Review Car

2011 Mazda Protege5

The 2011 Mazda Protege 5 might be described as a cross between the Miata and the Tribute mini-SUV. 2011 Mazda Protege 5 uses the same 130-horsepower, 2.0-liter, dohc inline four-cylinder engine as the Protege sedan. It is built on the solid platform of the tight, handsome, arguably prosaic, arguably under-appreciated Protege compact sedan.

Mazda is trying to not call it a wagon without defying reality, which takes a bit of marketing and semantic tightrope-walking. So sometimes this exciting car finds itself being called a five-door vehicle by its maker. The car rises above it. The main thing is, it comes in five colors. The Vivid Yellow in the commercial is the call.

The 2011 Mazda Protege 5 is very good looking. Cool looking, for an un-wagon. Trim cladding, just side sills and air dams. Great-looking 5-spoke, 16-inch alloy wheels, either brushed or polished like chrome. Speedy lines and stance, not boxy. In profile it looks like a short Subaru Legacy GT wagon, but it’s prettier at each end. The interior of 2011 Mazda Protege 5 is also way cool. It’s very neatly done, distinctive and sporty in dark charcoal leather dash and doors, with cloth seats. Both front seats of The 2011 Mazda Protege 5 are tweaked in lumbar and lateral support, and the driver’s seatback structure uses something called Pluma-flex board, which Mazda says is stiffer at the bottom and more flexible at the top, resulting in a gentler and more accommodating fit, and transmitting less vibration.

The 2011 Mazda Protege 5 may be small but it doesn’t feel cramped in front. Everything falls into place for the driver, with good foot room including a nice dead pedal. Visibility from inside is also very good in 2011 Mazda Protege 5. There’s no whumping in your ear when just the driver’s window is down. There’s a small triangular window in the back third of the rear door glass. There’s a lot of value in The new 2011 2011 Mazda Protege 5 apart from utility, looks and sporty performance. It embodies the zoom-zoom spirit. It deserves to bring Mazda more name-recognition and engineering-recognition. And as an option to a mini-SUV for a small, sporty family, that compromise between a Miata and a Tribute, it could be a whole lot of fun.