If you're looking for a good used car -- check out the 2003 Mazda Protege. You're likely to find good deals on it because the model has been discontinued and dollar for dollar -- it's one of the more fun to drive cars on the market.

I bought a 2003 Protege ES. It comes standard with a 5 speed manual transmission, Air Conditioning, CD-radio, remote keyless entry, power window and locks, 16 inch alloy wheels and 4 wheel disc brakes, Cruise, rear spoiler, trunk remote, tachometer and airbags. Most folks add the automatic transmission. Other options include a moon roof/6 CD change combo as well as anti-lock brakes.

I've put 5000 miles in the 9 months since I purchased the car. Some thoughts and impressions.

Likes

The main reason to get this car is if you enjoy driving and want a "sports sedan" at "economy sedan" prices. It has one of the best brakes and handling in its class and looks just as good as those 'mini' Benzes that sell for $20K more.

The Protege sedan comes with split fold-down rear seats. This makes it easy to transport longer items in the trunk. Despite the small size, the size is a lot bigger than it appears and has lots of room. My friend is over 6 feet and he had no problems fitting in the car.

Although the Protege is powered by a small 2.0L 4 cylinder engine, it feels adequate with 130 hp.

What makes it fun to drive is its responsiveness. Slight turns of the steering wheel translates to the road so steering the car is a pleasure. The very tight suspension communicates the feel of the road to the driver so you feel in control of the car. I've driven the car on twisty roads in the Oakland Hills and Marin Headlands and never had trouble losing control of the car on the turns.

Folks who like the Caddy "smooth" drive should look elsewhere while folks who like to drive a BMW without paying BMW prices should test drive this car.

I drove a Neon before the Protege and it was night and day in terms of braking power. A slight tap of the brakes slows down the car straight and true and I feel safe knowing that the car will stop on a dime.

The 2003 cames with a 4 year 50,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty -- one of the best in its class. This is an extra year more than the 2002 Protege. So I would spring and pay extra $$ for the 2003 model just for the extra warranty alone. In addition, the 2003 model comes with factory floor mats.

The ES package is worth it if you like sexy 16 inch low profile tires with alloy wheels and better 4 wheel disc brakes instead of the front disc rear drum combination.

Dislikes

Although I love this car, there are some things that bug me. Here's a top 10 list:

1. Bad fuel economy for its class. Why is my Protege 5 speed only getting 25-30 mpg when the Corolla can get 35-40 mpg on the highway? This is bad. But given that fuel economy is better than my old Neon -- I can live with it.

2. The Velour seat fabric for some reason acts like Velcro to crumbs and dust. Vacumming the seats take a lot of work. On the other hand, the fabric looks very classy.

3. A little noisy when driving fast. For some reason, the wind noise is not as quiet as a luxury car and I had trouble listing to classical music on the highway unless I turned the volume all the way up.

4. Poor Power lock design. Most power locks switches are located by the power windows on the armrest. But the Protege power locks are located on the side of the door. In addition, it doesn't have a up/down lever I'm used to but a press in on/off switch. So to unlock the door, I have to bend and twist my wrist so that I can depress the button that unlocks the door. A pain. Plus I've got used to my minivan that automatically locks the door when the car moves. The doors here need to be manually locked.

5. Jerky manual shifting. Maybe it's my driving but the shifting is not as smooth as my old Tracer. The shifting happens at lower speeds than I'm used to.

6. Maximum torque at 4000 rpm. Because the maximum torque occurs at higher revolutions (a BMW needs lower rpm to reach max torque), I have to rev the engine hard to get power. This makes for fun driving but also noisier driving. However, it's comparable to the Corolla which needs 4200 rpm to reach max torque.

7. No cup-holders for rear passengers. Only two cupholders in the front. The cupholders also won't fit large drinks and is placed in an inconvenient location in the center console. But this fits into the serious driver image the car projects.

8. Low resale values in the West coast. For some reason, Mazda cars do not get top dollar in California. If you buy this car, don't expect to keep its value like a Honda or Toyota. But that also means that you can buy it for a lot less than a Civic.

9. There are map pockets for the front passengers but nothing for the back. Perhaps some pockets on the back of the front seats would be nice.

10. Hey -- ran out of dislikes. Car is perfect for the money. [2007 Update -- if you get the ES version, the 16 inch tires are a non-standard size. It's lower profile makes it sexy, but the factory installed Dunlops wear out quickly (40,000K max) and new tires the same size start at $120 EACH. Ouch.]
Amount Paid (US$): 11,600
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: ES