http://www.edmunds.com/vehicles/2002/subaru/

vadp

vadp

http://www.velocityjrnl.com/jrnl/2002/v2kmdl2446ovw.html

maltb

OK, I get the picture on pricing. My point here was somebody was comparing apples and oranges. The Protege 5 comes in around $18K and the Imprenza around $24K. $6K can buy you a heck of an engine mod.

hkchan

I agree, and I certainly don't pick a car so I could eat other cars for breakfast.

sentra20ser

Hopefully the littlr women does too. Or else it looks like we will be spending 26k on a Passat Wagon or 22k on a Jetta wagon. We looked at the WRX at the autoshow and she said "I can't believe someone would make a car that ugly."

otis12

I think most folks, or me at least, are looking at the Protege BB as an economy model with sporty aspiration, not a performance wagon ale an Audio or Mercedes. It' sheep in wolf's clothes, so to speak. I like the front end, especially the fog lights, but the chrome rims don't do much for me. A little more plain Jan and cheaper is okay by me.

otis12

I think most folks, or me at least, are looking at the Protege HB as an economy model with sporty aspiration, not a performance wagon ala an Audi or Mercedes. It'a sheep in wolf's clothes, so to speak. I like the front end, especially the fog lights, but the chrome rims don't do much for me. A little more plain Jane and cheaper is okay by me.

qbrozen

I love the looks of this. Although, I wouldn't call it a hatchback. Granted, it does literally have a "hatch" at the rear. But, if that were the only qualification, then all SUVs would also be hatchbacks.

Anyway, I have to say that I'll be disappointed if this doesn't get more power. I hear what you're saying, Otis12, about wanting it to remain an economy model, but economy doesn't necessarily have to be synonymous with slow.

Personally, I'd be happy if this and/or the MP3 were given the option of the 2.2 supercharged engine. Leave the 2 liter as the base for those who want it, but give us seeking some pep another choice. But, that's always been a fault of Mazda: very few choices for the buyer.

protegextwo

I am sure the new Subaru WRX Sportswagon will be an awesome vehicle, but I would not call it's MSRP "econo"! Hehe,.... nonetheless, everything I heard about it is top box. If you purchase one enjoy it, my friend. However, I think the Mazda Sports HB-ES will give nice pop for the buck. I am very excited and looking forward to taking a test drive.

Respectfully;
Protegextwo

ramon

are not in the same league! Price wise and performance wise.

The P5 would best compared to other wagons like the saturn, new jetta wagon, impreza wagons, etc... I saw the P5 in person and I really like the looks. I always dig the proteges. My recommendation to everyone who wants a value car which is way better than civics.
now bring back the rx-7 and i'll believe the Zoom Zoom moniker!

pocahontas

Actually, Mazda refers to it as a "5 door sport" and they seem to leave it at that. They also mention that it's "not your ordinary sports sedan." Seems like they're trying to put it into a whole new category.

In any case, I think with 5 doors and the hatch on the back, it's certainly appropriate for the Hatchbacks Message Board.

Thanks everyone for your input. Talk later. ;-)

Pocahontas
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Hatchbacks Message Board

mfarmer2

and it's kind of small for a station wagon. I think Mazda is being evasive about what this new 5-door Protege is because they're trying to capture all markets. Many Americans have the misconception that hatchbacks are cheap, and that station wagons are as dowdy as minivans. Even suv's are losing their appeal with high gas costs and the recent safety (roll over) issues.

Considering all these factors, rumor has it that hatchbacks are coming back. Perhaps when more of them hit the market, the attitude will change and people will appreciate the functional aspects of hatchbacks more. And it's about time that we start getting some good alternatives to gas guzzling suv's! I'm only considering this new Protege because it is a hatchback.

Regardless of what they call it, I think it will do well because of it's sporty features combined with it's funtional nature of being a hatchback. I've read that it will also have 60/40 split fold-down rear seats for more versatility. Also, the roof rack will be standard. Does anyone know anything about the gas mileage? I imagine it should be pretty decent. My 2 cents.

