With the Protege, Mazda favors handling ability over ride comfort, unlike the tamer, softer Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. ES and Protege5 get new alloy wheels and silver gauge faces for ’03. A “2003.5” version of the MazdaSpeed sedan appeared midyear with slightly altered exterior appearance, including dark silver wheels. MazdaSpeed sedans had a special sport suspension with 17-inch wheels, standard ABS, and unique exterior and interior trim. The MP3 version was dropped, but added was the MazdaSpeed Protege sedan with a 170-hp turbocharged 4-cyl engine. It used the standard 4-cyl engine and an optional automatic transmission with manual-shift feature. Only about 1500 were built, painted either Laser Blue or Vivid Yellow.Ī wagon called the Protege5 joined the lineup in 2002. The extras included low-profile tires on 17-inch Racing Hart wheels, a large front air dam with integrated driving lights, side sill extension, and a big rear spoiler. Not only did it feature a Kenwood MP3-capable audio system, but it included a higher-output (140-horsepower) engine and a host of performance components from racing suppliers. During the 2001 model year, Mazda launched a special MP3 edition of the Protege. Otherwise, the Protege was essentially a carryover. A 130-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine became available, too. Proteges earned a front-end facelift for 2001, along with available 4-wheel disc brakes.
Interiors added some chrome trim, but other changes were minimal. Front side airbags became available this year, as part of a Premium Package for the LX and ES.
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