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Mazda Protege and Kia Optima Lemon Odds and Nada Odds for the Year Ending June 30, 2018

An asterisk (*) marks results based on small sample sizes.

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Year Make/Model Nada Odds per 100 Cars Lemon Odds per 100 Cars    
26 vehicles, 11.8 months per vehicle, 73200 miles driven2013 Kia Optima Join or sign in to view   see reported repairs
  26 vehicles, 11.8 months per vehicle, 73200 miles driven

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Mazda Protege vs. Kia Optima Lemon Odds and Nada Odds

Other sources of Mazda Protege and Kia Optima reliability data provide only averages, which can conceal as much as they reveal. So we also report the percentage of Mazda Proteges and Kia Optimas with no repairs at all in the past year and the percentage of Mazda Proteges and Kia Optimas that are lemons (required three or more repair trips in the past year). These figures might surprise you.

These stats are promptly updated four times a year, to closely track Mazda Protege and Kia Optima lemon odds as the cars age. Others can be over a year behind. Only TrueDelta tells you how reliable the Mazda Protege and Kia Optima have been recently.

To see how frequently Mazda Protege and Kia Optima problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.

What Our Members Are Saying about the Brand Reputation of the Mazda Protege

Mazda Protege Brand Reputation: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2003 4dr Wagon 130-horsepower 2.0L I4
5-speed manual FWD		 Although the "zoom-zoom" campaign ended, Mazda still enjoys a performance- and excitement-orientated reputation- deservedly so. The RX-7, RX-8 and Miata, and the historical use of rotary engines established that, from the beginning. Professional reviewers often called the Protege5 a "5-door Miata," and it is accurate- this is a zippy, fun-to-drive little car, as much fun as a Miata is (with the top up, at least,) and for a smaller car, cargo room is great. This was my first Mazda-branded vehicle (Ford Rangers and Mazda B-Series trucks were build on the same assembly line, the only differences being cosmetic) and it will probably NOT be my last. see full Mazda Protege review
2003 4dr Wagon 130-horsepower 2.0L I4
5-speed manual FWD		 Both the real-world reputation, and that Mazda is active in motorsports (except Nascar, but I HATE Nascar, so that exclusion is a plus for me.) see full Mazda Protege review
2003 4dr Wagon 130-horsepower 2.0L I4
5-speed manual FWD		 It is not a re-badged Ford but rather a Japanese built Mazda. see full Mazda Protege review
2003 4dr Sedan turbocharged 170hp 2.0L I4
5-speed manual FWD		 Many other car companies come with a community behind them as well. The Mazda community is just amazing, the amount of immature bragging compared with other car companies is invisible, people are all about helping each other out. It is truely amazing. see full Mazda Protege review
2002 4dr Sedan 130-horsepower 2.0L I4
4-speed shiftable automatic FWD		 Mazda has been a good brand for as long as I can remember see full Mazda Protege review
 

What Our Members Are Saying about the Brand Reputation of the Kia Optima

Kia Optima Brand Reputation: Cons
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2013 4dr Sedan turbocharged 274hp 2.0L I4
6-speed shiftable automatic FWD		 Kia doesn't have the best reputation, though I get the sense that it's slowly improving. Speaking personally, I would have laughed at the idea of buying/leasing anything from Kia even three years ago. However, in that time, I've had two: a 2011 Kia Sportage EX and, now, a 2013 Kia Optima SX Limited. The mediocre brand image is a unfortunate, because if you slapped another make's emblem on this car, people would probably be absolutely gushing over it. As I said, I don't think their image is improving, though. see full Kia Optima review
2007 4dr Sedan 161-horsepower 2.4L I4
5-speed shiftable automatic FWD		 poor trade in value but intend to keep long time due to great warranty; Kia discounting cars in USA to gain brand penetration; much better priced here than in Europe for the same car. see full Kia Optima review