Mazda RX-8 Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Mazda RX-8 as a used buy.

Mazda's RX-8 is a pure bred sports machine with many fascinating features.

Mazda has often followed a different path to its rivals.

The RX-8 targets those who are unwilling to purchase a front-drive car, and who enjoy driving a sports car but also require enough practicality for a two-child family.Drivetrain The heart of any RX in the Mazda line is its engine. Mazda have been developing their rotary engine now for over 40 years and in its current guise, the Renesis, the issues leveled at the engine configuration in the past have been addressed.Fuel economy and emissions have been vastly improved and previous lubrication problems have been resolved. Unlike the last RX-7 engine, the Renesis has forgone the turbo route and is naturally aspirated.While power is down from the twin-turbo beast that the last RX-7 was, delivery of the available 170 kW at 8200 rpm (screamer) and 211 Nm of torque at 5500 rpm is handled superbly.The Renesis won the International Engine of the Year award for 2003, the same year as the RX-8 won Wheels Car of the Year.ExteriorThe styling of the RX-8 is not for everyone. Those that like the style are quite passionate about expounding its virtues. The four door coupe is an emerging market, and we are now seeing several prestige brands entering the performance family coupe niche.Mercedes launched into the market early with the CLS and now we are seeing Audi, BMW, Porsche and Aston Martin joining in. The unique front opening rear doors (Rolls Royce also use them) provide a practical way of having a small but useable rear seat entry. There is a problem with them though, if there is an obstruction impacting the ability to open the front door to a reasonable angle, trying to get out of the back leaves you trapped between the front and rear door without enough clearance to squeeze through the available space.InteriorThe RX-8 is strictly a four-seater, the large centre tunnel – complete with compartments and armrests, means that the rear seats are effectively individual buckets. Rear leg room is not expansive; however it is more than adequate for all but a very tall passenger. The seats are both supportive and comfortable and provide a cocoon like environment. The dash expounds the sporting nature while maintaining very good ergonomics.SafetyMazda safety features have earned a reputation for being very good, and the RX-8 is no exception with driver and passenger airbags and side curtain airbags plus all the current safety TLA’s (three letter acronyms) — four wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC). This all adds up to an impressive array of driver aids that help minimize catastrophic results of human error.While the layout of a pillarless four door could result in a compromise to structural integrity and strength, Mazda have the expansive side door gap covered with strong reinforcements to the doors.PricingThe RX-8 starts at $51,440 for the base manual and peak at $60,066 for the RX-8 GT, plus dealer and statutory charges.DrivingDriving a rotary is a different experience to a standard piston engine. The unique combination of power, torque and rev pattern adds to an experience that within a few hours driving becomes very enjoyable. The front-mid engine layout provides great balance and subsequently the handling and road holding are superb. While its manners are impeccable, to get the most out of a normal drive you do need to be prepared to rev a bit harder and change gears more often, the power band is both different and narrower than other performance cars.Summary The best word to describe an RX-8 is ‘balanced’. It is a competent sports car yet succeeds in offering enough space and practicality for a family. And does it for less money than everything else that meets that brief. Its competitors are both limited and varied when you look to find a rear-drive, four-seat, four-door performance car. The BMW 135, Ford FPV, Holden HSV are about all there is. And all are more expensive.While Mazda has managed to improve the rotary’s fuel consumption over the years it is still fairly thirsty at 12.9 litres per 100 km. But when it comes to bang for your buck though – especially when you consider re-sale value — the RX-8 stacks up very well against its competition.The six-speed manual transmission that we drove simply felt right. This is a driver’s car and the manual adds to that experience. Thankfully Mazda continue to build cars for enjoyment.Verdict: 8.9

