Faults:

Rod bearings went out after less than three years, requiring engine to be overhauled at a cost of $2000.00.

Air conditioner works very poorly.

Car has very little power compared to other 4-cylinders.

General Comments:

Car revs very high between gears.

Not comfortable on long trips.

Faults:

Lots of chips in paint on front bumper.

General Comments:

This car has excellent throttle response. When you mash the pedal, this car picks up and goes! If anything, this car is much faster than it should be.

The stock tires were garbage. That's no surprise though.

The stock brakes tend to fade when they get hot. Again, no surprise. These can be upgraded for very little money. For your average driver though, the stock brakes will be more than good sufficient.

The paint on the front bumper seems to be either lacking clear-coat, or it's really thin paint. 32,000 miles, and my bumper looks terrible.

Protege's have great handling.

Various rattles here and there, but nothing major.

For the money, no other car can compete. This car looks great, performs great, and simply can't be beat.

Faults:

Okay, I ran over something and demolished the oil pan at just the right spot for it to cost me a whole lotta cash. This was not a factory problem, but the cash that I had to fork out was. Anywhere else I think I could have gotten a better deal on the repair, but if you want genuine Mazda parts that will last, I suggest going to the dealer to fix it. (Routine air filter changes can be expensive, too.)

The only other problem I'm having is that the paint chips easily on the front and rear bumpers.

General Comments:

This car has so much cargo space for everything you need. It's comfy to sit in and the cruise control lets your feet rest. Everything in the cargo spacing is very easy access, and the 60/40 back seat split is great for bigger things that can't quite fit in the large trunk space.

The upholstery and dashboard materials are not cheap looking like most small cars in its class.

My backseat passengers especially love the windows that roll all the way down, instead of the traditional 1/2 way. Backseat passengers also have safety in the middle seat because of the lap and shoulder belt. Try and find that in another small car!

Faults:

The front rotors were resurfaced at 20,000km.

The clutch and flywheel were replaced at 45,000km as per a Mazda TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) due to "chattering" when taking off from a stop.

The rear Mazda emblem corroded due to salt and was replaced at about 50,000km.

The driver's side sun visor wouldn't stay up so it was replaced at 70,000km or so.

The rims have chipped and bubbled badly, my dealer says that they won't replace them. I'm going to fight them on this one, I have the extended warranty until 160,000km.

General Comments:

There is no other car I would have bought in this class. I love it.

The fit and finish is incredible, with the exception of the easily chipped paint.

The factory stereo was quickly replaced with an Alpine AM-FM/CD/MP3 player.

Although a bit down on power, the handling and chassis more than make up for it. I love the stiff ride and the grippy high performance tires.

I compete in Autocross (Fully legal parking lot racing against the clock) with the car and it is mildly modified (synthetic gear oil, cold air intake, stainless exhaust, bigger rear sway bar, racing brake pads, ultra high performance summer tires, etc.) so I do put more wear and tear on the car than most and it has held up beautifully.