I do wish I could find an actual replacement molded carpet though. The engine could … use a few more horses with the automatic but I'm used to it after all this time and it doesn't really bother me too much. I just replaced the stock Mazda battery two years ago! The gas mileage is about 32-34 highway and it's roomy inside. I just turned 112,000 miles on it and have only replaced the waterpump and timing belt and have had regular fluid changes. I got my 1996 Protege DX with an automatic transmission in 2006 and it's been a great car. Until this issue is addressed, the Protege is destined to remain invisible to consumers. However, compared to many of its competitors, the Protege cannot provide the value buyers expect in a small car. With the 1.8-liter engine and the roomiest interior in its class, the Protege's design is competent, if not inspiringly styled. The new Protege, priced more competitively, would make a solid alternative to the Neon. Why would Joe Consumer ante up nearly $16,600 for a five-speed Protege ES when he can get a Neon Sport with every possible option, better looks, and better performance for a grand less? (On the other hand, considering the Protege's cavernous interior, perhaps it makes better sense as an alternative to Ford's Contour SE.) Make the 1.8-liter engine standard on the LX model, and offer air conditioning at no extra charge. If the numbers of new Proteges and Neons prowling the streets of America are any indication, Mazda needs to do some quick thinking to sell at least a few Proteges. Well, Mazda's new Protege has been on showroom floors for about one year. Oh, there was that pesky upstart from Chrysler Corporation too, the Neon, but was a Chrysler nothing to worry about. After all, they were redesigning a compact sedan that, since its 1990 debut, had been likened to a mini Mercedes 190, and had been one of the few four-doors competing in SCCA racing events. The engineers and designers who were putting the finishing touches on the new Protege must have lost lots of sleep during the first half of 1994.
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