This is a repost from the basement but I figure some of you guys don't read that forum and wouldn't mind reading about this so here goes.

Yup it's that time again, another writeup from everyone's favorite automotive columnist: me. This time around I got myself into a slightly more interesting car, the RX-8.

Exterior
It's definitely a unique shape. For a sports car it's really not that low, it's about the same height as a DC Integra. The front fenders look really cool. There's a bit of a bulbous feeling looking at it from certain angles but it is definitely an attention getter. Seeing it in person confirms that it would indeed look way better with the Mazdaspeed body kit that is currently available only in Japan or through third-party importers in the USA (i.e. you can't buy it from a dealer parts counter).

Interior
The interior is very impressive. The example I drove had the Grand Touring Package which includes heated leather seats, driver's power seats and some other doodads. Everything looks to be of high quality materials and nothing seems to be something cheap that's been tarted up to look more expensive. It's not a luxury car but everything looks suitably expensive given the cost of the vehicle. Seating position is very nice and there's a nice range of adjustability. Headroom is a little tight with the sunroof but I think I could manage to squeeze myself in there with a helmet on. Visibility is generally pretty good especially out the front although there's a decent blind spot caused by the large C-pillar. It's definitely liveable. The steering wheel tilts but doesn't telescope but I still found a comfortable position. The rim is nice and fat as any sports car's should be. Dash lighting is a combination of orangish red and the gauges are lit up white. It looks really nice. The tach is front and center and has a digital speedometer within the dial. Everything is plenty easy to read.

I figure I should comment on the back seats since they're a major selling point of the car. I did indeed get in the back seat and managed to fit alright. There's not much of a view out the window since it's rather small, and it did take some maneuvering of my size 12 shoes around the front seat but once inside I was fine. A bit cozy, but fine.

Drivetrain
The car I drove had the 1.3 liter two rotor engine (Mazda calls it Renesis) that makes 238 hp and a 6-speed stick. Redline is at 9000 rpm just like the old S2000 but the powerband is more spread out. It doesn't have that sort of on/off quality to it that the S2000 does. It also doesn't produce the same forward surge of acceleration as you can achieve in a Nissan 350Z but it definitely makes itself feel quick. The rotary's smoothness is really weird. At one point I cruised on the highway at about 70 mph in 4th gear which equals about 5000 rpm but it didn't really feel like the engine was working that hard at all. I would probably use a higher gear most of the time to save fuel but I figured I would do like the sales lady told me and give it some revs. Once I got up to about 6000 rpm the exhaust became pretty audible. One big difference between the RX-8 and the S2000 is that while the S2000 always feels like it's really working to build revs, the RX-8 doesn't even begin to feel a bit thrashy until the tach hits around 6700. It just kind of goes up and down and doesn't much care what you rev it at.

Clutch effort is on the light side but there's enough resistance to give you some feedback. It grabs very nicely which I think has somehwat to do with the smoothness of the rotary. Coming away from a stop it could surge a little bit but once used to it there was no problem driving the car. The shifter is awesome. Not quite as perfect as an S2000 but better than any other car I've driven. Rev matching was a little odd because I'm not quite used to the gear ratios and how the rotary changes revs but the only car I can say I've done it better in is the S2000. With a little practice I feel that I could do it just as well in the RX-8. Also the gate for 3rd gear was a bit to the right of where I expected it to be so the first few 2-3 upshifts I missed the gate but once I re-trained myself it was no problem. So it's not perfect to shift and heel-toe like you're Andretti at the first try like the S2000, but it's damn close.

Handling
First of all I will end all comparisons between this car and the 350Z. In the handling and fun-to-drive categories, the RX-8 kills the Z. The steering is a bit on the light side for a performance car especially given that it has summer tires which tend to make effort a bit higher, but once acclimated it feels just about perfect. The suspension is reasonably tolerable over bumps but keeps the car very well planted in the turns. The body structure feels immensely stiff especially compared to the 350Z which is no slouch itself. I got a chance to drive the car on both sweeping back roads and some tighter stuff and it handled everything I threw at it great. Brakes had a nice firm pedal and the car exhibited little to no dive under braking unless I was simulating a panic stop. The car has very high limits which I only got to maybe once or twice. It is very confidence inspiring with very little familiarization time.

Summary
I really, really, really like the RX-8. In an objective comparison with the 350Z which is its obvious competitor, the Z produces more thrust but in all other categories the RX-8 is way better. When I drive a Z (which I've done a few times now) I keep trying to get myself to like the thing but I never quite enjoy it even though it has a great motor. When I got done driving the RX-8 I had a big dumb grin on my face. It's that good.

