Pricay

Protege

Lively sedan big on interior room

and has a
longer wheelbase. The extra length

HATCHBACKS, once the
mainstay of the small car nvarket,
ace slowly disappearing, replaced
by traditional notehback sedan

a sedan-only body sivle too.

Mazda stibohas the 323 hate
chback. but the ftour-doe: sedan
version of this car. called the Pro-

7
64 The Protege is one of the roomiest small cars in its
class, rcomier than a Mercedes-Benz 190E. Mardu
claims. The passenger cabin starts well forward on the
body: and the roof is quite high, 30 overall interior
room is remarkably good for a small car. 99

body styles. In recent years, cars
such as the Toyota, Nissan Sentra,
and Mercury Tracer have defected
to the sedan camp. Rumor has it
that the next Honda Civic will be

tege, is becoming increasingly
popular, ft wilt be interesting tu
see i Mazda keeps urs hatchback
When the next-generation 323
comes out ina few veurs,

NEWS photos Neil Vicente

The Protoge’s styling is clean
and well-preportioned, for a small
ear. bo particularly dike the con-
tinuous body fine which sweeps
tow round the frantof the head,
alone the upper hall of the car
and up across the Gop oof the rear
deck Hd. Ho reminds me a Htle bit
oto othe old Ata Rome Peck
Furntass

Pig Protepe stutres a simular
Plathorm. suspensien and
tiechanteals with the 322 EN hat-
ehback but it is 30Q0num (eight i-

The Mazda Protege DX, SE, i.x
and 4WD models offer a lively
1.8 litre four cylinder engine
with 103 horsepower, a stand-
ard tive speed automatic
transmission, and generous in-
terior room for five passen-
gers. The cars are on view at
North Shore Mazda 711 W 14
St.,North Vancouver.

® Price as tested
STDs

* Type
hour

sedan.

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ches) longer overall
means more intertor room,
especially for rear seat passengers.
The Protege is one of the roomiest
small cars in its roomier
than a Mercedes 1O0R,
Mirzda claims.

The interior has atuactive (weed
sloth with vinyl backing,
cloth deer inserts, aud oa well
Naid-our dash with clearly read-
able, round instruments. ALL con.
trals are well-positioned and vise
ble relative to the driver's seating
position. Base models are net
equipped with a tachometer or ad-
lustable steering wheel. though.

AH Proteges hase standard
GU 40 spl rear seats chat folu
forward fo inefeass trunk os!
The trunk hid extends down
bumper tes

Power for the Protege DN. SE.
PN aad AWD Comes from ur: perks
LoS litte toue ox tinder cme ait

chiss,
Benz

AWS

TEST DRIVE

asiigde overhead cam. four valves
per oovlinder, and electronic
mubtiport fuel injection. This

See Proteve pave 26

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* forque

Tlie: 4000 (pr
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pyes
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themhi

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Wosrrands