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 Except for the Miata convertible, the Mazda lineup was composed of niche cars that were quite outdated in comparison to its competition--a minivan that was more like a station wagon that was stretched upward, a family sedan that lacked suitable power and features, a luxury sedan possessing the same shortfalls, and a pickup truck and SUV (the Navajo) copied from Ford.
Within the last few years, however, Mazda has attempted to reinvigorate itself. After introducing a new small SUV, the Tribute (basically a rebadged Ford Escape), Mazda began a new slogan that comprised of two simple words: "Zoom, zoom." To match its new attitude, the Protegé sedan was given a sporty wagon, the Protegé 5 (and later a souped-up version from Mazdaspeed, the company's tuning department), a new MPV minivan that reflected the trends of its competitors yet possessed handling that could supposedly match the Miata, and a new midsize sedan, the Mazda 6. The only thing missing was a revival of the rotary coupe. Finally, Mazda announced that the rotary would be reborn in a new coupe, the RX-8.
Now on to the good part: I have become a fan of Mazda's cars after reading about the new Mazda 6 sedan. The vehicle has won accolades the world over, including a spot on Car and Driver's 2003 10Best list. For signing up for e-mail updates, I received a coupon that entitled me to a $35 gift certificate for test driving the 6. I took advantage of the money and fell in love with the car. Although I will not be buying a new car for a while, it will definitely be on my list.
I recently received another test drive offer. This time, Mazda was giving away gift certificates for test driving the new RX-8 roadster. My friend and I had seen the new vehicle (albeit behind velvet ropes) at the local auto show this past spring. He fell in love with the car instantly. So when I received the test drive offer, I offered to take him on the test drive and to give him the certificate.
What surprised us both was that the dealer I went to freely gave us the car for us to drive. We were handed the keys and were literally told to "have fun." The salesman didn't even accompany us. With such a powerful car, I would have expected much more stringent measures regarding test drives. However, I guess the car was not in as short of a supply as I expected, so no deposit or any buying commitment was required.
Drivetrain: The first thing that sets this car apart from its competition is the rotary engine. It still uses normal gasoline. However, unlike most engines, where there is a group of cylinders that move up and down during a 4-part compression cycle, the rotary engine utilizes a single chamber. The rotors (there are two of them in the RX-8), which are shaped like a rounded triangle, spin in a large cylinder. Each stage of the compression cycle happens on a different part of the cylinder's radius. The rotor compresses the gas/air mixture and moves it to each part of the cycle.
The old rotary engine in the RX-7, while unique, was not very powerful. In fact, Mazda used turbochargers to boost its output. This time, however, Mazda not only improved on the engine's shortcomings, but also utilized new technology. The result is an engine that produces much more power without using any turbocharger. In fact, the new engine won the International Engine of the Year award in 2003 due to its unique design and technological advancements.
When the salesman turned the car on to test it, I noticed, to my surprise, that the rotary engine did not sound any different than a regular engine. However, it does produce a distinct tone when accelerating. And you will notice it quickly: the engine is quite rev-happy. With the gear ratios on the transmission, the engine was over 2000 RPM at constant speed. The redline is very high, and although I did not rev too much on such a new vehicle, I know that a buzzer will sound when one approaches it. Acceleration was unbelievable. In no time, the car reached highway speeds. I'd hate to see how many people get speeding tickets because they are unaware of how fast they are going.
What confuses me the most is why there is such a horsepower difference between the manual transmission model and the automatic. The manual produces about 238 horses while the automatic version doesn't even break 200. I would think that Mazda's engineers could adapt the drivetrain so this discrepancy could be eliminated. Also, Mazda became infamous as it turned out that the horsepower readings were lower than those given by the manufacturer (this was not the first time this had happened with Mazda). However, Mazda admitted its mistake and offered either to buy back vehicles or to provide free maintenance and a debit card (most buyers took the latter option). Personally, I would never have noticed the difference as the car is still very fast.
I opted to try the 6-speed transmission, although my friend was unable to operate a stick shift. The last stick shift I had was in a Honda Accord, so I was used to a responsive clutch and medium-length throws. Boy was this an adjustment. The throws on the RX-8 are very short, as I imagine they should be in a sports car. I didn't mind that; what I did mind was the clutch. Initially, the car would not shift in to first gear although I had engaged the clutch halfway (what I usually had to do with the Accord). However, I needed to double-clutch (push the pedal to the floor) to get in to first. Although that didn't happen again during the drive, I would have expected a better clutch, like the ones Honda and Acura are well-known for.
The suspension system was quite responsive to the bumpy roads in the area and hugged the curves very well. Although I did not have to make any sudden stops, I found no problems with the brakes. I imagine they would be used quite heavily though given the speed capabilities of the car.
Exterior: There isn't much to say about this part of the car. The front of the car gives the RX-8 a very aggressive look, especially with the large intake opening beneath the hood. The rear looks equally sporty with its clear tail-lamps, and the wheel wells in the front extend from the main body to provide a roadster-style look. The car generally reminds me of a Honda S2000, but still stands out.
Interior: This is where Mazda excels but falls short.
Mazda's engineers accomplished something that no other manufacturer has done yet: create a sports car (a coupe for that matter) that can still comfortably seat 4 people. While most of its competitors can only tightly seat rear-seat passengers (many others don't even have rear seats), Mazda has provided a rear seat with its own center console. The rear seats are accessed through side-doors similar to those on pickup trucks. They must be opened after the front door is and must be closed first. While annoying, it's better than climbing over a folded front seat.
The rear seats have adequate room; however, if a tall driver is behind the wheel, rear leg room becomes scarce. Sure, a lot of competitors aren't much better or don't even offer a rear seat, but I would not recommend seating 4 adults in the RX-8 for a long ride. Otherwise, head room in the rear is excellent and even tall adults won't find their heads hitting the roof or the rear window. The front seats are very roomy, on the other hand. I remember not being able to fit comfortably in to a Honda S2000 as I was too tall. With the Mazda, comfort was no problem. My only gripe was having to "climb" out of the car since it was so low. Again, that's something of personal preference, as I am not used to sports cars. I did not get a chance to open the trunk; however, I'd expect that this is not the car to take a long trip in as luggage capacity is usually at a premium in sports cars.
Generally, the layout of the interior is very friendly. The radio and A/C share a common display above all the controls, as is the case with the Mazda 6 sedan. It may require some getting used to, but it beats reading two separate displays. What I could never get used to, however, is the gauge layout. The tachometer is the largest gauge and is in the center of the layout, where the speedometer usually is. Instead, the speed is displayed in a small digital readout located in the tachometer. I am used to looking at a gauge rather than a number and I think the reading is not in an optimal position. Maybe a GM-style "heads-up" system that displays the data on the windshield will make watching one's speed in this very fast car a little easier.
The Bose radio did not disappoint me. I have come to expect great sound quality from Bose systems and this seemed to be no exception. With the small interior, I would caution against leaving the volume too high, as my passenger complained that the volume was a bit high when he was sitting in the rear seat, although the actual volume was low.
Value: While there are several competitors that offer equally-equipped sports cars for between $30-35K (most of which are convertibles as well), Mazda's RX-8 starts below $30K. The price can climb readily, however, with the addition of options such as leather and a fold-down navigation system on top of the dash. Yes, the Nissan 350Z and the Honda S2000 offer more power, but they do not offer the interior space the RX-8 does. Also, the rev-happy rotary engine offers an adventure nobody else can offer.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 31865
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: 6-speed, leather, touring pkg.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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