2001 Mazda Protege Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
25 -26 City / 30 -33 HWY
Source FuelEconomy.gov
Horsepower
103 -140
Seats
5
Front angle view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Gérald Cabot
Mazda MP3 2001
Mazda protege MP3 Hi love too drive in curve is theBest cars hi never drive.incredible very fast solide easy on gas , love the stearing and Shifter ,song like porche y am.Surprise ow that little car go , like racing cars .
accountCircle Makayla V
It is great for commuting.
I love my car. It is a manual which I find easy to drive. It is great when it comes to gas mileage. It has a decent sized trunk. I have had trouble with the engine a little bit here lately but I also have 200, 000 miles on it. Overall it is a great car.
accountCircle Natu D
It has never broken down on me. My car interior is in very good condition especially for its age.
I like the color and it's reliability. No serious complaints. I wish the cup holders were deeper. It has a little bit of rust as well.
accountCircle Dominique P
Finding parts is easy and cheap.
Great mileage per gallon of gas. Runs great for having more than 185,000 miles. Rust damage to the back bumper and wheel wells. Sun damage to the clear paint coat.
accountCircle k P
That it doesn't have a lot of miles on it for being an older car and can drive well in all conditions.
I like that my car gets really good gas mileage. Though it does not sit really high which is a disadvantage. It runs really smooth for being an older car.
accountCircle Linda Burke
This car will never die
I am finally giving my baby a rest. She's 19. I've had her 14 of those years. She has some rust near rear wheel wells that never seems to get any worse. NY weather. She drives great. Still. Ordinary maintenance over the years. I will miss her. But I'm sure she will be great to whomever buys her from me in the future. I LOVE this car!!!!
accountCircle Lucy J
Handles well. Lasts and is durable. Reliable and minor maintenance.
The car rides very smooth. Feels comfortable. Perfect size for me.
accountCircle Flora D
Very good car love it I would like to have a new one.
No problem with it I love it runs great small I can park it anywhere good color. Good breaks good seat over all great I would process another one like that. Only think I don't like is the radio it should be more high tech. I would like to have heat seats and better seat covers overall good.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Mike B
The customized features have added to the maintenance cost.
It was the cheapest on the lot when I needed to buy. It was a lemon. It had been customized with oversized rims and deluxe air filters. Those parts have been a pain to replace and maintain, and that has added to the cost of operating the car.
accountCircle Stephanie H
Its gets really good gas mileage but parts are hard to find.
Nice little car to get from A to B, gets good gas mileage about 33 miles to the gallon. Engine doesn't have a lotta get up and go but once up to speed handle just fine. Nothing fancy but an ok everyday driver.
accountCircle Dalton G
It does not have good gas mileage for being a emission friendly car
Slow and has very little go power. Sometimes the check engine light comes on and wont turn off for a while even with obd2 scan
accountCircle Daisha b
It will get you to your destination without any problems and it runs well on gas.
Its a 2001 Mazda protege, with a little over 145,000 miles on it. It runs smooth but it makes a slight noise sometimes
accountCircle Rebecca K
Mazda prodigy: it's somewhat ok.
The engine is really shaky and the tires have to be replaced consistently do to wear and tear. Gas is really good on it though and other then the engine it runs pretty good and most the time we don't have to turn it on six times in a row to get it to start.
accountCircle Timothy L
It loses a lot in gas mileage when the a/c is on.
It gets me from point A to B, its too small for me. It's great on gas mileage, but doesn't have enough power.
accountCircle Lauren n
My car is extremely well maintained in relation to most other cars. I plan on keeping this car until the tires fall off or it is more cost efficient to buy a new one than continue maintenance.
I have like my car for many years as it has served Its purpose. Over the last several years however, there have been a lot of major maintenance issues with the car. In general, the car is small, fuel efficient, and dependable.
accountCircle Cheryl A
Great on gas, and its like new condition.
Like that it's great on gas, hate that things are starting to go wrong on the car. Like now I need brakes, just fixed the window motor.

Mazda Protege Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
DX
103 HP 30-30 MPG 5 Seats
car
LX
130 HP 28-28 MPG 5 Seats
car
ES
130 HP 28-28 MPG 5 Seats
car
MP3 Limited Edition
140 HP 28-28 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2001 Mazda Protege Owner Reviews

3.68
34 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 26%
4 stars 26%
3 stars 38%
2 stars 6%
1 star 3%
accountCircle Zachery H on February 27, 2021
I think that the gas usage is good for the price of the car and with the ever-rising gas prices the usage per mile is good.
I enjoy the gas usage, which is around average for the car's year. I also enjoy the automatic windows and the ability to move the mirrors from the inside if necessary. I dislike the cramped legroom and the confusing speedometer markings. I dislike the seatbelts since they are complicated to use and never seem to work properly.
accountCircle Stephanie H on February 1, 2021
Its gets really good gas mileage but parts are hard to find.
Nice little car to get from A to B, gets good gas mileage about 33 miles to the gallon. Engine doesn't have a lotta get up and go but once up to speed handle just fine. Nothing fancy but an ok everyday driver.
View All Reviews (34) chevronRightAlternative

Ranks #15 Small Cars by Owners

The 2001 Mazda Protege has an average owner rating of 3.82 out of 5 which ranks it #15 of 24 other Small Cars.

1
car
2001 Mazda 626
4.28
2
Tie
car
2001 Volkswagen Jetta
4.25
15
car
2001 Mazda Protege
3.71

Ranks #6 Small Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2001 Mazda Protege has a combined MPG of 36 which ranks it #6 of 24 other Small Cars.

1
car
2001 Toyota Echo
41 MPG
2
car
2001 Honda Civic
40 MPG
6
Tie
car
2001 Mazda Protege
33 MPG

Is The 2001 Mazda Protege A Good Car?

Yes. Very easy to repair and great on gas. Has a lot of room plus the back seat folds down so there is extra trunk room. The working sunroof is a great thing.
Josephine R.

How Reliable Is The 2001 Mazda Protege?

Very reliable. We have only had to do regular maintenance like oil change and tune up. We have had to get a new battery.
Teresa S.

Is The 2001 Mazda Protege A Good Value?

Blue book value is now 1600. Even new is very cheap. For a four door small car it is worth every penny. Even doing maintenance is very reasonable cost wise.
Morgan W.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2001 Mazda Protege map sensor location?

Answer: The MAP sensor on a 2001 Mazda Protege is located on a bracket right behind the passenger upper strut mount. The sensor provides instant manifold pressure information to the engine's electronic control unit....

Does the 2001 Mazda Protege have a timing belt or chain?

Answer: The 2001 Mazda Protege was available in two engine options. The standard option was a 1.6L 4Cylinder and the upgraded models would have a 2.0L 4Cylinder. These engines both will use a timing belt system. These...
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Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Not Rated

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Not Rated

Roof Strength

Not Rated

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety