2003
Mazda Protege

Starts at:
$13,580
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New 2003 Mazda Protege
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Not rated
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Not rated
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
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Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • 4dr Sdn DX Manual
    Starts at
    $13,580
    25 City / 31 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn DX Auto
    Starts at
    $13,580
    25 City / 30 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn LX Manual
    Starts at
    $15,315
    25 City / 31 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn LX Auto
    Starts at
    $15,315
    25 City / 30 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn ES Auto
    Starts at
    $16,040
    25 City / 30 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn ES Manual
    Starts at
    $16,040
    25 City / 31 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

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2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege 2003 Mazda Protege

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Safety review

Based on the 2003 Mazda Protege base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Frontal driver
5/5
Frontal passenger
4/5
Nhtsa rollover rating
4/5
Side driver
3/5
Side rear passenger
4/5

Factory warranties

Basic
4 years / 50,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years
Powertrain
4 years / 50,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
4 years / 50,000 miles

Consumer reviews

93% of drivers recommend this car
4.5 / 5
Based on 31 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.2
Interior 4.1
Performance 4.4
Value 4.6
Exterior 4.3
Reliability 4.4

Most recent

By Caveman from Ramsey, Minnesota
Owns this car
February 15, 2023

Purchased used 18 years old for son

18 year old ES model with 77,000 miles from original owner. Car was very clean and very well maintained. Son has driven it daily for 1 year with no issues. Runs fantastic for its age and price. Did need to replace the tires due to their age. Wish I could find more cars like this one for my other kids. A very well built car!!!!
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 4.0
Interior 4.0
Performance 4.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 4.0
Reliability 5.0
5 people out of 5 found this review helpful. Did you?
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By Benito Colima from Vancouver, British Columbia
Owns this car
August 6, 2022

Love my Protege

I bought a second-hand Protege from the dealer in 2004. It was a 2003 model, leased by a company for short drives around the city, then returned for resale a year later. It had about 12,000 kms on it and was exactly the colour I was hoping for (sand/champagne). I loved it. It's 18 years later and I still love it. My car's in excellent condition, with low mileage (less than 100,000 kms) and no rust, thanks to walking to work and parking underground all these years. Virtually every time I take it in for servicing, the mechanic asks if I'm interested in selling it. My latest mechanic said he's on his fourth Protege and doesn't care that they have none of today's bells and whistles. It's just a really good little car. In my experience, there are a few drawbacks to the interior. One is that you can't readily reach the passenger-side, outer-mirror adjustment knob. It's on the passenger's door, so you have to adjust, sit back and check, adjust, sit back and check. Of course, that's only a pain if you have multiple drivers. The other thing I dislike is the low seating. It's a sport suspension so you "feel" the road, which is all the more reason I'd prefer to have higher, better-padded seats. I bought seat covers and have a cushion under both front seat covers. Allows us to sit higher in the vehicle and to feel less of the road. My previous vehicles were all Fords so I was used to navigating using the crease down the hood. With my Protege, there is no crease so that took some getting used to. Of course, I'm perfectly comfortable navigating now. I know exactly where the car is on the road or in a tight parking spot. Over all, it's been a great car and I'll miss it when the time comes to change. I admit that I wish it had the built-in GPS, back-up camera, USB port, etc. of new vehicles but I've been using models that plug into the cigarette lighter for many years and they work perfectly fine. If you can find a Protege that's been taken care of, I recommend buying it.
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Having fun
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 3.0
Interior 3.0
Performance 5.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 5.0
Reliability 5.0
3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2003 Mazda Protege?

The 2003 Mazda Protege is available in 3 trim levels:

  • DX (2 styles)
  • ES (2 styles)
  • LX (2 styles)

What is the MPG of the 2003 Mazda Protege?

The 2003 Mazda Protege offers up to 25 MPG in city driving and 31 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

Is the 2003 Mazda Protege reliable?

The 2003 Mazda Protege has an average reliability rating of 4.4 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2003 Mazda Protege owners.

Is the 2003 Mazda Protege a good Sedan?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2003 Mazda Protege. 93.5% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

4.5 / 5
Based on 31 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.2
  • Interior: 4.1
  • Performance: 4.4
  • Value: 4.6
  • Exterior: 4.3
  • Reliability: 4.4
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