The oddity here is that Millenia styling works for Millenia. Not only is Protege cautious and mainstream–obviously aimed at cautious and mainstream buyers–it is a miniaturized Millenia, with front and rear sculpture recognizable knockoffs from Mazda’s new $26,000 luxury sedan. Where the car falls on its nose, however, is in exterior styling. Here’s the really sad comparison: For $1,000 more you could drive home in a small stick of dynamite known as the Ford Mustang GT with a 5.0 liter V-8. And a Protege ES with the Miata engine transplant costs $16,145. The new primer is a better equipped DX stickered at $12,000. Even among drivers prone to pretty impolite dancing.īase model of the 1994 Protege with a five-speed manual cost $9,500. This new muscle tone also produces a small car devoid of skittishness, in fact a subcompact of exquisite manners and a high measure of balance and security. The Protege’s body has been stiffened considerably by supercomputer analysis and reinforced cross members for the suspension–all of which removes much of the roll from hard cornering and most of the pitch from serious braking. This proven four from a highly successful two-seater produces 122 horsepower and more adolescent fun than might be healthy for sober adults. Fortunately for those who like a little peppermint in their motoring, that means a Protege ES equipped with Mazda Miata’s 1.8-liter engine. on the highway, to an impressive 31 and 39 m.p.g.Īs part of Mazda’s general downsizing and re-arranging to staunch finances that have become a blood bath, there will be only one optional engine in the lineup. It will be standard equipment on the Protege DX primer and the somewhat ritzier LX model.ĭespite this increase in oomph, Protege’s fuel efficiency has improved by almost 10%–from 29 m.p.g in town and 36 m.p.g. The base engine has been puffed up from 82 to 92 horsepower from a new 1.5-liter, 16-valve four banger. Protege panels are concave, which buries all those handles and adds width to the passenger compartment. Mazda likes to rattle on about interior packaging and functionality of space, but it all boils down to rethinking every aspect of design–from engine compartment to body styling–to optimize the process of scooping out a cabin.Įxample: Inside panels on doors are usually flat with cranks, buttons and elbow rests poking into the interior of the car. Credit here goes to something called OptiSpace Design. Mazda’s Protege, thanks to a combination of refined engineering, quality equipment and superb balance when country roads become gymnastic, falls far from this latter lot.ĭespite subcompact sizing, Protege’s interior offers more shoving and snuggling room than even mid-size cars from BMW and Mercedes. only when Rodney King was at the wheel–or so said the CHP.) (The Excel, you may recall, hit 115 m.p.h. So would the door mouse-powered Hyundai Excel–recently, and thankfully, replaced by the Accent. Kia’s Sephia–with mechanical seat belts and the look of a 1988 rerun–might be a questionable place to spend hard-earned money. (Honda Civic), four-door toys with anti-lock brakes (Toyota Corolla), spunky wheels modified for weekend club racing (Neon again),and a full flea circus of tykes with sun roofs and CDs, leather upholstery and alloy wheels, and all the power and remote controls of grown-up autos. Now we have stylish cab-forward designs in pint size (Chrysler’s Neon), smug little cars with dual air bags (Ford Aspire), shrunken sedans delivering motorcycle mileage of 56 m.p.g. Mazda’s 1995 Protege brings the subcompact gene pool to its saturation point.
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