1998 Mazda Protege Review (continued)
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Walkaround

The Protege comes in three trim levels: entry-level DX, well-equipped LX and more powerful ES. All are equipped well, including a tilt steering column, adjustable front seat belt anchors, dual cupholders and rear-seat heater ducts. LX and ES models come with cruise control, power windows, power mirrors and power door locks and a split fold-down rear seat.

DX and LX Proteges are powered by a highly efficient 1.5-liter, inline 4-cylinder engine. It's rated at 37 mpg on the highway when equipped with the standard 5-speed manual gearbox. Equipped with double overhead-camshafts (dohc), it produces a respectable 92 horsepower and offers good performance.

ES models come equipped with a more powerful 1.8-liter engine that produces 122 horsepower. This engine is also used in the Miata and turns the Protege into a small luxury sports sedan.

Either engine can be ordered with a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Safety is enhanced by high-strength steer bars in the doors, dual airbags, and available anti-lock brakes (ABS).

We drove the ES, which has a base price of $15,745. (All prices include the $450 destination charge.) Our Protege ES came with a high level of standard equipment, including air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo, cloth sport seats, and reclining front bucket seats with adjustable thigh support and seat height on the driver's side.

Our test car came loaded with options: Carpeted floor mats & armrest guards ($105), automatic transmission ($800), and the $1,195 ES Premium package, which includes power sunroof, alloy wheels with locks, keyless entry and alarm. All of this boosted the total price to $17,845.

Styling is a relative term in the subcompact world. Obviously, the lines of a subcompact won't be as long nor as sleek as those of a sport coupe or mid-size sedan. Nor should they be. When purchasing a subcompact, such matters usually take a back seat to durability, ride quality, and value. That said, the Protege's taut, self-contained styling is attractive and looks a bit more sophisticated than most subcompacts.

The front end is stately looking in a subtle way. Flush-mounted halogen headlights complement the narrow grille and understated front air dam. The black lower fascia, door trim, mirror housings, body-side moldings and recessed door handles contrasted nicely with the silver paint on our test car for an elegant look.

The rear wraparound taillamps are large and highly visible. This makes a strong styling statement. It also enhances safety: When the Protege's large brake lights illuminate, drivers following along behind should have no trouble seeing them, which could reduce the chance of a rear-end collision.

Interior Features

This five-passenger sedan offers a surprising amount of space for its size. With 95.5 cubic feet of interior room, the Protege is one of the roomiest vehicles in its class. This gives it an edge over the Nissan Sentra (87.2 cubic feet), Toyota Corolla (88.0), and Honda Civic (89.8).

Tall drivers should find plenty of head room up front and there's even more head room in the back seats. In the legroom department, the driver's seat can be adjusted to provide more than adequate space for a 6-foot driver, while leaving enough breathing room for the passenger sitting directly behind.

All instruments are highly legible and easy to read. Cruise control switches are conveniently situated on the steering wheel, and the power-window buttons can be easily flicked while laying your left arm comfortably on the armrest. A small change compartment on that armrest is ready for toll booths. Cupholders are nicely integrated, an improvement over the flimsy, slide-out versions we see in many cars.

The glove box can be easily reached from the driver's seat. We would have liked a little more storage space in the console. There's enough room for five cassette tapes and another small storage compartment under the stereo affords enough space for two or three more tapes.

Aesthetically, the interior of our Protege was an attractive, monochrome design, with four matching shades of gray. Two-tone cloth seats offered a rich appearance, particularly for subcompact standards.

Owners of small cars are often concerned about cargo space, but the Protege offers 13.1 cubic feet of trunk space. That's plenty of room for a major grocery run or luggage for several people.