The Escort's high windowsills seem unduly constrictive by comparison.īecause we're talking about a modern Japanese car from a major manufacturer, it almost goes without saying that the controls and switches are properly placed and satisfying to operate. Seeing the body contours from the driver's seat also emphasizes an opportunity that the Ford guys apparently missed with the Escort: the Protegé's lower cowl and beltline give it a much lighter, more contemporary feel. The molded plastic is all very good molded plastic, and the instrument panel's lines and shapes, again, recall a 190- or 300-series Mercedes, in the angular hood over round dials and the horizontal band filled with rectangular vent outlets. So does Mazda's plea that the "323" designation-and its econohatch connotations-not be used in connection with the sedan.Ĭlimb into the Protegé and the impression of richness persists: except for a lack of polished-wood highlights (and, once under way, the lightness of the controls), you could almost be sitting in some scaled-down Stuttgarter. Viewed that way, the fact that the Protegé suggests a compact Mercedes (note the C-pillar area, including the back door, side glass, roofline, and fender contour) makes perfect sense. Obviously, Mazda is looking for an expensive-car feel to help distinguish its small sedan from the hordes of fine competitors crowding this market segment-a tactic that gives substance to Mazda's stated intent to move its whole image a bit upmarket, thus staying in touch with the population's baby-boom bubble as it moves into its peak-earning years. A four-inch wheelbase extension (to 98.4) makes it markedly roomier than before and places it in the upper reaches of the class for sheer spaciousness. Its lines are clearly more elegant than the previous 323 sedan's, and the finish is of a higher quality.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |