Mazda Protege5

aardvark_mark · May 2001

Anyone know if Mazda will offer the 1.9 APR for 36 months + 400 cash back on the 2002 protege5 in the USA?

This degree might be good for something after all

.. thanks

-Mark

tocan · May 2001

I'm sorry for all you Americans who are complaining about no ABS without moonroof. When I bought my last car (a 1994 Nissan Sentra) the Protege and the Civic were immediately removed from consideration because I couldn't get the top trim line (which had all the bells and whistles that I wanted) with ABS without moonroof. Even now, I can't get the Protege ES sedan with ABS without moonroof. I'm grateful that the options in Canada for the P5 seem to allow no moonroof (ABS is standard). One additional note, side airbags are not available here at all.

However, I have now seen 4 different P5s in 3 different colours (thanks lszabo for letting me know where I could see the red one; it is GORGEOUS) and every single one had a moonroof. I hope that this isn't going to be one of those phantom options where all cars produced have moonroof even if it is ostensibly an option.

nemeca, don't assume that since your husband is 5" taller than you that he won't fit. It depends on trunk length and driving position and a whole lot of other things. One additional question of course is whether the car you tried had moonroof. The existence of the moonroof does cut headroom. I don't know what you were expecting, nobody ever said that the P5 was anything more than a Protege with a different back end (and some sportier touches on the front and sides). The seating area is exactly the same as the current Protege according to the specs. The whole car IS a bit shorter, so the trunk would actually be slightly smaller (although of course you have additional height).

Nomi

pocahontas · May 2001

For that reason, I've re-edited the title to include "Hatchbacks & Station Wagons" into the title name. Hopefully this will help to avoid any confusion with the discussion occuring here... from participants from both of these message boards.

Please note: you can access this discussion from either the Station Wagons or the Hatchbacks message board. However, if you enter from one particular message board, the links at the top and near the bottom of the page will take you back into the same message board you entered from.

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tocan · May 2001

You might want to change the name to Mazda Protege5 since that is what the car is actually called both in Canada and the United States.

Nomi

atatu · May 2001

Don't know about the graduate program, but I was told by a salesman that 1.9 for three years was available...

maltb · May 2001

I seem to remember quite a few of us wanting the Protege 5 name some time ago. Glad to see you came around. Hehehe

pocahontas · May 2001

but glad to accommodate now. Btw, has anyone taken one of these for a test drive yet? I'm sure many of us here are waiting to hear about it.... Happy Motoring! ;-)

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aardvark_mark · May 2001

Man, I just got a call-back from a dealer about 20 miles away from me.. He's expecting 14 p5s.. all 14 automatic transmission.

All the other dealers I've spoken to also have only automatics coming in.. bleh..

I'm in New Jersey. Hows it look in your neck of the woods?

-Mark

maltb · May 2001

Initial production was all automatics, look for M/T models at the end of the month.

brekke · May 2001

I really like the looks of the p5 but I was disappointed in some of the specs. According to the Mazda website the p5's cargo capacity is only 24.4 cu feet with the seats folded down.

By comparison, the Subaru Impreza wagons have a 61.6 cu ft. cargo capacity, seats down. And subtract at least $1000 from their MSRP for a more accurate street price.

Sporin · May 2001

Yes, but the review at www.carconnection.com says...

"Mazda says the Protege5 offers up to 24.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat folded. Using the measurement methods of some of its competitors, the numbers would be even larger."

I wonder what they mean by that?

brekke · May 2001

I have a feeling that some manufacturers inflate their cargo capacity...

jstandefer · May 2001

I'm wondering if you could check on the differences between the interiors of the Pro sedan and the P5. When I sat in the yellow one I posted pics of, I found myself remarking at how much smaller it felt inside compared to my sedan. The back seat especially felt considerably smaller... I set the driver seat to where I would drive and sat in the back. Compared to my sedan, I lost about 3-4" in legroom! And I have to agree with someone who posted above... except for the extra height, the cargo area is MUCH smaller than the sedan's trunk!

