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1. #MAZDA PROTEGE 5 2002 TUNING DRIVERS#
2. #MAZDA PROTEGE 5 2002 TUNING DRIVER#
3. #MAZDA PROTEGE 5 2002 TUNING MANUAL#
4. #MAZDA PROTEGE 5 2002 TUNING ZIP#

Low Gear: The Protege’s cargo area is too small to be considered for real station wagon duty, and 130 horses seems to be more whine than zoom, zoom, zoom. With a tight suspension, powerful brakes, superb steering feel and attractive exterior styling, there’s plenty to like. 2002 MAZDA PROTEGE5 - SPECS Rating: 2.5 High Gear: Mazda takes a direct hit to the masses with a Protege that comes willing to carry the family. Now, if only she could get a turbo version. Along with plenty of storage hooks and a large rear seat, there is a cargo area that nearly triples the sedan’s 12.9 cubic-foot trunk when the rear seats are folded down flat. But, first and foremost, this is a cargo hauler – a wagonizer. Rear seating is also plentiful – two adults fit well – and good head room won’t cramp tall passengers.

#MAZDA PROTEGE 5 2002 TUNING MANUAL#

Mileage is downright enjoyable – about 25 mpg in the city, more than 30 on the highway with a manual transmission. Standard transmission is a five-speed manual, with the automatic a $800 option. Standard options are also plentiful, something that’s not a guarantee in this segment. Loaded up, you’re still less than 19k – a decent ride for all those price-concerned consumers in search of a good bargain. At less than $17,000, the Protege rolls in at one of the lower segments in the car universe. There also are the sleek, long lines and jewel-like headlight reflectors that spice up the overall look.

Outside, the Protege sits on 16-inch alloy wheels, large foglamps and an oversized air dam to put it low to the ground. What’s easy to like is the interior and exterior details, a mix of supportive front and rear seats inside, a thick three-spoke steering wheel, dimpled vinyl on the dash and instruments that are tastefully lettered. At nearly 10 seconds in the 0-to-60-mph range, the Protege feels like it needs more than the 130 horses to get it going.

#MAZDA PROTEGE 5 2002 TUNING ZIP#

It’s still a fun car to zip around in – precise shifting, high redlines – but it suffer s in all-out zip. With the added weight, the Protege5 comes with all the revs, but does not come with the results. Under the hood, there’s a new ULEV 2.0-liter engine, a stroked version of the previous 1.8-liter that adds eight horsepower from previous models. The Protege5 is a heavier ride than the sedan – about 80 pounds in wagon bodywork and a little more in structural changes – and that’s a problem when it comes to pull.

#MAZDA PROTEGE 5 2002 TUNING DRIVER#

The driver is in command of the road, from start to stop, keeping things nicely centered just the same way the Protege impressed us six months ago when we drove the MP3 sedan. And wagonizing the Protege did nothing to blunt a rigid chassis and well-mannered grip. It is a mix of the Protege’s sharp lines, terrific steering and sharp handling – all things we loved about the Protege. With an extended roofline and increased cargo space, it is not the lowly wagon you used to make fun of. All new for 2002, the Protege5 is a five-door ride that Mazda hopes represents the next step as a sporty lifestyle hauler. It just doesn’t deliver all the gusto we’d like. All revved up, it still sounds like a real winner, a whiner more than a mover. It can still haul more stuff (the real point) than the sedan. Where the 2002 Protege5 is a great idea on paper, the wagon on the street is a great deal less powerful than we would have liked. That’s Protege5, as in the sporty little two-box version of the popular Protege sedan with more room yet still some zoom. And the company did it with a simple formula: Take a sedan that already works (the Protege), throw a “backpack” on the back end (rear hatch), and name it something familiar, with a numeric twist (the Protege5). As hard as it may be, Mazda has jumped in where few car companies have dared to go.

#MAZDA PROTEGE 5 2002 TUNING DRIVERS#

What’s more, it’s the first in a long line of what’s to come: Mom-mobiles gone groovy that are meant to appeal to young drivers who want to haul things. No need to be embarrassed when you pull up to a light next to a Ferrari. Is it so? We will say it’s a lot closer than the wagons we remember. The automaker, which spent most of 2001 telling the world you could “zoom” your way to a better time, has created the better wagon. Zoom, zoom … huh? The last time we saw something called a “sport” wagon, Clark Griswold was trucking his way to Wally World in the family truckster, Carol Brady was speeding through syndication and, in the real world, wagons weren’t all that cool. Hold on to your wood paneling, your car seat and your kids eating ice cream in the back seat, with special thanks to our friends at Mazda, “wagonizing” has become a sport.