Mary

maltb

Mileage should be no different than the 2001 2.0 Protege: 25/31 in a Manual Trans.

protegextwo

I owned a 91 Ford Escort hatchback(a rebadged Mazda 323,with Ford sheet mental, Mazda engine, Mazda tranny and Mazda build quality). That little sucker was nearly perfect for a newly married couple. The versatility of the rear hatch coupled with the 60/40 split rear seat backs was awesome. It looked like a fairly handsome econo-sedan(hey, this was 1991, hehe!) but could be used like a small wagon if needed. Perfect for bringing home the Christmas tree or the modular computer desk from Walmart. The only problem,... the two side-door configuration made it very hard to put in the baby seat when our son came along! We traded that little gem in on a 2000 Mazda Protege ES.

pocahontas

The word "Protege" has been removed from the title to reflect the accurate name of this new car: "Mazda 5 door sport." If you have bookmarked this discussion, it will still work; but you may want to mark it again, so it will also reflect the title correction. Sorry for the confusion.

Thanks for your participation. ;-)

Pocahontas
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Hatchbacks Message Board

maltb

I'm sure we will be seeing several revisions until the Sport Wagon(as it is being called at the upcomming NY auto show) finally hits the showroom floor.

pocahontas

I'm simply going by what Mazda is calling it: "Mazda 5-door Sport." I'm not so sure Mazda will be revising this. IMHO. As for what it's actual nhtsa classification, that may be a whole different story....

Talk later. ;-)

Pocahontas
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Hatchback Message Board

mfarmer2

Great gas mileage! Any speculation about the pricing?

Poca- Isn't it possible to link this discussion to more than one board, like they do with the road side cafe? Just an idea. :-)

Mary

maltb

Price should be just under 17K and only comes in the ES grade which is top of the line for the Protege(sorry for using the "P" word Poca).

When this thing gets here early this summer, expect to see good reviews with the exception of USA Today's James Healy(Mazda hater ).

protegextwo

The "Mazda Protege Sport 5 Hatchback Wagon" topic is the way to go! That title is "off the hook", Hehe. Link it to the hatchback and wagon discussions and lets rock, dog. This car is gonna be the "crush"!!! Zoom Zoom Zoom!!!

Regards;
Protegedog4U

qbrozen

I'm going to throw 2 evil terms out here. And, don't get me wrong, I'm a Mazda owner and really like it. But, when you dangle 180 horses and a 6-speed stick in front of my nose, I just may have to turn my head. The Matrix (Toyota) and Vibe GT (Pontiac) appear, on paper, to be more capable "5-door"s.

Anybody else got an opinion on this?

maltb

There will always be a 1 up, but take a look at how Miata has done against a whole host of 'me too' sports cars. The Miata still gives the most bang for the buck and certain attributes are STILL unmatched by it's pricier competitors.

Does anyone know if Toyota or Pontiac given any indication of pricing?

leomort

Not sure about prices, but if they'll be similiar in price to Coralla's they should run between 15-18 grand would be my guess. The 180 hp w/ AWD would probably be at the upper end of the price scale. Should be an interesting.

Leo

pocahontas

this discussion is now linked to both the Hatchbacks Message Board & Station Wagons Message Board. From this point on, you'll be able to access this discussion from either one of these boards.

Thanks to everyone here for your feedback on this subject. Happy motoring! ;-)

Pocahontas
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Hatchbacks Message Board

tatu1

I guess I'm one of the few people who is kind of disappointed with this one, the prototype model had AWD and was being billed as a competitor to the Outback Wagons. Still, unless Honda brings back the Civic or the Accord wagons, I'll be looking at this one in the fall.

maltb

Prototypes are just that! They stir up attention and are used to gauge public opinion. However, when it comes down to production, if the market won't support the demand for an AWD, it's not worth the investment. This type of thing is similar to what happened to the RX-7. When the demand went down, it was a no brainer to stop importing it and not have to redesign it to meet OBD II specifications.