How is it that Mazda only got 24.4 cubic feet of space with the rear seat folded down? The sedan's trunk is 12.9 cubic feet... now figure extending the trunk to the roof of the car, fold the rear seats down and add in that extra room from the seatbacks to the roof. I would expect an increase of room of about 200%-250%, not an increase of only 89%!!!

Otherwise, the car is gorgeous!!! I will have to test drive one once the manual transmissions get in. I am particularly concerned about the road noise, since hatchbacks and wagons are generally louder. When I replace the carpet in my ES sedan later this month (changing it to black from the current hard-to-keep-clean light gray), I will add sound insulation to quiet things down. I can't wait to see the Classic Red P5 since my sedan is Classic Red. And then, which color to choose? Vivid Yellow or Classic Red?

aardvark_mark · May 2001

from the article at..

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=3633&sid=180&n=157

"...Mazda says the Protege5 offers up to 24.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat folded. Using the measurement methods of some of its competitors, the numbers would be even larger..."

The language from above leads me to believe there isn't as big a difference in cargo capacity as it would seem based on manufacturer specs..

Personally I know very little about how they measure cargo capacity, but I find it hard to believe the WRX wagon has that much more room considering they have almost the same length(WRX 173.4, P5 170.5), width(WRX 66.7, P5 67.1) and height(WRX 58.5, 57.8) specs..

If it turns out the WRX wagon does indeed have 35+ more cubic feet then maybe the p5's bulky plastic backseat support columns on the sides are to blame. *shrug*..

ciao

hkchan · May 2001

Both the US and Canadian sites show 19.8 cu. ft. of "PEA Cargo Volume" and 24.4 cu. ft with the seat folded down. Both numbers look "suspicious".

stefokm · May 2001

I made a visit to the northern Wisconsin area and saw 2 P5's on the dealer lot. One 5 spd
loaded with moonroof, etc, the other an automatic. I drove the 5 spd. It had good pickup, and held tight to the road so was good fun to drive, has great visibility, but I was disappointed in the feel of the clutch and gear box. They were very sloppy, so you lost the "sport" feel. The car had very limited wind and road noise until you opened up the moonroof. Then you heard all the wind noise from the roof rack. They were selling, with Mazda rebate, for about $16,300. The dealer said the P5 was a few inches shorter than the sedan, but the inside felt like it had a lot of space. I like the looks but will wait to see the new Honda Civic hatch and the Toyota Matrix.
Kevin

hkchan · May 2001

What rebate? On the Protege5 which is a 2002 model? Are you talking about the College Grad. rebate?

stefokm · May 2001

The dealer said there was a $500 rebate or reduced financing on all the Mazda cars. Who knows, maybe it didn't apply to the P5 but was going to reduce the price out of a lack of knowledge.

aardvark_mark · May 2001

What colors were the cars? Any personal preference?

-M

stefokm · May 2001

The 5 spd was silver, the automatic was blue. I'm not a fan of silver, probably because so many people own silver vehicles. The blue was a nice, deep shade, much like the blue on the new VW's.

vocus · May 2001

I have a 2001 ES 2.0 sedan in black with automatic and Premium Pkg. Now that I have seen pics of the new P5, I kinda wish I would have waited. I might just check into getting the P5 front bumper/taillamps if I can though. You think it's possible to put the same taillamps on the sedan?

hkchan · May 2001

Front bumper I can understand, but taillamps?

maltb · May 2001

Paul, sit down and take a good look at both cars. I don't see those tailamps in your future.

mpgman · May 2001

Stopped by a dealer and asked if they had one. Three salesmen said no...then the manager came in and said they just got a silver automatic. Some internal communications!

The car had no moonroof/ABS/side air bags, so it was hard to judge the headroom if you had the driver's seat cushion cranked up. I'm 5'11" and with the seat up, there wasn't a heck of a lot of headroom, especially close to the door. Really want to sit in one with the roof to see how much more is lost.

Checked out the back seat room. Had the driver's seat all the way back. Enough room but barely..as my knees touched the back of the front seat. Headroom in the rear was understandably good. I didn't have a ruler so it was hard to judge where the lost 5 or so inches came from compared to the sedan. I thought the trunk initially...could still be the rear seat.

