What is the Protege5's best competitor?

[Captain KRM P5]

Not that anything even comes close....

[melicha8]

Sentra Se

[Sir Nuke]

well truely nothing really does compete OR compare

....but if we are going to refer to cars that are small....fun to drive....look pretty sharp....I think the ONLY other car out there that I would consider is the Cooper S. oh yeah...I am neglecting the price difference.

(stash)

[Red Baron]

Matrix looks good. I prefer Subaru's WRX even if there is a price difference, but the P5 is STILL the best deal. :D

[FuNwaGoN]

Sir nuke I am right there with you and if like I said in another post if the dealers weren't charging like $6k over sticker on the coopers I would be driving a cooper s right now. And actually the price difference if looking at msrp is really non existent as the mini I speced out came to 21k and that is what my P5 stickered for. Subarus definately get a thumbs up from me too. Don't really think there is other competition out there for the P5 though.

[fastdrvr23]

The two cars that made me debate the most when I was looking at my P5 were the VW Golf GTI VR6 and the Subaru WRX Wagon. Price and handling are the 2 factors that finally convinced me that the P5 would be my car. I wouldn't mind having the straight line acceleration of the other two, but every time I enter a corner in my P5 I am satisfied. :)

[brain]

4 Door Golf with 1.8T

[AlexMack]

Originally posted by brain
4 Door Golf with 1.8T

not made in 2002

[sonkinglo]

actually i don't think wrx is our competitor
i think the subaru impreza 2.5ts wagon is out competitor....
when my parents buy me a car we decided 4 cars
p5...vw golf...impreaza 2.5ts...and focus zx5....but atlast i choose the p5...
and you know what's my story
i booked appoinment to test them all...the first car i test drive is p5..but since i sit inside the car..i love it so much and i want it, i want it, i want it...and you know what...i cancel the other test drive appoinment and buy the p5 immediatly
hehe...what about you guy's story

[Red Baron]

Did not test my last 3 cars, satisfied in first 2, very dissapointed in the last, so I tested the P5 before I would sign any papers, fell in love with the sound of the engine and the handling. Bought it a few days later.

sonkinglo, you are right about the Impreza 2.5ts wagon, I forgot about this one. A local magazine did a head to head test with the Impreza and the P5...the Impreza won??? Subaru dealers are very rare here, and this is one of the main reasons why I choose the P5.

[prost]

I was also looking at the three main choices covered, P5, matrix, and Imprezza wagon. Suby eliminated - too much $. Sat in the Matrix and didn't even need to test drive. It felt terrible. Sits way too high in the seats, felt like a tall corrola. Poor vision past the C pillar due to the wierd angle of the roof and window line. Plus nothing is standard on that car. The options to get it equal to the P5 put it at much higher $. P5 drove last. I really thought I would want the Matrix but actually sitting in them and driving the P5 changed my mind big time. The P5 is comfortable for a small car. I love the exterior. It comes with everything as standard. I kind of wish I had waited for the 2003 model since they changed the option package and you can get ABS and side airbags now without the sunroof. I did save money by getting the 2002.5 with rebate over waiting on the 2003 and I didn't want to wait.

[Red Baron]

Originally posted by prost
I kind of wish I had waited for the 2003 model since they changed the option package and you can get ABS and side airbags now without the sunroof. I did save money by getting the 2002.5 with rebate over waiting on the 2003 and I didn't want to wait.

In Canada, ABS is standard, only options (in 2002) are : auto tranny, sunroof and A/C. We can't get side airbags...:( We don't have the roof rack either and our wheels are painted. Does the US model get standard carpets though?

[jdm_mp5]

yeah i didn't like the matrix at all. looks nice in commercials.

[prost]

Originally posted by Red Baron


In Canada, ABS is standard, only options (in 2002) are : auto tranny, sunroof and A/C. We can't get side airbags...:( We don't have the roof rack either and our wheels are painted. Does the US model get standard carpets though?

The carpets were extra for 2002 and 2002.5 but are included in the 2003. Price went up slightly. I really did want ABS but the brakes are surprisingly good in stock setup. I sometimes find myself pressing a little too hard since my old car had really mushy brakes and a warped rotor. I still have the rack on because I am mioving next month and might need it. Overall I like the look of the car in Canadian trim btter. Seems more graceful. I would like to remove mine all the way but it seems like too much work. I lost the web page detailing the conversion but it took the guy several days to do it.

[Red Baron]

The US roof rack is awesome! What we can get here is the ugly Thule, but I've seen a Quebec plated car that did have the US rack...maybe bought it there.

Another little thing, white was not offered in 2002???

[azeli73]

Where I bought my PR5 there was a Subaru dealership right next door with a WRX wagon. All it took was one test drive in my PR5 and I was hooked.
Car and Drivers article on the top five wagons compared the PR5's closely with the PT Cruiser. I'll tell ya! My mom has one and there is no comparison. PT's feel like mini vans. That's just IMO.

[prost]

Originally posted by Red Baron
The US roof rack is awesome! What we can get here is the ugly Thule, but I've seen a Quebec plated car that did have the US rack...maybe bought it there.

Another little thing, white was not offered in 2002???

I agree that the US roof rack is much better than the Thule unit. I am not sure about white. I didn't start looking at the P5 until the mid cycle refresh (2002.5) was already out. I think they were availible in white based on some people's rides I have seen on this board.

[Red Baron]

I too don't know about the 2002.5 model, but in the catalog I got from the dealer, white wasn't there. I was surprised when I learned it was offered in the US. I admit seeing one in white with Ontario plates :confused: , but that is it. They still don't have it at the dealer where I bought mine.

Picture this : white car in snow storm...invisible :mad:

[Phoenix5]

What about the Toyota Corolla S,Ford Recall(I mean Focus)ZX3.I of them have the same hp.But in terms of styling i would say the Vibe GT or the Matrix.

[Captain KRM P5]

I guess I am the freak here...I really like the Vibe GT's styling better than the Matrix XRS. If you can find one with body color trim and not that charcoal gray plastic cladding (FUGLY) I think they are sporty looking hatches. This was actually my first choice until I drove the P5. That and the sales rep refused to match the deal from Mazda. See ya.... ;)

[DanMP5]

Doesn't anyone think the Ford Focus SVT is good competition.

[sundevilMP5]

the focus svt is not in the same class as the p5 therefore no comp...it's supercharged and meant to compeat with cars like the civic si...

as for the p5 being offered in white i'm pretty sure that it was offered in 2002 since i have one...

[Red Baron]

Originally posted by sundevilMP5
as for the p5 being offered in white i'm pretty sure that it was offered in 2002 since i have one...

Not in Quebec.:wtf:

[1sty]

www.edmunds.com would agree withthe P5 being the best. its the Editors mst wanted small wagon.

[sundevilMP5]

hmmmmmm...i thought you canucks had all the same colors that we did...that's really odd