2006 Mazda RX-8 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

I was involved in a fatality car wreck. This car saved my life. The other driver died on the scene.

With two options available, 192bhp or 231bhp its a very different car, one has low end torque, one has high end power, mine is the latter. It'll do 0 - 62mph in around 6 seconds and push on to around 160mph with the wind in the right direction. It handles superbly, although the back end is a bit twitchy and can step out if you're not awake on wet roads. It stops like any of the best supercars, with epic braking that has won many a race and award with them. Build quality is faultless, nothing has ever "just come off" while driving it. Appearance is gorgeous I think, with all the curves in the right places and it is the most aerodynamic car in production today. The cost of ownership is, honestly, horrific. With HUGE Road tax of over £400 per year, insurance up in group 16E and doing 20mpg on a good day it's not one for the tight wads. But is it fun to drive, and does it make up for the horrific cost of ownership? You bet it does.

When I was getting ready to sell my 2003 Tiburon I knew I wanted a true rear wheel drive sports car. I looked at the Infiniti G35 and the Nissan 350Z, and they were quite powerful, but they didn't feel spirited enough in the corners. If all I wanted was straight line acceleration I would look at a muscle car, but it's the lateral G's that really give me a thrill. And so I went to drive an RX-8, having ridden in one and hearing that it's a phenomenally well balanced tossable car. My first drive was in an automatic because that's all the dealer had. Sadly it was a complete dog and didn't excite me one bit. Even my second drive (in a 6 speed) wasn't all that great, because the dealer was with me and I had to behave. Finally I drove this one, a used 2006 with 13k miles on it. I loved the car from the moment I laid eyes on it. The color has to be seen in person to be appreciated. I got to take it for a drive on my own and was blown away with how fun it was. The Renesis engine isn't going to win any drag races with its less than impressive torque, but once you spool up that rotary and ride it to its 9k redline you discover the true beauty of the car. The power delivery is so smooth all the way to redline, such a difference from the peaky power curve of my Tib. And then there's the handling. It's really hard to screw up with this car. Even with the DSC off, if you break the back tires loose the car is so well balanced that a light counter steer is all it takes to reign it back in. I haven't found a long sweeper yet that the Rex can't handle with just a little throttle control. I only wish Illinois had some mountains!

The Mazda RX-8 has been on my bucket list since it was released. It's everything I expected and then some! What a blast to drive, it definitely makes you feel alive. And it doesn't juts do one thing well, it does them all. The brakes are responsive and smooth, the handling with the sport-tuned suspension is spot-on, and the "get up and go" from the 210+ hp is perfect.

The RX-8 is not a successor to the RX-7. In fact, it was created to re-introduce the rotary engine to U.S. Market. It has not been received well to the general U.S. Public due to a variety of factors which include: Lack of advertisement which creates a lack of consumer product awareness, low horsepower compared to other sports cars, awkward styling, suicide doors, rotary engine assumptions. Despite the fact that the RX-8 remains unpopular. It is an exceptional vehicle if one decides to take a chance to drive and own one. It rides like a sedan (Not a bone jarring ride) yet retains exceptional handling. Most of the suspension parts are made of allumnium to reduce unsprung weight. It seats 4 in a pinch which is unheard of in sports cars. It is eager to rev and has a redline of 10,000 RPM in manual transmission form. Nevertheless, because of its unpopularity, the RX-8 when viewed from a strangers point of view can be quite exotic looking because of its rarity among other vehicles. As a result, people assume its more expensive than it is and begin to question what car it is and mistakes it for another brand other than Mazda. The RX-8 is the flagship of Mazda.

The moment I got behind the wheel for the first time I was hooked , this car is just a beaut to drive power speed and handling and it looks great , I've got the pro drive version which I believe is the better version , I just love my car.

Great acceleration, awesome corning and suspention, love the short shift. Great lines, sleek appearance, luxurious interior, great bose sound system, surprisingly good passenger space with plenty of foot room in front and back seats. Decent gas milage for a sports car, all around GREAT car. Absolutely love it.

Overall, the car is easy to drive. I cannot stress how well the car handles from factory. The car doesn't need much effort correct or to break the rear-end loose, nor is it difficult to take corners hard. This would be good for a person who has never driven a rear-wheel drive car before or for the "drifter-in-training". This car is designed for top-end speed, hence having the tachometer stop at 10,000 rpms. My personal top speed was 140 mph @ about 7500 rpms. My topped out my fourth gear at 90+ mph. The car can run as long as there is plenty of road. Unlike conventional piston motors, there are less moving parts on a rotary. If need be, the motor and trans can be easily removed because the rotary is so much smaller.

I've driven almost every car under $50,000 (and even some over), and the RX-8 is by far the most fun to drive. It lacks low-end torque but the high revving Renesis makes up for it. In no way is the car slow. Handles beautifully in stock form. Rotary engine: can't go wrong! It looks awesome inside and out. I have the stock model so I don't have the sun/moon roof, leather seats, GPS navi, Traction Control, Heated Seats and all but that just adds weight. If you want a cruiser - not so much all-out performance, the GT makes the car even sexier. Two tone leather interior on the seats and doors and all the other above-mentioned options. Build quality gets 4/5 because after about 2 1/2 years of ownership, i have a few rattles here and there, and some of the plastics are cheap (but don't look or feel like it!). However, the fact that it can seat 4 people comfortable and has those sexy suicide doors just makes it shine. Add the Mazdaspeed Body Kit and performance parts and it becomes even better. The RX-8 is a beautiful car that has the best overall package and is cheaper than all of its rivals. If you really MUST have speed, then all you need is a turbo kit =]. Unlike the RX-7, the RX-8 has new rotary engine that is more reliable and will still be reliable after adding Forced Induction if tuned by a rotary guru.

very nice driving, and a backseat too!