The Protege5 is very good looking. Cool looking, for an un-wagon. Trim cladding, just side sills and air dams. Great-looking 5-spoke, 16-inch alloy wheels, either brushed or polished like chrome. Speedy lines and stance, not boxy. In profile it looks like a short Subaru LegacyGT wagon, but it's prettier at each end.It's cool all over. The spoiler fits like an eyelid over the slanted rear hatch. There's a standard black roofrack, and the black radio antenna is raked back from the rear center of the car. The center brake light (CHMSL) has 24 small bulbs that definitely catch your attention. Sleek headlights (straight off the "prosaic" Protege), a moonroof, black diamond mesh grille that hints at a smile. More black mesh in the mouthy airdam below the bumper, with a foglight on each side.
Integrated within the chassis, which was redesigned in '99, are front and rear crush zones. Mazda claims its "Triple-H" frame structure forms a rigid barrier to injury from side impact.