Car Reviews: 2005 Mazda RX-8

Sometimes, a particular vehicle model is so well received, and so well beloved, that anything which attempts to succeed it is greeted rather harshly. While this is not always the case, it may very well be with the Mazda RX-8. The turbocharged RX-7, available until 1995 in the United Stats, continues to be a popular car, and may very well be one of the most iconic Japanese sports car of the modern generation. However, while the new RX-8 attempts to succeed and replaced the RX-7, it has been generally received as only acceptable or average. However, ignoring the RX-7 that came before it, and putting out no comparisons, let us look at the car in it's own light, and see if it really does deserve the praise that has been hidden from it.

From the outside, the RX-8 certainly looks good. It's curvy lines and distinguished front and back end, not to mention the overall "flow" of the entire design, definitely inspire second looks whenever one encounters the car. While the addition of two small "suicide" doors on the car, which open after the two main doors may look a little strange in concept, it really does work for the vehicle overall, and the added length definitely adds a little more sport, somehow, to the overall design of the vehicle. The back end is interesting, and although the tail lights may not exactly stand out, they are different, and contribute to the space age look that the car has going on. The dual exhaust looks very good, and the short, long appearance of the car definitely makes it clear that the RX-8 is designed for sport.

The great appearance only continues onto the inside. Everything is clean, refined, and looks good. Whether one chooses the cloth or leather seats, the neat metal triangles that form the back of the headrest are a cool touch, and serve to remind passengers and drivers of the rotary engine which powers the car. The center console is smooth and shiny, and evolves into a sort of circular design. While there really isn't that much to look at inside the car, what is there looks very good. Both the shifter and the leather wrapped steering wheel feel comfortable, and driving becomes second nature as soon as one turns the key. While the interior may not offer every option on the market, it definitely works to the cars advantage, and the interior is overall very nice.

Well then, one might ask, why have so many people not been impressed by the RX-8? The answer deals with how exactly the car drives. The 1.3 liter rotary engine, a far different design from conventional engines, puts out about 240 horse power, but only 147 feet of torque. Wait, one should think, those numbers just don't seem right. And, herein, lies the difficulty of really enjoying the RX-8. The engine redline is right around 9,000 (!) RPM, and in order to get any real power out of the car, one has to take the car over 5,000 RPM, not necessarily something that one wants to do in every gear. The RX-7 got rid of the problem of no lower end torque by adding a turbocharger, however, the RX-8 has no forced induction of any kind, and this is the reason that the car must be revved so high. Yes, the RX-8 is fast, but not in a "pin you to the seat" kind of way. The car glides effortlessly through the RPM ranges, and the six speed shifter seems to fly into the next gear of it's own volition. However, while it may not exactly seem fast, the RX-8 is a pure joy to drive, if one is in the mood to drive in such a manner. The RX-8 takes a lot of commitment to drive on a daily basis, and, after a while, it just seems a bit tiring. Low end torque is one of the major downsides of the rotary engine, the other, of course, being gas mileage. The EPA estimates for the RX-8 place it right around 18 miles per gallon. Less, of course, if one constantly takes the car to the 9,000 RPM redline. Simply put, this car gets horrible gas mileage, and it is by far the worst thing about the vehicle. However, take the RX-8 around a few windy roads, pushing the RPMs and timing the shifts perfectly, and it is incredibly easy to fall in love with it.

While the RX-8 may not be the perfect sports car, and, indeed, may not be something that you would want to drive everyday, it is definitely an interesting concept, and even though it may not exactly be disappointing, and is a car that can be enjoyed from a variety of perspectives, there just seems to be something missing from it. Perhaps future generations of the vehicle will be able to correct this, but for now, perhaps the RX-8 is best observed instead of driven.