2004 Mazda RX-8

Pros: Transmission, Price, Interior, Handling.
Cons: Could use a bit more power.

I was never a fan of the naturally aspirated versions of the Mazda RX-7 back in the 1980s and early '90s, so when I heard that the all new Mazda RX-8 would be turboless I was not exactly thrilled about the news. The all new RX-8 is definitely eye ...

Pros: Steering, chassis, shifter, front seat comfort and support, rear seat room, price
Cons: Styling, mid-range power

Generally a coupe cannot be both a true sports car and practical. Many coupes that have sought to be both have achieved neither. To accommodate a rear seat and trunk they were too large to be sports cars, yet the seats and trunk were too cramped to be ...

Pros: Handles like a roadster, 4-seater practicality like a sedan, good safety features, price
Cons: Watch out, you may already be speeding! Poor fuel economy in city driving.

This is a review written by a real owner who drives his RX-8 (about) every day. Exactly 3 months ago, 9/16/2003, I was at my dealership for an oil change of my previous car and fell in love with a black RX-8. I had read about it here and there before and ...

Pros: Utter uniqueness, sharp and responsive handling, sweet steering and shifter, surprising practicality.
Cons: Acceleration less forceful than expected, rotary engine's different maintenance schedule requires commitment from owners

Background Has anyone ever tried to knock your car with the phrase, "there's no replacement for displacement?" Did you struggle for a comeback to this old hot-rodder's adage? Well, now Mazda offers all the evidence you need to refute this ...

Pros: Rotary engine, front seat comfort and support, aggressively good exterior looks, superior brakes, practicality, value.
Cons: Base sound system very average, poor fuel economy, could use more low-end torque.

Since I was a kid, I have always wanted to own a sports car... There is something to be said about being able to zip from lane to lane at will and go around corners at speed with ease. That said, I never considered buying one due to practicality ...

Pros: Handling, power, stability, ride, price. Incredible performance that you can live with & afford.
Cons: Lousy gas mileage, interior fit & finish quality.

Mazda had a reputation in the past for building fun, sporty cars. I used to own a 1989 626 and it was a great little car, pretty clearly the best car I ever owned. Inexpensive to buy, rock solid and maintenance-free, and fun to drive. Think a more ...

Pros: Incredible power, great handling, unique identity, unbeatable value
Cons: Horsepower issues, clutch, rear-seat room, digital speedometer

Mazda has been on a campaign to attract a new market of owners for itself. For a while, especially after the disappearance of the RX-7 rotary coupe and the MX-6 coupe, the words "Mazda" and "sport" were nowhere near synonymous. Except for the Miata ...

Pros: Cockpit layout, Color, Individual style, value for money, screaming engine.
Cons: Gas milage, light on torque.

Intro Our Jaguar X-Type is coming up to the end of it's lease and my wife decided she wanted a small SUV. We had a Ford Escape on Rental at one point and it was fun to drive with lots of zip. So I did my research and took her to look at the ...

Pros: Superb build quality, great driving dynamics & handling, gorgeous styling
Cons: Interior headroom w/ GT package, fuel economy

I've been a happy Mazda RX-8 owner for a little under a week, and have been absolutely floored by it ...

Pros: Unique - from the styling right down to the engine!
Cons: Be wary if you're tall, or hate digital speedomoters.

A few notes to start This review was based on a 24 hour test drive and internet research. I do not own a RX8 as of the time of this review therefore I will not be able to provide any information regarding long term reliability. The model I drove wa ...

Pros: Stunning looks, great handling, daily-driver practicallity, good performance, a constant smile
Cons: Poor gas mileage, could use a few more HP, way to easy to speed

Mazda certainly does know how to live up their "zoom-zoom" slogan. From the moment I sat in the drivers seat of the RX-8 I knew this car was the car I wanted. Exterior: They exterior styling is a pretty much love it or hate design, but one ...

Pros: Smooth, powerful, easy to drive, smiling all the way.
Cons: city driving drops mileage into teens, unknown reliability

I am a 94 RX-7 owner, and when the local dealerships showed stock of RX-8s I had to stop by and test drive one. This review intends to share my perspective of the RX-7 vs. the RX-8, and complement the other excellent reviews written by owners. ...

Pros: Excelent driver egonomics, rear seat room, rotary engine, driveline, price, performance, brakes, design.
Cons: plastic-filled interior, incitement to speed, touchy clutch.

Please Note: This review is based entirely on a 45 minute test drive and about a half hour show-room time spent with the car. I'll try to keep this short and sweet since thats all the experience I've had with this car. But that short time left quite ...

Pros: Insanely fun to drive, bang for the buck!
Cons: It could use a turbocharger.

When I decided to buy a new car I had some fairly specific criteria in mind. I'm single and rarely need to haul people or cargo, so I don't need a large vehicle. That means I may as well have something I can enjoy driving. I've always been a sports car ...

Pros: Well built. Tight. Fast. Responsive. Affordable. Fast. Corners Well. Fast. 4-seater.
Cons: Can flood when cold. Low gas mileage. First model-year.

I've owned my "8" for two weeks now. I spent 3 weeks prior to purchase reading everything I could find about the car's advantage and disadvantages on the Internet and working on local dealers to lower my cost. I can tell you up front that most owners ...