Making an AWD version would most likely price the car out of the range of the target buyer and would be a lost investment for Mazda. Besides, it would be tough for Mazda to compete with Subaru for that small portion of the market that wants AWD.

vadp

http://www.anime-alberta.org/~dan/car_show/Mazda_Protege5_1.jpg

vadp

http://www.anime-alberta.org/~dan/car_show/Mazda_Protege5_2.jpg

vadp

http://www.anime-alberta.org/~dan/car_show/Mazda_Protege5_3.jpg

leomort

do you have any pics of the interiors? I'd really like to see how much cargo space the Protege 5 has.

Leo

cosmo19

I don't know of any pictures, but the interior is said to be the same as the 2001 Protege ES (Color, layout, etc.). I can't wait for more information to come out about this car. Hopefully Mazda will put out more info soon.

In case you missed it, this link was posted on the Protege board about a month ago. It has pictures of the Protege and its new variants - including the 5 door sport.

http://www.geocities.com/negatize/media/2001protege/

wishbone2001

Looking at the pictures, I thought I was having a flashback to my old Honda Civic Si hatchback! Glad this type of design is making a comeback. It is a really versatile design and a hoot to drive.

jstandefer

There is a version of the "5-Door Sport" in Japan called the "Sport 20". It has variable valve timing on the 2.0L engine and produces about 170hp. With that setup, it also comes with AWD and a auto-manual transmission. Don't expect this model here, they always keep the good stuff for themselves. Kind of like the Mazda Eunos Cosmo with it's 3-rotor twin-turbo rotary engine pushing 300hp and 300lb-ft of torque.

Oh Why Can't We Have This Here???



I bet this will beat a WRX...

jstandefer

That picture wasn't nearly as big before I posted it...

maltb

While you are at it Jerry, why don't you tell us how much that thing costs(snicker). I think we'll all know why it's not here.

pocahontas

A previous post (jstandefer #47) was deleted because the size of picture in it was throwing off the margins of the page. Please feel free to repost your information using just using the url (location) of the picture. Thanks.

In regards to posting pictures: if you do not own a picture, please just copy/paste the location of the picture (ulr) into the message like cosmo19 is doing (i.e. post 44); this is to avoid copyright infringement... and is also addressed in our Town Hall Terms of Use.

Thanks for your participation. ;-)

Pocahontas
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Hatchbacks/Station Wagons Message Boards

compensate

We own a 1999 Protege ES 5-speed. The interior is fantastic for its class. Seats are very firm and supportive, with two types of cloth.

I'd bet the sportswagon, if based upon current Protege ES interior trim, will match or exceed anything offered by any other maker in this class.

kchandydog

I contacted a dealer in AC Om., who indicated that they expected to start receiving 5-door models in late June, early July. After seeing pics of the car, I was hoping that they would get the cars before then. From the pictures, I think it is one of the best looking hatch/wagons around. Long enough not to look like the old econo-boxes of the 70s & 80s, yet tapered and rounded enough not look like sub-compact wagon, even though that is what it is.

If only they offered (as an option or whatever), an engine with a little more get-up and go. Compared to WV's 1.8 turbot engine (150 up in 2001, 170+ in 2002, and very smooth), the Mazda doesn't zoom as much as advertised.

If you want more information about the car, you can go to Mazda US's web site, www.mazdausa.com. They have some very limited info. on the 5-door; the MP3 (limited d. Protege); and the MX-8 [RX-8?] (new sports car like the old RX-7s -- pretty slick looking car). The web site does not have much information, but you can request a brochure or additional info. from Mazda.

Also, the 5-door is just a wagon version of the Protege ES model, with the same engine, so my guess is that the spews. for the 5-door will be similar to those for the 2001 ES model, with the exception of the roof extending over the trunk. It looks like the length of the car is about equivalent to that of the for door, so if you took a look at the 4-door, you would probably have a good idea of the capacity of the 5-door.