While Mazda has been hard at work promoting its all-new, 2001 Tribute sport utility, in television commercials utilizing the catchy “zoom–zoom” theme, another new, 2001 arrival to the Mazda family has been receiving much less attention. The dawn of the 2001 model year saw the debut of Mazda’s MP3 sport sedan, a five-speed manual transmission offering with just as much zoom- zoom intensity as its more pampered Tribute sibling.
The all-new, Japanese-built MP3 is actually part of the Protégé family. Protégé is Mazda’s sedan-exclusive compact car. No two door coupe or hatchback versions are currently offered, a break from traditional thinking. Compact competitors including the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cavalier offer at least two different body styles.
Two eye-popping color choices set MP3 apart from the rest of the Protégé pack; laser blue and vivid yellow. Don’t expect to spend much time deciding what options to add to your MP3 purchase because the sporty sedan comes well equipped. In fact, about the only extras are an upgraded alarm system, cargo net and wheel locks.
In addition to low-profile, 17-inch tires with alloy wheels, other standard features include cruise control, cloth upholstery, power windows and door locks, rear window defroster, power locks with remote keyless entry, air conditioning, tinted glass and rack-and-pinion steering. Other MP3 nuances include a two-tone interior, special MP3 badging throughout, rear spoiler, round front fog lights, wind split side sill extensions, modified suspension and exhaust system and the AM/FM/compact disc stereo with large trunk-mounted subwoofer. The MP3’s colorful Kenwood Excelon stereo cranks out 280 watts through four speakers although preset and other push-button functions are teeny tiny. The bottom-line price of our MP3 test car checked in at $18,530 including a $480 destination charge. The lowest-priced Protégé sedan, an entry-level DX edition starts at $12,765 with far less standard equipment. In addition, Protégé is available in ES and LX editions. By comparison, a 2002 Ford Focus ZTS sedan with destination charge lists at $15,730 while a 2002 Cavalier Z24 sedan costs $17,120. Under the hood, power is supplied by an in-line, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine pumping out 140 horsepower, the most potent engine in the Protégé family.
Inside, headlights monitor from the turn signal stalk. Front windshield wipers activate from a right-side stalk near the ignition cylinder. The lever releasing the exterior fuel tank door is found on the floor left of the driver’s seat. The instrument panel features three, white circular gauge areas with a central speedometer flanked by a tachometer and fuel/temperature readout. At night, these illuminate with red backlighting. With four side windows, drivers have good perception in all directions, but the rear spoiler does show up prominently in the rear view mirror.
Directly in front of the standard five-speed manual transmission (no automatic is offered in MP3) are side-by-side beverage holders with a retractable cover when not in use. The central dashboard’s long, slender layout includes the top-mounted stereo with three small ventilation dials below controlling fan speed, direction and temperature. Power window, lock and mirror controls are all together on the driver’s door. Interior door handles measure in on the diminutive side. The high roofline provides surprisingly ample headroom in a compact-sized product. The MP3’s cloth seats accommodate four adults comfortably; more than two in the back would create a sardine-can effect. Ceiling handles are found above every door except the driver’s.
On the outside, the high trunk design and large spoiler create back-to-front sloping look. All four exterior handles are body colored and flush mounted. Side-view rectangular-shaped mirrors, body-colored as well, fold in when brushed against an object.
The high back design also creates a very spacious trunk, despite the presence of the barrel-shaped sub-woofer deep inside. Cargo volume measures in at 12.9 cubic feet of space, the same dimensions as a Ford Focus sedan.
While the new MP3 may not be the lowest-priced compact offering, it’s one of the more stylish four-door selections available. Ford Motor Co., the world’s second-largest automobile producer, owns a 33 percent stake in Mazda. |