It must have taken guts, because the RX-8 is a car like no other, with its unique rotary engine and quirky back doors that open backwards to provide rear access.That's not necessarily a good thing, especially in a world where the colour of a car can tip the balance - but sometimes it requires a point of difference.The RX-8 is a car that you're going to love or hate, maybe a little of both.With 170kW on tap in manual form, but just 211Nm of torque from a rather high 5500rpm, this is no red light racer.Mazda claims low sixes for the 0-100km/h dash, but these days that's really not that quick.Point it at a winding mountain road, however and the car comes to life.With rear drive, a low centre of gravity, perfect 50/50 balance, torque sensing limited slip diff, lots of grip from the 19-inch wheels and a slick, short throw gear shift - it all adds up to fun with a capital F.Love the differentness. It doesn't look like other cars, doesn't drive like other cars and certainly doesn't sound like other cars.Driving the RX-8 is all about revs. Without revs and plenty of them, it simply does not perform.With 5000rpm on the clock the thing starts to hum and if you can keep it there the drive experience is a rewarding one.The GT comes with a six-speed manual, a lift from the MX-5 sports car. It's a sweet, short shifter that falls easily to hand. A six-speed sequential auto is available, but you drop 12kW of power.Looks better than ever, with a new body kit and classy 19-inch alloys. It's 23kg lighter too.GT gets the whole shooting match including Recaro seats, Bilstein dampers and a special foam-filled front cross member to make it handle better.Here's a car crying out for forced induction, either turbo or supercharging - whatever does the trick. It's the easiest way to give it the low end oomph that is so badly needs.The lack of torque early in the rev range makes it difficult to keep up with traffic around town. Just as you get going it's time to slow down again for the next set of lights.Can't understand why Mazda has dropped the triangular rotary references from the front and rear bumpers? For that matter don't know why the centre instrument cluster isn't housed by a triangle instead of a circle.Bucket style sports seats lack height or lumbar adjustment and the steering wheel is not reach adjustable which makes finding a comfortable driving position difficult.Slightly larger 65-litre tank. Drinks premium unleaded. Rated at 12.9 litres/100km but has a reputation for being thirsty.Space saver spare.Looks more sophisticated than the original, but doesn't feel that much different to drive. You could say it more evolution than revolution. For all its faults, however, the RX-8 remains an exciting car to drive.

When it was first launched in Australia in 2003, the Mazda RX-8 was touted as a `sports car like no other'. It still is.With the second generation of the rotary engine powered sports coupe, Mazda is continuing its 40-year association with the Wankel engine - the only non-piston motor to win the Le Mans 24-Hour race, in 1991 - and maintaining the opposite opening doors for which it has become famous.Now on the market in three variants - the base with six-speed manual gearbox at $49,720, the Luxury $55,520, with optional six-speed automatic transmission an additional $1645, while the top performer GT is $57,625.The RX-8 is a car of contradictions. While Mazda says it will reduce fuel consumption across its range of vehicles by 30 per cent by 2015, the four-door sports coupe now uses 12.9 litres of premium unleaded fuel per 100km (22 miles per gallon) travelled on the combined urban/highway cycle, as opposed to 12.6 litres (22.5mpg) with the superseded model.It is also slower to the `ton' - 6.4 seconds as against 6.2 seconds. Reason is shorter gear ratios, hence one extra shift.The power with manual set-up stays at 170kW, the automatic, with 158kW, rises by 17kW over the four-speed of the last model. Fuel consumption is 12.1 litres/100km (23mpg).The auto is shackled by the fact that 9000rpm is beyond the box which is limited to 7500rpm tops. The 1.3 litre rotary powerplant still has that unique rorty note with smooth overtone, the body is more aerodynamic at 0.30, against 0.31, and suspension upgrades has made the car a better deal on bends.However, the motor has to be held up near the redline to get the best out of it and the suspension does not iron out creases in the road surface. The engine sits low and well back in the engine bay, making for ideal 50:50 weight distribution.All RX-8 models come with a comprehensive list of equipment that includes climate control air-conditioning, cruise control, a six-disc, MP3-compatible CD player with six speakers (nine on Luxury) and auxiliary jack, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob. There are front and side airbags for driver and front passenger, and curtain airbags for all occupants.Dynamic stability control, anti-lock braking and