Mazda RX-8 (03-10) - Review

Review by David Ross on
Last Updated: 24 March 2009
Mazda isn't afraid to do things differently - as the RX-8 proves. It breaks traditional coupe convention by having two rear-hinged doors to make access to the back easier plus it's powered by a unique rotary engine. In terms of design it truly stands out - both inside and out - while the cabin is fairly practical too. There's enough room for two in the back and a half decent boot, making the Mazda a useable coupe. It's great to drive with well weighted steering and minimal body roll, however while the rotary engine sounds good, it has to be worked hard to get meaningful performance and lacks pulling power. As a result fuel economy is poor. In August 2008 a revised model - called the RX-8 R3, was introduced with sharper looks and uprated suspension while the lower power engine was dropped from the line-up.
4 out of 5

Other Mazda reviews

2.5 out of 5

Running costs

The Mazda is well priced but depreciation is only average and it doesn't hold it's value as well as the Nissan 350Z. The biggest cost owners will face is fuel - the claimed economy figure is around 26mpg, while tax and insurance will also be high. Mazda servicing is reasonable though and the dealers have an ever-improving reputation.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

12,500 miles.

Warranty

Three years/unlimited miles.

Road tax (12 months)

£270.00 - £475.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

1 out of 5

Green credentials

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CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

There's no getting away from the fact that the RX-8 is a polluting model. The high output model emits 284g/km of CO2 while the less powerful variant is little better, putting out 267g/km. Both models are very thirsty too - averaging around 26mpg. The R3 has a tweaked engine - but emissions are 299g/km of CO2 and economy has dipped slightly to 24mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2