Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 206 complaints with NHTSA about the 1995 Mazda Protege, and it carries 5 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 46 | 22% |
| Exterior lighting | 23 | 11% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 15 | 7% |
| Electrical system | 14 | 7% |
| Power train | 13 | 6% |
| Seats | 12 | 6% |
| Seat belts | 12 | 6% |
| Visibility | 9 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 9 | 4% |
| Vehicle speed control | 6 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
THE AIR BAGS EXPLODED WHILE I WAS OUT SIDE THE CAR , THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE AIR BAGS & I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY EITHER MAZDA CORP OR THE DEALER & I HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL OWNER , THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS RECALLS O
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
I WAS OUT OF THE CAR & BOTH AIR BAGS EXPLODED , THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE AIR BAGS , BUT I WAS NEVER INFORMED BY MAZDA CORP ,I BECAME AWARE OF THE RECALL AFTER THE AIR BAGS EXPLODED. *JS
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* - THE CONTACT HAD A 1995 MAZDA PROTEGE WHICH WAS IN A HEAD ON CRASH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT 55 MPH UNDER DRY CONDITIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER HEAD ON. THE CONTACT STATED TH
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
MY 1995 MAZDA PROTEGE HAS THE GAS AND BRAKE PETALS SO CLOSE IN HEIGHT AND LITTLE SEPARATION THAT IT IS VERY EASY TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND STILL BE APPLYING THE GAS. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET BUT HAVE HAD SOME VERY NE
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
AT 5000 MILES THE REAR DEFROST DID NOT WORK. IN THE WINTER IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT THE BACK WINDOW. IT WAS NOT FIXED BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND MAZDA WOULD NOT REPAIR. *NM
NHTSA complaint: Visibility
WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHT SWITCH WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AFTER REPAIR OF RECALL 91007. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
DRIVER WAS HIT FROM BEHIND WHILE SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION ,THEN PUSHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. LEFT FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. VEHICLE WAS TOWED,
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
THIS IS A REPEAT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 00V118000. I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AT THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN YEAR 2000 UNDER THE PREVIOUS RECALL. 1 MONTH AGO THE HEADLIGHTS STOP WORKING DUE TO A BROKEN WIRE IN THE HEADLIG
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 1995 Mazda Protege. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become co
Risk: If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500,
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES
Risk: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHT LEAD WIRE RUNNING THROUGH THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER CAN FAIL AT THE SOLDERED CONNECTION TO THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.
Risk: THE FAILURE OF THE WIRE CONNECTION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.
THE WIRE ROD USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE ENGINE VALVE SPRINGS CAN DEVELOP MINUTE CRACKS CAUSING BREAKAGE OF THE SPRINGS.
Risk: THIS BREAKAGE CAN CAUSE ENGINE CHATTER, DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE PISTONS, AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE ALL SIXTEEN (16) VALVE SPRINGS IN THE ENGINE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.
| Reliability raw | 76 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 79 | good |
| Maintenance | 90 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 62 | average |
| Performance | 39 | below average |
| Efficiency | 47 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 206 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 46 of them (22%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 76/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 79/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1995 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 71/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.