Any difference between the Protege5 and ProtegeES?
 

The Protege5 is the wagon version of the ES, but I wonder how different they are in terms of handling, accleration etc. When I bought my P5, I never tested out the ES, even though my mom liked it better. Has anyone tested them both? What do you guys feel that is different between them besides from cosmetic differences?

Have 'em both, a 99 ES and a 02 P5. I like the P5's performance better than my ES.. I dunno coz maybe be because I use the ES as a commute car like everyday and so yeah when I get to drive the P5 it kinda feels better. Yet I dunno how the newer ES compares to the P5. Overall I like em both!

The wagon weighs a little more, so that might hurt acceleration and handling, but if it does, the difference should be VERY minimal.

If the ES comes with the same 16" wheel/tire combination as the P5, I'd think they'd be evenly matched. The Dunlop SP5000's are really great dry tires, IMO (wet traction is just okay - not great, but not dangerous) - they really stick, and add greatly to the overall handling of the car.

If the ES comes with the good wheels/tires, I'd say it's a toss-up - but Roger Foo INSISTS on racing in a Protege5, if that means anything to ya'. :D

ya the back end on the ES is lighter then the P5 and the top speed of the ES 120MPH where as the P5 is 118MPH...so ya its minimal

WHere did you get that number 188? a Mustang GT can't even do that.

LMAO...ops sorry typo i mean 118MPH.......

damn, and i was gonna race my brother's mustang again. stupid typo! lol :p

The ES does have the same rims/tires.

I think the p5 has the strut tower brace and the ES doesn't.

Are there any differences in the spring rates or struts between the ES and 5? I've been perfectly happy with the ride/handling tradeoff in the three Protege5's I've driven. I've heard the 4 door ES rode a little better but I'm stuck on wanting the 5 for its looks and little bit of extra room in the back.

Tyson

Here's a list of all the differences I know of

Insurance for a P5 is usually more expensive
The P5 has leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
The P5 is shorter
The P5 is 80 lbs heavier
The P5 has a strut tower brace
As far as I can tell, the spring rates / suspension are the same, but the rear of the P5 might be SLIGHTLY stiffer to account for the extra weight. This will make them handle basically the same way.
Flop703's 99 ES is not the 2.0 engine I think, so it will be slower.
P5 Cargo Volume = 19.8
ES Cargo Volume = 12.9

Some ESes are built in the US, while ALL P5's are Japanese built.
My ES was built in the Hiroshima plant, and P5s are built in a different plant in Japan.

Wheels, tires, and brakes are the same.

All of what you said is true except that ALL of the Proteges are made in Japan. It wouldn't make sense to have a different plant for a different trim level.

Im not so sure about this. I have a '02 LX and there are definatly 2 different reflectors on the front. And when I switch from low to high, I can clearly see the low beams going off and a different set of lights come on entierly.

No, all sedans (including the MP3 and the pictures I've seen of the Mazdaspeed Protege) have headlamps with just one bulb. When you activate the high beams it's another higher-wattage filament in the bulb that's coming on. The Protege5 is the only Protege with separate bulbs for high and low beams.

The Protege5 has unique headlamps - no other North American models shares the headlights with the P5.

The MP3 uses the same lights as the sedans, if I'm not mistaken. This all goes more toward the looks than functionality, IMO - I'm sure the sedan headlamp setup is just as functional as the P5 - but ours look SOOOOOO much better.

Other than the MP3 and upcoming MazdaSpeed Pro, the P5 is the hands-down winner in the style department. The body "kit" really sets the car off, without looking "ricey" at all - I've had more than a few people (after asking me what kind of car it is - and being shocked when I say Mazda Protege5) ask how much the body kit was, tell me that the kit looks nice, etc, etc. Then they are really shocked when I tell them that's the way the car comes - it's not a body "kit" - you can't buy the car in a "stripped down" bodystyle.

I'm going off of the information I found on carpoint.msn.com. A lot of cars are built in more than one plant (Corolla, Civic, etc). Then again, carpoint, while a good reference, is not 100% accurate, so I could be wrong.

I like the mp3 headlights too. Anyone know what a swap would involve? How much do the new lights cost?