Sell your Mazda Protege for cash
We buy Mazda Proteges from every year, 1995–2003, running or not. Pick your year for specs, recalls and common problems, or get a free offer now. Towing is always free.
Mazda Protege by year
The Protege is a compact car sold from 1995–2003 with engines including 1.5L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl and 2.0L 4-cyl. NHTSA lists 10 recalls and 806 owner complaints across these years.
| Year | Engines | Combined MPG | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 Protege | 1.5L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl | 22–30 | 4 | 165 |
| 1996 Protege | 1.5L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl | 23–30 | 1 | 70 |
| 1997 Protege | 1.5L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl | 23–29 | 1 | 66 |
| 1998 Protege | 1.5L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl | 23–29 | 1 | 46 |
| 1999 Protege | 1.6L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl | 23–27 | 1 | 88 |
| 2000 Protege | 1.6L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl | 23–27 | 1 | 102 |
| 2001 Protege | 1.6L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl | 24–28 | 1 | 50 |
| 2002 Protege | 2.0L 4-cyl | 24 | 0 | 99 |
| 2003 Protege | 2.0L 4-cyl | 23–24 | 0 | 120 |
Specs from EPA fueleconomy.gov; recalls and complaints from NHTSA, retrieved October 2026.
Most common Mazda Protege problems
Across all years, these are the components owners reported most often to NHTSA. If one of these failed on your Protege, it can still be sold as-is.
Selling a Mazda Protege: questions
How much is a junk Mazda Protege worth?
It depends on the year, condition, which parts are still on it and current scrap prices. Newer, complete Proteges with working engines and transmissions bring more; older or stripped ones are valued mostly for scrap and parts. Pick your year above or use the form for a free offer.
Do you buy Mazda Proteges that don't run?
Yes, from every model year we list (1995–2003), running or not, wrecked or stripped. Towing is always free.
Which Mazda Protege year has the most complaints?
Among the years we cover, owners filed the most NHTSA complaints about the 1995 Protege (165). Across all years, the most-reported components were air bags, power train and air bags.
Which Mazda Protege year has the most recalls?
The 1995 Protege has the most NHTSA recalls of the years we cover, with 4. Open recalls don't stop you from junking a car.
Get cash for your Mazda Protege
Get a free offer in minutes. Towing is always free and you get paid at pickup.