As a postscript I do have a theory on why some owners are reporting crappy fuel economy. The saleswoman who took me on the drive introduced the car by saying "you don't drive this car like other cars," which basically meant that she wanted me to rev the piss out of it. She showed me how to supposedly drive the car by shifting at 7k rpm on regular old suburban streets. When I took it out in the twisties she told me to never take it out of second gear. When I drove on the highway as mentioned earlier she wanted me to leave it in fourth. All of this revving was presented as how she was trained by Mazda to drive the car. Now it strikes me as a bit odd that Mazda would be having their sales force encourage revving the piss out of a brand new motor and in general cruising at a higher-than-necessary rpm. Since I have a fair bit of knowledge on rotary engines I would not drive the car like this on a daily basis but it seems as though some less educated RX-8 owners may indeed be doing as the sales force says and that is one of the reasons that people have been getting bad mileage or in the worst case popping their motors. If this is indeed Mazda policy I would seriously hope they modify it such that owners do not drive their cars like this all the time.

Anyway, to sum it all up I really loved the car and would be hard pressed to find something else around $30k to drop the money on.

 

All I have to say about the rx8 is...blah. I was waiting so long for this thing to come out so I could test it out. But I definately have to say that the rx8 is one of those rare cars that look better in pictures that it does in real life. I Just cant find an angle where it doesnt look akward.

As far as driving goes. I cant say its anything special either. If I wanted a car that was pretty light and handles extraordinarily well while still getting decent 1/4 mile times...I'd have to take the s2000. Or If I wanted something with a little more thrust and an engine with good torque with not much trade-off in the handling dept. Id get the z. Both of which look ten times better than the rx8.

As far as interiors go...I have to admit the rx-8 beats them both.
The s2000's interior is not on par with most hondas. and the 350z, well nissan's interiors arent that great. I dont think that either cars interiors are really that bad...but the rx8 beats em both.

 

add 2 more people into the equation then you are getting the point of the car.

 

Do you want to look at your car and brag about its quarter mile times, or do you want to drive your car? Most sports car owners still have to go to work and will attack the twisties or an autocross every once in a while.

Yes, the S2000 is a better sports car than the RX-8, but I wouldn't want one as a daily driver. It's loud, cramped, and rides like a dump truck. I haven't driven an '04 yet but that's how the '03 was and I'd wager a guess that the '04 is only slightly more civilized. It's fun as hell but I'd need to buy another, more comfortable car to go along with it.

The 350Z might have a nice motor but unless you get the Track model the brakes are total crap and in general the car drives more like a heavy sedan than a light weight sports car. Probably because mechanically it is a heavy sedan but with all of the practicality removed. I've driven both a Touring and a Track and both were rather boring.

I like the RX-8 because it almost as precise in its controls and light on its feet as the S2000 while providing more comfort than the 350Z (no, it can't match its wide powerband and effortless thrust) and more practicality than either one. If I was buying one car for myself then the RX-8 would be my choice. If I was adding a sports car to the stable and already had like a Mercedes or something then I would go for the S2000.

 

im sorry. I was giving my opinion. I didnt know there was a problem with that. And when im buying a car, looks are a very important factor. Others might not feel the way I do..thats them. Ultimately if I dont like a cars looks...then im not getting it. I didnt say it was ugly...just that to me it looks very akward in real life. Of course there are those that think its beautifull. Good for them. I dont ever go autocrossing and I live in texas and there arent many winding roads here. So for me fun is a car that handles great (maybe not as effortlessly, but most rags show that when pushed to the limits the z can hang right there with the rx8 in the twisties just not with the same amount of confidence) is fast and also is very mod-able. Throw in great looks, decent pricing, reliability (we'll see how well mazda does here), and a decent interior and im sold on either the s2k or the z.

Of course the z doesnt have the same go cart like handling as the s2k or the rx8. but I dont drive my car like a go cart. The only thing I need is a car that can take the corner without letting the rear end slip out. and the z can do that.

 

Oh I always got the point of the car. I just dont think the execution was all that great.

 

Great review!

 

You gave yours, I responded with mine. This process is generally referred to as a conversation.

 

k...seemed for a minute that my response sumhow upset you.

 

Don't forget about the major fiasco with HP ratings that caused Mazda to offer $500 rebates and free service or buy back the car. Go to a Mazda Sports Car Club of Washington meeting and hear the horror stories on gas mileage on top of that.

I'll take my Miata any day of the week.