They buy cars not only for practical reasons, but for emotional ones as well. They embrace the thrill of discovery, yet make sound, well-researched decisions. The buyers of the new Proteg are not rebelling like the youth of their parents' generation, according to Mazda PR execs. Though the average age of the current Proteg buyer is 42, Mazda plans on putting all of its energy into an ad campaign aimed at single or newly married women aged 24-plus, with median household incomes of $30,000 to $50,000, a bachelors or masters degree, and an active, energetic lifestyle. Now we just had to determine if we liked it. At 25, recently married and a full-time journalist, it didn't take long to realize that Mazda had made this car for me, and others like me. Let us explain.ĭuring the past 21 months, Mazda has completely redesigned its hallmark economy car and, with new Euro exterior styling and a revamped interior, set its sights on winning the business of a focused group of consumers: young, post-college, professional women. The conclusion? Life could be fun with one of these solid little cars parked in our driveways, especially if you're in your twenties. Winding through the Canadian countryside just outside of Toronto in a convoy of Mazdas, listening to Lilith Fair and swing CDs, a handful of journalists got a taste of what living with the all-new 1999 Protege might be like. The Honda is a tough act to follow but this new Mazda has plenty to offer the buyer looking to separate from the Civic masses. The keyless entry is standard this year on ES models.We admire Mazda for going after Civic-like quality and performance with the new Protege. New options include an LX Premium Package that comes with ABS, moonroof, and remote keyless illuminated entry. All three models lose the locking glovebox door that was standard last year. LX and ES models get a larger center console but lose the previous front-seat side storage trays. Inside there's a new driver's side vanity mirror, larger cloth door inserts, and three-point safety belts for the rear seat. A five-speed manual transmission is standard in the Protege but an all-new, four-speed automatic can be ordered with either engine.Įxterior changes range from a new "626-like" grille to body-colored door handles and side moldings (on LX and ES models) to 15-inch alloy wheels (ES only). This engine is standard on the DX and LX models while the top-line ES features a new, 1.8-liter inline four capable of 122 horsepower and 120 pound-feet of torque. As you might expect, power is also up with the new base engine making 105 horsepower compared to only 92 for the old 1.5-liter mill. Topping the list of improvements is a new base engine that grows from 1.5 to 1.6 liters. OK, so maybe the top-line ES brake system has gone from a four-wheel disc setup to a front disc/rear drum configuration, but since the new model is also lighter than previous Proteges, Mazda assures us that stopping distances haven't suffered. Looking to take a share of the Honda Civic's sales numbers, Mazda's new-for-'99 Protege offers substantial improvements this year.
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