electronic brake-force distribution are standard.The base model rides on 18in alloy wheels and high-performance Bridgestone Potenza 225/45R18 tyres.The RX-8 Luxury adds leather seat trim, eight-way electric driver's seat adjustment with three-position memory, a premium Bose sound system with 300 Watt amplifier and nine speakers, a power sliding sunroof and front fog lamps.The GT features 19in alloy rims with sticky Bridgestone Potenza 225/40 aspect combined with Bilstein shock absorbers to sharpen the RX-8's already quick reflexes and deliver prodigious grip.All manual models get a special trapezoidal double front strut brace, while the GT goes one step further with a urethane-filled front suspension cross-member designed to sharpen steering and improve feedback. A sports body kit consists of side skirts, a ground-hugging front bumper with integrated fog-lamps and a rear deck-lid spoiler.The GT is 23kg lighter than the RX-8 Luxury.Lightweight alloy wheels and body-hugging Recaro leather/cloth sports bucket seats are at the forefront of weight-saving.The GT weighs just 5kg more than the base model.Mazda Australia says it expects to sell 75 RX-8s a month, the standard model, making 10 per cent of these, the GT for 40 per cent, and the Luxury for 30 per cent (manual), 20 per cent (Activematic). Related Stories2008 Mazda RX8 unleashedFirst drive: 2008 Mazda RX-8 

It was - sort of, but added two extra “doors” and didn’t have a turbo engine or the same performance as a 7. It was more refined and practical offering seats for four and a decent boot in the back. The raunchy twin turbo rotary engine was replaced by a new generation Renesis naturally aspirated unit that ran like a sewing machine but lacked torque and outright grunt.Handling was super impressive and it was a pretty car to look at.And so we come to the mid-life revamp of the RX8 and it’s… more of the same, a little less power, lower gearing to address the torque deficit, a decent six-speed automatic option with sequential shift replacing the awful four speeder and minor interior and exterior tweaks. The new model handles even better than the first if that’s possible and the engine still sings like a sewing machine right up to and beyond 8000rpm.Mazda has increased the model range to include a base model at $49,720 the Luxury and the GT.It has no direct four seat competitor in the market and is the only mass produced rotary engine car available.The rear hinged “doors” remain unchanged and the interior has a quality air to it with premium fixtures such as Bose audio on some models.Perhaps the most impressive thing about the new model is the adoption of Mazda MX5 sports car six speed transmissions to the RX8. They add a new dimension to the car offering slick shifts and improved overall performance.The Renesis twin rotary engine is good for 170kW/211Nm output which is enough to propel the 1474car from 0-100kmh in a claimed 6.4 seconds. But it’s a thirsty beast consuming a claimed 12.9 litres/100km of high octane unleaded on the combined cycle. Drive the RX8 hard and this increases alarmingly.Safety is well looked after with stability control, six air bags and a host of other equipment to avoid a collision and protect occupants.Wheels sizes vary according to the model with the high spec GT scoring a set of gorgeous 19-inch items to complement Bilstein dampers while the other two have 18s. The spare is a space saver.But “the proof of the pudding is in the eating” as they say and on the road, the new RX8 won’t disappoint. The sound of the engine is startling and stirring as it wails away pushing the sexy sports car rapidly forward. Get it up around 5000rpm and things start happening fast. Make it live above this engine speed and it’s fantastic to drive _ especially on a tight winding road. Which is precisely what we did last week west of Coffs Harbour.Few rear drive cars offer the level of grip, precision and stability of the RX8 when driven fast like this. It is inspiring from behind the wheel to experience such deft handling, such manners, such driver feedback and resistance to stepping off line in anything costing less than about $100,000, let alone the sub 50 grand price of the RX8.It makes mug drivers look good and is inherently safe because you can avoid a potential collision in the first place simply by using the RX8’s handling attributes. And it rides well into the bargain offering a taut controlled feel on rough roads that won’t jiggle your fillings loose.We particularly enjoyed the sharp, well weighted electric steering that places the car with pin-point accuracy.The RX8 is a relatively popular model for Mazda and should continue to be given the enhanced qualities of the new model. Imagine if it had a turbo - woo hoo. 

