Mazda Protege years to avoid
No model year of the Mazda Protege stands out with more than twice its typical number of complaints.
Best Mazda Protege years
Not enough model years on the road yet to compare.
Mazda Protege complaints by model year
Owner complaints by model year. Newer years have had less time on the road, so expect them to grow.
Most common Mazda Protege problems
All model years combined.
- Seat belts220
- Airbags159
- Transmission157
- Engine137
- Brakes92
- Electrical70
- Tires53
- Acceleration47
- Suspension46
- Lights42
- Seats40
- Body39
Mazda Protege problems year by year
Tap a year to see its problems, recalls and what owners say.
| Year | Score | Complaints | Top problem | Typical mileage | Recalls | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 68 | 120 | Engine | 67,000 | 0 | 16 | |
| 2002 | 75 | 98 | Seat belts | 61,000 | 0 | 12 | |
| 2001 | 83 | 50 | Airbags | 48,000 | 1 | 12 | |
| 2000 | - | 102 | Transmission | 45,000 | 1 | 25 | |
| 1999 | - | 88 | Transmission | 64,065 | 1 | 21 | |
| 1998 | - | 46 | Transmission | 98,401 | 1 | 8 | |
| 1997 | - | 66 | Airbags | 1 | 15 | ||
| 1996 | - | 70 | Airbags | 42,000 | 1 | 24 | |
| 1995 | - | 165 | Airbags | 88,000 | 4 | 30 | |
| 1994 | - | 74 | Seat belts | 95,000 | 1 | 6 | |
| 1993 | - | 44 | Seat belts | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1992 | - | 63 | Seat belts | 1 | 5 | ||
| 1991 | - | 51 | Seat belts | 1 | 5 | ||
| 1990 | - | 37 | Seat belts | 1 | 3 |
Recalls 6
Questions about the Mazda Protege
What years of the Mazda Protege should you avoid?
No single model year of the Mazda Protege has more than twice its typical number of owner complaints.
What is the best year for a used Mazda Protege?
There are not enough model years on the road yet to compare.
What is the most common problem with the Mazda Protege?
Seat belts, with 220 complaints across all years, followed by airbags (159) and transmission (157).
How many recalls does the Mazda Protege have?
6 recalls between 1990 and 2003. The 1995 model year has the most, with 4.
VIN decoder
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Buying a used Mazda Protege?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
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