03 mazda protege specs manual#
03 mazda protege specs series#

In North America, with the AWD, it came with a 1.6L Turbo engine. Sold only in Canada in 1990 until 1993, the GT model came with the 1.8 L BP engine also found on the 1994-1997 Mazda Miata.įeaturing all-wheel drive, the JDM GTX model came with a turbocharged 1.8 L BP engine. They featured front or all-wheel drive and engine choices of 1.3 L, 1.5 L, 1.6 L, or 1.8 L gas or 1.7 L Diesel engines. For the 1989 model year, the BG 323 was offered in either sedan or hatchback version. A 5-door fastback version of this Familia, the Familia Astina was sold as the 323F elsewhere. These models shared no body panels, which was a policy that may have led to Mazda's financial difficulties in the 1990s. In 1989 this generation of Familia which was carried over from 1985, featured a hatchback, sedan, and wagon variants. The Forth Bantam was a locally designed pick-up truck called the Hustler. Until 2003 the model stayed in production in South Africa as an entry-level model, also being sold as the Ford Tonic, and sold briefly in the UK as the Sao Penza. Remaining in the lineup until 1995, the station wagon continued in numerous markets. This generation continued until the 1989 model year in the U.S. This year it was available as a sedan, hatchback and wagon. For 1980 the 323 was Wheels Magazine's Car of the Year.įor 1985 the Mazda 323 featured a 1.5 L engine again. An updated version of the previous rear-drive model, a wagon version was also available. Since the rare R130 was introduced, the 1980 Carol/323 was the first front-engine, front-wheel drive car from Mazda. In 1980 the Mazda 323/Protege was front-wheel drive, contained a 1.5 L engine and came as either a hatchback or sedan. The van variant was only produced after 1980, still with round headlights, since there was no front-wheel drive replacement. During the model run, a three-speed automatic gearbox was also offered. Square-sealed beam units on all models except the van replaced the original 7-inch round sealed beam headlights, together with a general styling and mechanical upgrade.

03 mazda protege specs manual#

A variety of these models were available in several trim levels.Īs a replacement for the initial four-speed manual gearbox, a five-speed manual gearbox was introduced. It came in several different body variations a 5-door four-seat hatch, a 3-door four-seat hatch, a 5-door four-seat station wagon, 3-door four-seat station wagon, and 3-door two-seat van with an extended roof profile. Known as the 'Great Little Car', or the GLC, the Mazda 323 was a rear-wheel drive car that was a version of the fourth-generation Japan-market Mazda Familia. In Asia, Australia and various other markets, the car formed the basis of the Ford Laser and Meteor and from 1991, the Ford Escort in North America. The Protege is also the first small Japanese car in 1990 to transition over to the EPA 'compact' class. Continuously a favorite of US car magazines, the car was well-liked for its spitfire personality and peppy performance. This hike in price was probably because it was manufactured in Japan. 323/Protege was much pricier than other entry-level competitors like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

03 mazda protege specs series#

Though Mazda added much to the project, the Ford Focus-based Mazda 3 replaced this series of platforms in 2004. A subcompact car produced by Mazda, the 323s were constructed in Hiroshima, Japan, and assembled in Taiwan, South Africa, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Colombia. In the U.S., it was initially known as the GLC, then the 323, before finally becoming the Protege from 1990 until now. Italy's Giugiaro was responsible for styling the first Familias. Nicknamed the Familia in Japan, the Mazda Protege was first called the Mazda 323 in Japan from 1976 until 2003.