That it remains the only mass-produced car on this planet powered by a rotary, rather than a piston, engine is perhaps the least of this.The RX-8 looks as though it was designed by a committee of Japanese Manga nerds who had drunk too much sake and, to save face the next morning, agreed to incorporate everyone's ideas: look at the science-fiction interior and the suicide (or kamikaze, if you will) rear half-doors.The petrol-blooded bemoan the lack of a turbocharger, without which the revvin'-to-high-heaven 1.3-litre twin rotary is a bit like sashimi sans wasabi.As opposed to the storied RX-7s that gave Mazda its last big motor-racing moments more than a decade ago, there is only one blown RX-8 in the world.That Allan Horsley special was driven by a handful of highly fortunate hacks and is now in the possession of Mazda's Australian boss. So torque is not so much far from cheap in the RX-8 — it's literally priceless.What, then, of the “renewed” -as distinct from new — RX-8 that was launched on the NSW Mid North Coast last week? Well, talk about perversity at play.It's pretty much taken as said that a revision of any sporty car will come up with some performance or efficiency improvements. Not the five-year-old RX-8, though.An engine the Japanese claim to have so thoroughly revised as to make it almost new retains the same outputs as the recent 40th Anniversary model: 170kW and 211Nm. That's 7kW down on the original '03 car. Odd.Odder yet, the claimed performance and consumption figures are marginally worse.At 6.4 seconds from zero to 100km/h, it's a few tenths slower. And the hugely optimistic claim of 12.9 litres of premium unleaded per 100km is up by 0.3 litres.Of course, accepting that this tiny unit will drink a V8 under the table in a skolling contest is part of the RX-8 owners' creed, hence the much-needed increase in fuel tank size from 61 to 65 litres. At least the new engine is said to use less oil.Mazda reckons the acceleration deficit is down to the sharper gearing of the new six-speed manual transmission, derived from that in the MX-5, although you wouldn't argue it's better in real-world conditions.It says the need to change up from second gear at 97km/h causes that 0-100km/h hiccup.Indeed, a shrill warning beep sounds at that speed, so we obediently stuck the stubby, short-throw gearstick into third.Yet a colleague using another car on the twisting drive route stretched second gear to 104km/h.If you have one of the highest-revving cars available to humanity (it attains the better part of nine grand), surely the idea should be to use it all whenever the opportunity arises. Doing so is the essence of the RX-8. With the meagre amount of maximum torque remaining aloof until 5500rpm, the tacho needle is almost always in the vicinity of 4000 just to achieve satisfactory progress.It doesn't pay to be lazy or tardy with gear changes. But then, as still another colleague remarked, classic sports cars are supposed to require driving.There will be a new six-speed automatic available in a few months, but its 158kW tops out at a “mere” 7500rpm. So, although that car isn't equipped with a blower either, it will doubtless suit those who use blowers in their salons of employment.Indeed, this whole relaunch is in large part an exercise in cosmetics: the RX-8 range has been made-over, tarted up and blinged a bit.Prices are nicer in the new, three-model line-up: the base RX-8 is $49,720, the Luxury version $55,520 and the GT $57,625. Auto transmission is a $1645 option in the Luxury.As we slipped the surly bonds of suburbia in our GT — with 19-inch, low-profile rubber and Bilstein suspension — it delivered in a dynamic manner that made Mazda's apparently pig-headed persistence with rotary power seem sublimely logical.This two-plus-two is a perfectly balanced rear-wheel-drive car that could teach BMW a thing about ride and another thing about steering: its electrically assisted set-up is perfectly weighted and always informative.On the sinuous back roads selected to showcase the Mazda's aptitude, it felt fluid and rapid through the gears.Nor does the GT's serious chassis treatment particularly affect its ride quality. Mazda is right up there with our local car manufacturers when it comes to matchmaking sharpness with compliance.Such is the GT's all-round competence that the more lushly damped Luxury felt underdone and without the same dynamic dividend.The GT's cockpit isn't any less comfortable, whereas the Luxury's sunroof merely makes life unpleasant for the tall. Neither model has steering-wheel reach adjustment.But the GT's work station accesses a more purposeful and rewarding device, with the deftest DSC interventions when things get untidy.The GT provides substance to the RX-8's “renewal” and clarity to those still mystified by this singular car.Related  story First drive: 2008 Mazda RX-8

