Ok, I get make my point I didn't get a chance to in the last one...
So, here we go, from a performance stand point, the SE-R might out preform the Protege 5. However, what car has more potential?
In other words, why the SE-R is not performance...
1. The SE-R has a rear axle beam...What the hell Nissan? You made your name big by having one of the first rear independant suspension cars, with a live axle no less (240 Z, for those that don't know), and you put a friggin' axle beam in your new "perfomance" model. Sorry, axle beam has got to go.
2. The motor is 2.5 liter long, stroke, open deck, low rpm piece of grenade if you ever want to go forced induction or NOS. Sorry, but it's the truth folks. The motor is weak for anything really big over and beyond stock. Intake, header and exhaust are not big mods.
The Mazda Protege 5 has an independant rear end. The motor is pretty strong, well built, has a reasonable red line for a 2.0 liter, not an open deck design and can handle forced induction rather well. As evidenced by the Mazdaspeed Protege and and FM Protege Turbo car.
The Protege might be out gunned stock by the SE-R, but the Mazda has more potential do everything better than the Nissan. And still be a comfortable, reliable daily driver.
Sorry SE-R crowd, The Protege (1st, 2nd and 3rd gen) is an all Mazda design running a Mazda drivetrain, suspension, and everything else. The next itteration of the Protege (Mazda 3, whatever) is going to be the closest thing to a Ford that any Protege has ever been. And it will still be running a Mazda drivetrain and suspension design. All Ford did was provide the basic chassis layout.
If anything, the next Focus promises to better than the current version because of Mazdas work.
And Nissan still hasn't won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, nor will they ever.