Rear hatch opening not as wide as I had hoped. Hatch cover nothing special on the inside...even looked a bit flimsy. Rear seats folded relatively flat even with headrests attached...a nice plus compared to the Golf.

There is a big red torsion bar? under the hood across the engine...or is that an anti-sway bar? Is that on the sedans or just the Miata?

The car drove fine....just like the sedan although I thought the suspension was tighter because it took bumps harder. Could be the 50 series low profile tires.....can't say as to whether the inflation was right.

All told....entry #1 is here! Waiting to see what the Elantra GT has to offer and then if still undecided, the ZX5 Focus. Only Focus will probably offer factory leather and traction control...although after market leather is OK too at the right place. Still a bummer if ABS has to be bundled with the roof.....the brochure shows them and the side air bags as stand alones.

Anyway....my .02 worth. Still think Golf might be the standard bearer unless the reliability goes further south. Hate to reward an auto maker for forcing you to take the roof to get the safety stuff. The Pro is a winner though...but don't count on carrying a huge load.....almost forgot......nice looking standard roof rack....that can help a lot! The dealer said manuals are in his system and on the way so maybe no big delay.

mpgman · May 2001

In response to the earlier post about the low arm rest/console cover on the Pro:

Don't know about after market but you might see if a Focus center arm rest (similar to Golf/Jetta) could be retrofit.

Good Luck!

tmundar · May 2001

MPG Man,

I believe that the metal bar that connects the strut towers in the engine compartment is called a "strut tower brace."

A torsion bar is a suspension piece that takes the place of the spring in some suspension setups. The only car that I know has a torsion bar off the top of my head is in the suspension of older Porsche 911s. I know that I have read about a torsion bar suspension in other cars, but I don't remember any other specific cars.

An anti-roll bar does connect both sides of the car's suspension together, but you have to look underneath the car to see it.

Tom

rsparrow · May 2001

from Canadian Driver... hadn't seen one in red yet... looks good!

http://www.canadiandriver.com/previews/02protege5.htm

qbrozen · May 2001

I think a torsion bar can be used in several different setups and doesn't always do the same thing. I know, for one thing, that they were used on the S10 Blazer. I don't know about taking place of the springs in other cars (I would tend to doubt it, but anything is possible), but they definitely do not in the blazer. They are long rounds rods that run the length of the car underneath from the front suspension (if memory serves, i believe it connected roughly where the a-arm met the frame to the rear frame cross member just in front of the rear axle (that doesn't sound right, but I can't think of where else it might connect back there). I think, in this case, it serves to reduce flex and body roll. All I know is that we had to remove one of them to replace the transmission mount. Didn't even know they were there until that happened.

Just throwing in more for confusion.

maltb · May 2001

Torsion just means twist.

Typically, a torsion spring would be used in place of coil springs on the front suspension. Take a look at a 2wd Toyota pick-up 80's - 90's (not sure if they still use them or not). It's basically a 2.5 foot steel rod with splines at both ends and provides spring by resisting torque(another word for twist).

Torsion bars are typically used to prevent twist of a solid rear axle as on the S-10 in the previous post.

caraddicted · May 2001

I've called a few dealers and all of them are telling me 2 weeks at the soonest, probably mid-June. Does that mean that they have them and just don't know it? From the posts I've read here it doesn't sound like they know what they're talking about. I asked about the Protege5 and the salesguy was thinking MP3. He hadn't a clue.

aardvark_mark · May 2001

All the dealers in New Jersey say p5 arrival = last week in May / 1st week in June. And yes here too it seems I know more about the car than the dealer

..
The other day I was translating option codes for one on the phone

..

They also said they weren't sure if I could get the 1.9APR for 3 years on the p5. Anyone else have any luck with that?