And Mazda has tried to make sure that noise stays around in Australia, with the RX-8 – the only rotary mass production car on the market – selling 5400 since it was first launched in 2003.That’s an average of about 90 per month for the suicide-doored four-seater sports car, but the company is being conservative with its sales targets for the new – and broader – range, aiming for about 75 per month.The RX-8 arrives with an updated engine and suspension, new transmissions and restyled interior all wrapped in a stronger body that has also been given a design brush-over.With the six-speed manual transmission, The compact and lightweight 1.3-litre Renesis rotary engine develops 211Nm of torque at 5500 revs and 170kW of power at 8200 revs. The gearbox has been borrowed from the MX-5, but given ratios better matched to rotary engine characteristics plus a shorter final driveto compensate for the relatively small torque figure .Coupled to the Activematic six-speed auto, the engine’s power output drops to 158kW at 7500 revs, but this is still an improvement of 17kW over the previous model.The range starts with the standard $49,720 RX-8, which is kitted out with touches of leather, six-speaker CD-stacker audio and twin front and side airbags plus curtains, while the business end of the equation gets 18” alloy wheels on high performance Bridgestones (but a space-saver spare), anti-skid brakes with brakeforce distribution, stability control, a sports-tuned suspension and extra front bracing.The $55,520 Luxury spec gets an extra three speakers on a Bose audio system, leather seat trim, power sunroof and foglamps, plus the option of upgrading the transmission to the Activematic with paddle shifters for $1645.The range-topping $57,625 GT rides on 19” alloys and Bilstein shock absorbers designed to aid grip, an extra front suspension crossmember to improve steering, is blinged up with a sports body kit – and has been trimmed here and there to lose 23kg compared with the Luxury, coming in at just 5kg over the base model.Mazda says the RX-8 body is more aerodynamic, with a slightly trimmed drag coefficient of 0.30 (down 0.01). It’s visually been given only a slight brushover, and while it retains the signature bulging front wheel arches it could do with a little more of that muscled shape around the back where – without the wing of the GT variant – it looks a but mundane.The cabin is snug — especially for those who like to sit tall in the seat – and the seats are even snugger. On wedging down into them the first time you fear that they won’t allow a healthy set of grain-fed Aussie cheeks. But it takes only a few corners to realise their hugginess is a necessary factor.You can feel that the new RX-8 is sharper immediately. You turn the wheel where you want to go, and it goes there. It’s as simple as that. Swinging back and forth through a long series of s-bends becomes a smooth dance, with the revised suspension, stiffer chassis and sticky rubber smeared on the 19” wheels locking you into the road.The downside is that the big wheels gave a brutal ride at speed over the rough bitumen in rural northern New South Wales, although that should be smoother in urban limits.Press your foot down and the rotary screams up the rpm scale, but in characteristic form never feels like it’s straining. There’s the sense that it could keep spinning around the dial like demented clock hands if they unplugged the limiter. And as the torque builds, so does the blur through the windows.But what it really needs – and perhaps the only thing it lacks for a car of this kind – is just a bit more at launch. While the take-off is hardly laid-back, there’s no sense of it slingshotting forward.A turbo would add the boost it’s looking for, but it would also boost the fuel consumption, which already sits at an avid 12.9L/100km for the manual (12.1L for the auto) – a thirst that is also characteristic of rotary engines.And those are just the official figures, which Mazda warns “may not be the fuel consumption achieved in practice” and certainly wasn’t on our hill runs, where about 200km had the needle nudging the middle mark.But the RX-8 isn’t positioned as an economy driver. It’s designed for fun – and overall that’s what it offers.

