Mazda RX8 Review

The Mazda RX8 has always been a bit of an oddball car. Yes, it does have a rotary engine, but instead of replicating the fire breathing giant killing RX7 the RX8 was a softer, slower option. Of course motoring enthusiasts were waiting with bated breath that the facelift model would add some of the fire that was lost when it came time to facelift the RX8, but no, it continues as before.

Sadly the 1.3 liter RENESIS engine has too high a compression ratio to allow a turbo to be easily fitted, but even then, Mazda could have turned the wick up a bit, or at least kept the 248hp 'high power' model.

Strongly implied at the launch though, was that to produce more power would of course require more fuel consumption, and the rotary engine doesn't do all that well on a tank of fuel as it is.

Keeping the engine unchanged means 227hp at 8200rpm and 155lb ft of torque at 5500rpm. In real world terms that means that to get real performance out of the car is to rev it to within an inch of its life. Good then, that this car thrives on revs.

It's the closest thing to a motorbike engine on four wheels, with the turbine-smooth rotary hooked up to the slickest six-speed manual you are ever going to encounter. The clutch is especially sharp though, and I don't think anyone will test drive a new RX8 without stalling at least once.

On the road the car drives very much as before. The engine is mounted behind the front wheels, making it effectively a mid engined car and the RX8 darts into corners, grips hard, and shoots you out the other end faster than you can read that last sentence.

The most obvious change to the car is around the front end, with a much more predatory look, from the eagle eyed headlights to the little sharp intakes in the bottom of the bumper. It's a much more modern look, and fits in better with the new styling direction introduced on the Mazda2 and Mazda6.

There's still no real space in the trunk, but the rear hinged doors for the rear seat passengers remain, so apart from still having to open the front doors first, access into the back of the car is still very good.

But the one thing that still irks me is why stick with the with the latticework effect sun visor. Every other car in the world has sun visors that are solid while the Mazda RX8 has a visor has a lattice, as if it were woven. That may not seem too important, but when you are wearing glasses that may be less than perfectly clean you get a sort of kaleidoscopic '60's LSD inspired view, which doesn't make for good driving.

Still, if that's the only cheap shot you can level at the car it proves that Mazda is pretty much spot on when it comes to producing a sporty four-door four-seater. The only thing that would make the car better is more power, which is of course the same charge leveled at Mazda's other sports car, the MX5.