Thanks

hkchan · May 2001

Call Mazda 800-222-5500 (courtesy of maltb) and report here any information, assuming Mazda itself knows.

zcman · May 2001

Freeman Mazda and Big Billy Barrett Mazda both have the P5 in the showroom. Freeman said more arrive the last week of this month.

aardvark_mark · May 2001

thanks for the info.. good number to know.

ok I called and after listening to the 'zoom zoom' song for about 20 minutes they told me the 24 and 36 month 1.9 APR is available on the protege5 and can be combined with the graduate program's $400 cash back. All she said was that you would need excellent credit to qualify for the 1.9 APR.

She also said expect the p5 on the east coast within the next month.

I never heard the full version of the zoom song before

.. pretty groovy.. hehe..

ciao

mpgman · May 2001

Sorry about my confusion. The red painted brace I saw under the hood of a Pro-5 is a strut tower brace. The salesman called it a torsion bar...but then again he thought the white faced gauges came on the 2.0 LX too. The brace stands out because everything else under the hood is black.

rsparrow · May 2001

This one from the Detroit News...Nice interior shot.

http://www.detnews.com/autosweekly/0105/16/lead/lead.htm

hkchan · May 2001

The steering wheel (as well as the pedals and shifter) shown is the MP3's, not Protege5's.

Something odd. Various sources show the following vehicle heights.
Protege5 57.8"
Protege 55.5"
Focus 56.3"
Focus Wagon 53.9"

Don't these look odd?

vocus · May 2001

You notice, at the bottom of the linked article above, they have the price/horsepower breakdown. Notice the Protege5 is the cheapest car with the most horsepower among them? ZOOM ZOOM

tmundar · May 2001

The information that they had for the Focus Wagon was wrong in their comparison. The Focus Wagon had the 130 HP Zetec engine as standard.

I also found the following line a little insulting: "Mothers of Protege5 buyers should approve of the car's ride and handling." I wonder what that is supposed to mean?

The price per horsepower ratio won't be in the Protege5's favor for long, with the Elantra GT coming out with more HP for less money, and the Toyota Matrix will be available with a 180 HP engine.

Of course, people don't buy cars based on horsepower alone, or the Chevrolet Camaro would be far more popular than it is.

Tom

jstandefer · May 2001

The interior shot in that article is of the MP3. The Pro5 does not have the silver accents on the steering wheel nor the shifter... actually, the Pro5's accents have a bit more of a bronze tint to them rather than the silver the sedans (ES and MP3) have in them. Also, the Pro5 does not have that Kenwood MP3 player in, rather the Mazda double-DIN modular AM/FM/CD.

It would be interesting to see how that Toyota 1.8L DOHC VVTi-L 180hp engine does in the Vibe/Matrix. My experience with the Celica GT-S, which uses the same engine, is that it has very little power until you hit 6,000rpm. The torque peak of that engine is 5lb/ft less than the Pro5 at 300rpm higher than the Pro5's redline, and 2,800rpm higher than the Pro5's torque peak! It moves pretty good if you take it up to 8,000rpm every shift, but who wants to drive like that? Also, I can't imagine performance with the automatic will be that great, since I'm sure the Matrix/Vibe will be heavier than the Celica. Either way, it should be interesting to see a comparison test of all the new "wagons".

vocus · May 2001

The Focus does come with the 130-hp engine standard. That is a change for 2001. Forgot about that one. So it's equal to the P5 in horsepower/torque then (almost, anyway).

You say there are bronze accents inside the P5? I have a 2001 ES, and love the silver accents on the dashboard and near the shifter though. Bronze sounds like yucky.

jstandefer · May 2001

I have a 1999 Protege ES sedan. I took a close, long look at the Protege5 last night. I didn't drive it, but here's my more evolved thoughts:

Either the roof/headliner is lower in the front, or the seats are higher. Where in my sedan I have the driver seat raised, I had to lower them in the Pro5. Legroom seems identical to the sedan. The new 3-spoke leather-wrapped Nardi steering wheel is quite nice. I prefer the cruise control stalk in the sedans instead of the Ford-like buttons on the Pro5, but at least the buttons are large with positive engagement feels, rather than Ford's "did I press it" feel.

The back seat seems to have lost about 2-3" of legroom. However, I did notice that I had more under-seat foot room than the sedans, so perhaps the front seats are higher. Headroom in the rear was about 2" greater than the sedan's, which was a welcome surprise. Rear seat-back angle is nicely raked, although still a bit too vertical for my taste, but comfortable. The rear doors now have lower pockets molded in them, a nice touch.

The rear cargo area is definitely more narrow than the sedan's trunk and not as deep. This is where the Pro5's shorter length comes from. You can tell that the rear overhang (the distance from the rear tire to the end of the bumper) is noticably shorter. The rear seat bottom cushion pulls out and flips forward. The rear seat back folds forward, but the headrests must be removed and stowed (unlike the MPV and Tribute, no place is provided for the headrests that I noticed). The load floor is fairly flat with the seats folded. The cargo cover easily removes and goes up and down with the tailgate. The tailgate opens tall enough for a 6-footer.

Overall, the Pro5 provides more maximum cargo room than the sedan, but the sedan has more cargo room when compared with the rear seats up. The lighter color of the '99-'00 ES sedan (very light gray top, light gray bottom) gives the sedan a larger, airier feel inside. The dark charcoal of the Pro5 can feel a bit claustrophobic in the back seats. Haven't driven one yet, but if it drives anywhere near the sedan or better, it's a definite keeper. In this case function follows form, but man, what a form it is!

maltb · May 2001

...had the same interior as the ES. I'll have to take a second look, but from what I remember they weren't different. Are you sure it wasn't that bright yellow blinding you?

vocus · May 2001

I was kinda upset that I didn't wait for the P5 to come out before I bought my 2001 ES. Now after hearing your comparison, I don't feel that way. I have a moonroof, and I am almost touching the roof of the sedan. I probably wouldn't have been able to comfortably drive the 5 anyway.

lszabo · May 2001

I am 6'4" and there was about 2" head clearance when I was sitting in the Protege5 (with moon roof).
I currently own a 95 Mazda 323 and I get the same clearance, doesn't bother me at all.
But one thing is sure, the Protege5 in its class, offers the most leg room.
I gave up on the 2001 Nissan Sentra, although this car offers a LOT MORE for the same price, because of the fact that I do not fit in it.

carczar · May 2001

I saw the Protege5 sitting in a dealer's lot yesterday and I must say it's a nice design, especially the rear. It fits in with the "zoom zoom" image. It looks a little like Pontiac Vibe, though.
I would choose the Pro5 over the PT cruiser any day.

tocan · May 2001

Well, I did it! I test drove the Protege5 and bought one. Now hopefully they will find the red automatic with air conditioning and no moonroof that I want quickly. But with over 10 dealers in the region, there shouldn't be too much of a problem unless Mazda only made cars with moonroof. I also got the 6 CD changer, and the security system.

I used X-plan (the Canadian equivalent of S-plan). I called up the closest dealer, asked if they would accept it, he checked with his sales manager, and told me yes! The deal isn't as good as in the U.S. but I am really happy. It took slightly less than 2 hours from the test drive until I left, but part of that was trying to figure out how to do an X-plan sale since they had never done one before, and partly because the sales manager was busy, and I had to wait. But basically, it was pretty painless.

Nomi

aardvark_mark · May 2001

Congrats!! wishing you all the best with your new ride

.. Hopefully I will be joining you as a p5 owner soon. Please keep us up to date on the pros and cons of the car once you start driving it.. It would be very helpful to me at least, hopefully to others here as well..
ciao
-Mark

pocahontas · May 2001

Lood forward to hearing more about your Protege5.... Happy Motoring! ;-)

Pocahontas

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iamz · May 2001

I am new to this scene, so "hello" to everyone. Anyway, I myself ordered a new P5 a couple of weeks ago with ABS, moon roof, and an automatic. I drive over 25K miles a year and at my age (36), prefer to let the car shift for me. Besides, the automatic in this car has gotten very good reviews.

I ordered it in yellow which according to the dealer, is going to be hard to come by even though yellow is Mazda's flagship P5 color. They told me Mazda was only planning on shipping 150 yellow P5s this year.

Can anyone confirm this?

It's going to be a long summer since the dealer told me not to expect delivery prior to late July or early August.

Mazda Protege5

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