It's the RX-8, which gives new heart and soul to a carmaker that lost its way – and nearly its future – in the 1990s.The RX-8 has the rotary heart and the sports car soul that proves Mazda is on track, and does it in a far more visible – and outrageous – way than the baby Mazda2 and family-focused Mazda6.The four-door sedans have a sporty look and feel and have sold well against tough rivals, but the RX-8 lifts the action to a new level.It has also introduced the world to a crossover concept that is a combination of hard-edged sports car and four-seat/four-door practicality.Mazda could have taken the easy way with a revival of an RX-7 and tweaked its old turbo rotary motor.But instead it went for a mechanical package that's efficient, new-age and still pretty potent.Its latest Rensis rotary, without a turbo, gives 177kW of power and 211Nm of torque, unless you go for the auto when power falls to 141kW.The engine gives its best at a screaming 8200 revs, far beyond the reach of any other real-world road motor, and that provides a lot of the car's character.But it also has looks that stand out in traffic, a cabin that's big enough for four adults, and doors that open the whole side of the car.The mechanical package is impressive, with an engine set back and low for good handling, fully independent suspension, big anti-skid brakes and electronic stability control that's up with the best.There's also CD sound, cruise control, alloy wheels, electric assists and all the rest.And the RX-8 is well-priced, and not just because the $56,170 bottom line is about $20,000 less than the last of the old RX-7s.It's also a little cheaper than the two-people Nissan 350Z and well under the latest open-air BMW Z4.There is also a luxury pack, with leather trim, xenon headlamps, a Bose sound system, electric seats and other trinkets. This lifts the price to $62,610 for the six-speed manual and $63,280 for the auto.We were happy when we first drove the RX-8 because the car proved engineers were back in charge at Mazda.They got the car they and RX-8 buyers wanted, with only minor meddling from the sales department and stylists.They've also delivered a car that's surprisingly close to the motor show concept, including the clamshell doors, which is a reflection of a carmaker that knows where it's going and is committed to bold calls.On the roadWe could live with an RX-8. No problem. It's a daily driver that makes plenty of sense, even if you only have to duck down to the shops or face Punt Rd traffic on a rainy Friday in July.It coaxes you into having fun, even if it's only a snap-quick gearshift, a blat to 9000 revs in first or a taut turn at the end of the street.When you have time and space to really get going, the RX-8 is one of the best drives around.It's quick and fluid, responsive and enjoyable, and the engine and gearbox are a perfect match.Pop the cork on a summer Sunday and you'll really understand what the engineers have been doing at Mazda and why the rotary engine makes so much sense.You have to re-think a few things because it gets going only at 5000 revs, when many motors are dying, and it loves to run all the way to the 9000 redline.So you sometimes have to be down the gears to keep it honking.But it doesn't take long to need the next, and the next, and so on.The six-speed manual is a sweet shift with a short, positive change.The brakes are terrific, with great bite and feel, and you'd need a racetrack to make them fade.And we were most impressed by the suspension and how it works in all conditions. It doesn't feel as tight as a 350Z, or as firm as the Z4, but it really grips and lets you know what's happening down at the Bridgestone rubber.It is surprisingly compliant and smooth over any surface, and even soaks up mid-corner lumps without bumping or wobbling.Fuel consumption was better than expected in city commuting, and nothing like the V8-style gargling of the old turbo RX-7s.But we suspect it would dip sharply on special Sunday mornings.There is a lot more to talk about and like, including the brilliant electrically assisted steering, the small "eyebrows¿ on top of each wheel, the sound system, and even the user-friendly design of the dash.We also enjoyed the car's comfort and have to back away from doubts about the front seats. They were great in the leather test car.We also tried the back seat and found plenty of space, surprising visibility and enough legroom.But the boot is nowhere near big enough for four people, and it would get worse with the spare wheel.The design work on the doors could have been better. They look too clunky. Still, they work and access is good.Also, just like the Honda Accord Euro and the Lexus RX330, we didn't like the mis-matched xenon-halogen headlamps.And the car is tough to park, with a pinched view out the back.We also wonder if Mazda has tried too hard with the RX-8.It is a brilliant car, and a lot of people will love the combination of selfish driving fun and family space, but it has created a car that's very different in its styling and execution.On balance, it's a car that's going to take time to fit in. Or to let others catch up.We love the way it drives, and we love the song of the rotary engine, and it could easily emerge as the best car of 2003.But it doesn't quite clear the bar for a five-star rating, though it would get nine out of 10.In case you are wondering, and many people will be, it doesn't have the hard edge or instant hit of the 350Z and it cannot match the top-down fun of the Z4.But unless things change when we get them side by side next month, it is looking a better choice for people who need more than just a Sunday fun car in the garage.The RX-8 proves you really can have the best of both worlds and not pay a fortune to get it.It's also proof that the Mazda we have known, loved and respected is finally back doing what it does best – making top cars.