2003 Mazda MAZDASPEED Protege Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Absolutely amazing car, fun to drive, and man it will turn on a dime. I think that the weakness of this car is the limited slip. I had it snap on me with about 32000 miles on the car. I did autox race a bit with it though, to be fair. I wish I had more time to drive it, but I was deployed for 15 months in 07-08. Right now I have a little over 9000 in parts and upgrades all under the hood or suspension. Still less than 40,000 miles on it and looks damn near stock.Mar 28, 2011

It is an overall fun car to drive. Handling is outstanding. This car is great for Autocross and navigating on some twisty roads. The car has a little pep in its step with the llittle T25 turbo, but it could be faster. Compared to other platforms out there, this car needs some work to compete with the big dawgs. But, the car is more fun to drive with simple bolt ons and some tuning. The car should have came with forged internals from the factory so the car would be more boost friendly. Too many have blown the motors in these cars while modding them. Some have even blown the motor completely stock. For decent numbers, you would need full bolt ons, forged block, turbo upgrade, transmision work and if you really want to push it, headwork and a standalone EMS. Cost to own isn't bad, KBB is around $6500 now. Gas mileage...hmmm depends on how fast you wanna go..lol. Build quality, the car has its quirks, coolant leaks, overheating, suspension clunk/ squeak, LSD snaps, factory motor mounts suck, factory CD player and sub/amp suck, and the list goes on. Appearance is great. I love the cars looks, especially since I have added a couple of new things to the cars exterior and there is lots more carbon fiber to come. You would really have to know everything about this particular car if you were going to start putting money into it. But overall, it is a great car to drive.Jul 03, 2010

Preformance: Good preformance acceleration and handling are good are a big step up from the regular protege. Buil Quality:Lacking any really quality everytime I turned around I had to fix something else maybe every every other month at MINIMUM! Apperance: I loved the styling I thought bith the interior and exterior were put together really nicely. Cost of Ownership: Good gas milelage and cheap to buy on the lines as sports cars go. But with the repairs and maintenace it kinda takes away from that. Fun Factor: TONS OF FUN! Great for weekend crusing.Apr 11, 2010

Performance - stock it isn't that fast, but is on rails. With modifications can be a scream. Build Quality - Mazda dropped the ball on some key things with this car, however for a limited production "concept" it is a hit...just need to have patience & build it up. Appearance - Love the look of this car, aggressive, clean lines. Cost of Ownership - does modifications count? LOL Fun Factor - 5/5....this car is a blast to drive....love it!Feb 23, 2010

They don't call it the Civic killer for nothing. Out handles a Integra Type R. It has issues though. Mazda should have beefed up the engine internals before boosting it. You can add more boost but you need tons of supporting mods to not blow your engine. I get awesome gas mileage about 30-35 mpg. This car is extremely fun to drive. It truly drives on rails. Keep in mind this car is like bringing home a new puppy. It's tons of fun but you will need to keep up with her. If you try to get extra power from adding boost you best have all the supporting mods. Remember, you didn't get this car for the amazing power (though it has plenty) you got this car for the awesome looks, and magnificent handling.Aug 03, 2009

Well other than the fact that the Proteges throw motors for giggles, the car is great. Out of the factory, the build quality is alright, but over the long term its not great: The stereo has had to be replaced numerous times. I've owned three motors. Still chassis means that I've been through half a dozen windshields. Overall performance for the stock car? I don't even remember anymore. My MSP has a heavily modified suspension system and almost none of that is stock save for the front torsion bar. Its a complete blast to drive.Jun 24, 2009

It's a fun car. The performances are acceptable and the handling is good. I have to replace link kits and sway bar bushings once a year. I've had problems with the exhaust manifold falling off because of a broken bolt. I've had the engine block replaced and the turbo as well. The brakes are very expensive, hard to find and do not last long. It's a good car to have...under guarantee.Sep 14, 2008

*Performance – With the mods I've made to the car, it quite fast for it's size. I know it's not the fastest, but it's plenty of fun. *Build Quality – No major repairs. Has a couple squeaks and rattles, but that is to be expected with motor mount inserts. *Appearance – Interior is among one of the best stock interiors i have ever seen, even in cars costing twice or three times as much. *Cost of Ownership – Car averages 32MPG with mixed driving. Maintenance is only oil and the occasionally Seafoam dosage. *Fun Factor– Car handles like a dream, but the ride will not break your back. Because of the small turbo, performance is always on tap at any RPM which is impressive for a 4 cylinder. Aug 06, 2008

Picked up a used 2003 Mazdaspeed, single ower and only 20k miles on it! Still own my original 1992 Protege LX and am tickled with the differences between the two as I get used to the new ride. Roomier than my older Protege but seems to lost a little space in the trunk. Short throw shifter is a blast and the cornering, steering is top notch. Not wild about using only premium fuel but that's a small con to enjoying the ride and handling the MSP providesJun 18, 2008

I bought this car about two years ago and I absolutely love it. It's not a very quick car, but the suspension that comes on the car is all aftermarket. Racing Beat is featured on everything for the suspension in this car. I have the 2003.5 which came with the dark racing hart 17" wheels. Overall, it's a fantastic car and there's not too many of them around.Jun 09, 2008

The car had exceptional grip and good body control for a sedan. I can't think of many cars that would outhandle it off the showroom floor. That being said, the power was a let down. After the tiny intercooler heat-soaked, the power dropped tremendously. I could barely get around a Miata. The interior was good and the exterior (in gray) wasn't too flashy. If someone has figured out to smooth out the power delivery and then you add a front mount intercooler, this would be a great track car.Apr 28, 2008