![]() And although public-road prudence restrained the Corvette to probably three- or four-tenths of its capability, the equally prudent Protegé5 pilot was enjoying the full potential of his mount and grinning from ear to ear. The 650-hp Lingenfelter Twin-Turbo Vette had a 520-hp advantage plus a high-g tire-and-suspension setup, but the nimble little wagon managed to keep within view. But as we took off, we noticed there was no map in the Protegé5 - so we had to keep up with the car ahead. The mini-Mazda was on hand as an errand boy and was being used as a shuttle en route to the next driver change during the road drive. The setting was last month's Supertuner Challenge. Impatient readers who've already skipped ahead to the spec panel will be unconvinced that a 9.5-second mini-breadbox could ever qualify as sporty, but they have yet to play chase with a Lingenfelter Corvette on twisty Michigan back roads in a Protegé5. The Protegé lineup is morphing toward sportiness with the new MP3 sedan we showed you last month, as well as with this roarty little two-box 2002 Protegé5 (for five-door, gittit?). You've seen the "zoom-zoom" campaign Mazda is airing to inform us of its positioning as the sporty import brand within the Ford family of fine cars? It rings a little hollow now, with the MX-5 Miata standing as the only convincing sports car, but each of the company's new offerings will step in that direction, and maybe by the time the snot-nosed kid in the TV spots is terrorizing driver's-ed teachers, "zoom-zoom" will fit. ![]() And although its price can rise to uncomfortable levels (especially with the ES model), the Protege deserves the attention of people looking for a comfortably quick commuter with spicy style and a good reliability record.As quite often happens with image makeovers, the advertising has gotten ahead of the product. The Mazda Protege is a long-time favorite of ours. 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 aluminum wheels (LX and ES) go a long way toward giving the Mazda an upscale appearance, as do the jewel-like headlight reflectors, angular taillights and tasteful chrome accents. Not only can this car entertain, but also the Protege is one of the best-looking economy sedans on the market, exhibiting more class than a car at this price has a right to. On the road, the Protege is a bit louder than expected, but not much more so than others in the class. What it lacks in straight-line acceleration it more than makes up with responsive steering, capable brakes and a tautly tuned suspension that conspire to make the Protege serious fun to drive. While sprightly, especially when matched to the standard five-speed manual transmission, Protege isn't going to win any drag races with souped-up Nissan Sentras. The ES also comes with features like 16-inch alloy wheels, optional ABS and side airbags, and an available sunroof.įor 2002, all models are powered by a 2.0-liter engine putting out 130 horsepower and135 pound-feet 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. Protege is available in three trim levels: DX, LX and ES. Mazda's Protege is a snappy little sedan that competes quite competently against vehicles like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |