Which Years of Used Mazda Protégés Are Most Reliable?
Mazda Protégé by Kevauto - CC-BY-SA-4.0
The Mazda Protégé – also known as the Mazda Familia or Mazda Protégé 323 – is a small but very popular family car manufactured between 1963 and 2003. Over its forty-year manufacturing lifespan, many different iterations of this vehicle came to the market. If you’re wondering what the most reliable Mazda Protégé year is, you’ve come to the right place.
Most Reliable Years for the Mazda Protege
Because the Mazda Protégé is an old vehicle line, the most reliable Mazda Protégé years tend to be the most recent ones. That’s all relative, of course, as even the most recent year – 2003 – was still decades ago.
For the most reliable Protégé years, some of your best choices include the 1997, 1998, and 2001 model years. These models have recorded lower number of complaints and recalls. However, again, manage your expectations since you’re looking at old vehicles
NOT JUST FOR CAR SHOPPING
The CoPilot app isn’t just for buying a car - our new CoPilot for Owning tool will help you keep track of recalls and gives you advice on which scheduled maintenance tasks are most important.
Are Mazda Proteges Generally Reliable?
No matter what Mazda Protégé you end up buying, you’ll want to know whether the overall vehicle line is reliable or if you should take your money elsewhere. According to vehiclehistory.com, the Mazda Protégé has an average user rating of four out of five stars. More importantly, it has a crash test rating of four out of five stars and very positive owner reviews in general.
Similarly, truedelta.com indicates that the Mazda Protégé’s reliability – while it varies by model generation – is reasonable, though not amazing. Many users say that their Mazda Protégés are fairly reliable, though they do need to take them in for maintenance more regularly than once per year in many cases. However, this isn’t terribly surprising given the fact that the last Mazda Protégé was created in 2003.
Which Mazda Proteges Are the Least Reliable?
The least reliable Mazda Protégés aren’t necessarily the oldest out of the bunch. In fact, sixth-generation Mazda Protégés – which were manufactured between 1990 and 1994 – are widely considered to be more reliable than seventh-generation Mazda Protégés, which were manufactured between 1995 and 1998.
The least reliable Mazda Protégés are usually older vehicles from the 60s and 70s, as well as those seventh-generation vehicles. They have relatively low reliability and are more likely to showcase a host of issues like:
- Tire problems
- Paint and rust issues
- Engine trouble
- And more
It’s likely you can find some of those old Mazda Protégés for cheap, but it might not be worth it in the long run for your wallet and your safety.
THE MAZDA PROTEGE YEARS TO AVOID
Not all Protege models are created equal. While the vehicle has a strong reputation overall, certain model years have been reported to have more issues than others. So for today, we highlight the Mazda Protege years to avoid.
Are Mazda Proteges Expensive to Maintain?
Even if you get a cheap deal for a used Mazda Protégé, don’t forget you’ll need to pay regular maintenance fees and at least take the car in for maintenance once per year. Repairpal.com says that the average annual maintenance costs for a used Mazda Protégé total $334.
Some repairs and maintenance checks, like air-conditioning system leak inspections and cooling changes, aren’t terribly expensive. On the other hand, some Mazda Protégé issues might result in you having to pay out-of-pocket much more than you expect. The most expensive repairs for a used Mazda Protégé include fuel injector replacements and exhaust pipe replacements.
Keep in mind that the older your Mazda Protégé is, the more likely it is you’ll need to pay for expensive repairs more frequently. Be sure to get a vehicle history and accident report for a used Mazda Protégé before buying it – that’s the best way possible to make sure you don’t get a dud or lemon car that will need a ton of fixes and extra repair bills shortly after purchase.
THE 10 MOST RELIABLE USED SEDANS
If you’re ready to start shopping for a used car and reliability is a priority for you, take a look at our list of the top 10 most reliable used sedans on the market today.
Which Mazda Protege is Most Reliable?
You might think common sense will dictate the most reliable Mazda Protégé year is 2003: the very last production year of the car. But that’s not the case at all. While 2003 isn’t the worst, it had its share of major issues. But according to getjerry.com, the 2003 Mazda Protégé was very popular despite having a relatively mediocre horsepower output.
Instead, try to find a 2001 model. The 2001 Mazda Protégé is known for being snappy, responsive, and low maintenance. It has pretty good handling, is capable of competing with some sports cars from the same year, and nowadays can be purchased for very low prices. At the same time, you’ll benefit from the classic Mazda Protégé’s sporty, understated design and high-performance aftermarket racing accessories.
What Are the Most Common Mazda Protege Problems?
Even if you do purchase the best Mazda Protégé year, you should keep your eye out for common problems, as older vehicles are more likely to break suddenly or have major maintenance problems. According to mazdaproblems.com, the most common problems of the Mazda Protégé include:
- Caliper and brake issues
- Terrible rusting
- AC not working
- Voltage regulator damage to the alternator and battery
- Airbag and seatbelt problems
Most of these are relatively minor, and you may be able to repair some of them yourself or prevent them from happening by taking good care of your used Mazda Protégé.
HOW MANY SPARK PLUGS DOES A DIESEL ENGINE HAVE?
The answer to this question isn’t as simple as you’d expect. Let’s look explore the difference between gas and diesel engines and explore just how many spark plugs a diesel engine actually has.
Is the Mazda Protege Worth It?
The Mazda Protégé might be worth it if you really need a cheap vehicle, but also want to double down on reliability. If you need a car for less than $10,000 that can get you to work and back consistently, go for one of the later Mazda Protégés, like the 2001 Mazda Protégé. That way, you’ll be able to save a lot of money and rest assured that your vehicle won’t go kaput in the middle of the road.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the most reliable Mazda Protégé year is the 2001 model, although Mazda Protégés from around the same year can still be worth your time and money. Do a lot of research, and don’t hesitate to have a mechanical look at the vehicle before purchasing it. When it comes to buying such an old used car, it’s well worth the extra time and effort to see that it has a clean bill of mechanical health before spending any of your hard-earned cash.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.
Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.
The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.
