FORCAR
Go Pro

What's a Mazda Protege Worth?

A 2003 Mazda Protege is worth about $1,300: that is the median asking price across 7 listings, most of them between $1,000 and $2,900. With so few cars for sale, treat it as a rough figure.

2003 Mazda Protege · estimated market value
$1,300
$1,000Trade-in / low $2,900Dealer / high
Based on 7 real listings. Pick a year or add mileage below.
Check your VIN before you sell →
Free · 23 real Mazda Protege listings · 1998–2003 · no signup
What the numbers say

A 1998 Mazda Protege still asks 219% of what a 2003 one does — that's how much value it holds after 5 years. Among 40 sedans we price, that ranks #2, above the 83% class median. The steepest single-year drop comes at year 2 (−27.5%). Calculated from 23 listings.

Everything on the Mazda Protege
Recalls35 campaignsFuel economy30 mpg bestReliability3.5/5Common problems1,196 complaintsCheck a VINAgainst this exact buildDimensionsSize, weight, generationsCargo space20 cu ftUsed prices121 listingsWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car1990–2003
6
Years priced
$1,300
2003 median
23
Listings
219%
Kept after 5 yrs
#2
of 40 sedans

Mazda Protege value by year

FIG.01·Mazda Protege Value by Year
YearTrade-inMedianDealerListings
2003$1,000$1,300$2,9007
2002$1,500$3,000$4,0003
2001$1,200$2,175$2,4953
2000$1,300$1,600$2,5003
1999$1,600$2,650$2,8994
1998$2,850$2,850$2,8503
ROWS 6·SOURCE ForCar · Mazda Protege

How the Mazda Protege depreciates

FIG.02·Mazda Protege Depreciation Curve — Median Value by Year
200320022001200019991998$1,300$3,000$2,175$1,600$2,650$2,850
RANGE $1,300 → $2,850·SOURCE ForCar · Mazda Protege

The newest Mazda Protege has a median asking price of $1,300; a 5-year-older one runs about $2,850 — roughly -119% lost over 5 years (compare the typical depreciation curve by age).

Does the Mazda Protege hold value better than its rivals?

Over the same 5 years the Volkswagen Jetta keeps 167%, the Mitsubishi Lancer 227% and the Chrysler Sebring 156%, against 219% for the Protege. The Protege holds value better than the Volkswagen Jetta and Chrysler Sebring, but not the Mitsubishi Lancer.

FIG.03·Mazda Protege vs sedans — Value Retention
01
Lancer227%
02
Protege219%
03
Beetle204%
04
C-Class200%
05
Legacy180%
06
CLK-Class178%
07
Cavalier173%
08
Jetta167%
09
LS157%
10
Sebring156%
11
Grand Prix131%
12
Civic129%
TOP 12·UNIT % of 2003 price retained·SOURCE ForCar · 23 listings

The Mazda Protege market right now

FIG.04·Mazda Protege Market — Asking Price Range by Year
199819992000200120022003$2,850$2,650$1,600$2,175$3,000$1,300
RANGE $2,850 → $1,300·SOURCE ForCar · 72 listings
This is the median line. Pro plots all 72 Mazda Protege listings on this chart and flags every under-market deal.Upgrade to Pro →

Adjust your Mazda Protege value for mileage

FIG.05·Mazda Protege — Price by Mileage Band
01
40k–100k12 listings$6,650
02
100k–150k19 listings$2,900
03
Over 150k28 listings$2,000
TOP 3·UNIT median asking price·SOURCE ForCar · 59 listings

Trade-in, private-party & dealer price

Trade-in / low
$1k
Private-party
$1k
Dealer / high
$3k
FIG.06·Mazda Protege — Trade-in vs Private-Party vs Dealer
01
Trade-in — a dealer pays you10th percentile$1,000
02
Private-party — you sell itmedian · typical price$1,300
03
Dealer retail — a lot charges90th percentile$2,900
TOP 3·UNIT $ · 2003 Mazda Protege·SOURCE ForCar · 7 listings

For a 2003 Mazda Protege: a dealer trade-in offer is around $1,000, selling private-party nets about $1,300, and a lot asks near $2,900 — a $1,900 spread on the same car.

Upgrade to Pro

Stop guessing at a price range.

  • The exact number, not a $4,000 spread
  • Market chart: where this model's price is heading
  • Price-drop alerts when the model you want gets cheaper
  • Full research report as a PDF
  • No ads, no tracking — and much more
See plans → Start free →
Free plan available — no credit card needed

Get an exact Mazda Protege value by VIN

Decode my VIN free →

More on the Mazda Protege

Mazda Protege Reliability
Recalls, common problems, best & worst years and specs.
Mazda Protege Window Sticker
Original build sheet & MSRP by year.
VIN Check
Theft, title brands & total-loss before you buy or sell.

Mazda Protege value FAQ

How much is a Mazda Protege worth?

It depends mostly on the model year: in our listings the median asking price runs from $1,300 to $3,000 across 6 model years. A 2003 is worth about $1,300, the median of 7 listings.

How much does mileage cut a Mazda Protege's value?

Among Proteges from the last eight model years, those with 40,000 to 100,000 miles ask a median $6,650, and those with over 150,000 miles ask $2,000.

Does the Protege hold value better than the Volkswagen Jetta?

Yes: over 5 years the Protege keeps 219% of its value and the Volkswagen Jetta 167%, by the median asking prices of the 2003 and 1998 model years.

Mazda Protege values from 23 US listings, model years 1998–2003, rebuilt every 6 hours. These are asking prices, not sale prices. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
Found this useful?

Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.

Prefer ForCar →