1999 Mazda Protege...Continued

Vehicle Type: Compact Sedan

Price: MSRP: $11,900 to $15,000, Invoice: $11,500 to $13,750

Engine: 1.6-liter DOHC 16-valve 105horsepower 4-cylinder DX/LX; 1.8 DOHC 16-valve 122 horsepower 4-cylinder ES

Transmission: 5-speed manual transmission; optional 4-speed automatic

Safety Features: driver and passenger airbags, 3-point seat belts with load limiters; Side impact door beams; Child-safety rear-door locks

Buyer Demos: 60/40 female/male, 24 years old, $30,000-$50,000 household income.

Model Availability: Fall 1998

Roominess And Comfort: At 95 cubic feet, the new Protege has significantly more passenger room than any of its competitors including the Dodge Neon and the Honda Civic. The next closest competitor is the Hyundai Elantra with 93.6 cubic feet. Protege averages 4 cubic feet more passenger room than its competition which makes a big difference in comfort for larger passengers and anyone riding in the car for long distances.

The front bucket seats in the new Protege offer excellent support and do well holding the passengers in place when cornering. Seat height and cushion tilt are adjustable in the LX and ES trim levels. The 60/40 split rear bench is comfortable for two people for just about any length trip. Three people will find it cramped for anything but very short jaunts unless the passengers are small children. Mazda improved the rear leg room by moving the front seat track mounting points from the floor to the side sills. Rear-seat heater ducts are standard for added comfort. The cloth seating surfaces are attractive and should hold up well over the life of the car.

In the LX and ES models there are a variety of additional features available which are either standard or optional. There are three option packages for easy selection. In addition to the adjustable driver's seat these models include: power windows with driver's one-touch-down feature, power door locks with a two-stage unlocking feature, cruise control with steering-wheel-mounted control, front center armrest, four speaker AM/FM/CD stereo with a digital clock. The ES model has all of the previous items in addition to CFC-free air conditioning and an illuminated remote keyless entry system. Most major options are available in feature packages including a power moonroof.