Overview & Reviews
Mazda's four-door sports car was all new in 2004, and is back for 2005 with no changes except for the addition of a satellite radio-compatible head unit.
- Low base price, agile handling yet still comfortable enough for daily use, smooth rotary engine fun to wind out on the open road, room for four in a pinch.
- Option packages add considerable expense, iffy interior ergonomics, poor gas mileage.
User Reviews:
Showing 11 through 20 of 179.00-
Mazda rx-8 - 2005 Mazda RX-8
By Mike Elliott - April 8 - 2:06 amPerformance--lacks low end torque, (Mazda claims 0-60 in 5.9 seconds which is B.S.) 0- to 60 in mid to high 6s. Car still is qicker than most, and it is a blast to drive. Handling is amazing , braking is exceptional. I love the instrument panel. Get used to the high revving engine - and you will enjoy.
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Just a few things shy from perfection - 2005 Mazda RX-8
By Andrea - December 20 - 2:06 amGreat car. Not impressed with the recall and the flooding problems. Needs a better place for the dipstick, you have to stick your hand down in the engine to get to it. I thought the interior would be more impressive ... my Dodge Neon was about the same when it came to the fanciness. A lot of people lean on that center console to get out because the car is so low, and because it slides open and its on tracks, it often pops off of track. Maybe get a lift open one instead? The speedometer is a little difficult to read, maybe make it bigger. Gas mileage isnt impressive ... otherwise this car has been very good to me, *knock on wood.*
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Engine is a disaster - 2005 Mazda RX-8
By lav1 - December 10 - 3:40 pmGoing to trade my RX-8 tomorrow. Been in for rough idle and cutting off (in traffic) 9 times in 6 months. Mazda has no fix for this unreliable engine. They can only add engine mounts and brackets to the engine... yeah, makes no sense to me either. Beautiful car, horrible engine!!! Stay away from this car until they start putting a reliable engine in them. First 30,000 miles were wonderful, but beware - once you turn 30001 it goes down hill from there. Cold and hot outdoor temperatures play a big part in the rough idle as well. Again beware of this car. Dont lose money on it like I have.
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Great car, poor mileage - 2005 Mazda RX-8
By surfdude - December 6 - 7:13 pmThis car is fantastic! The most fun car to drive Ive ever driven. It can hit up to 8000 RPM without any trouble, in fact, its healthy for the car to do this, as it cleans out the engine. Incredible handling: you can literally go around a 90 degree turn at 40 mph without any trouble! While the car doesnt have the acceleration of a corvette or a 350z (5.9 from 0-60), its handling is better than a 350z and rivals that of a corvette. Reason is a 50/50 rear-to-front weighting of the car. There is no 500lb engine under the hood, as the rotary engine isnt a typical heavy engine. Thus, there is no front heavy, back sliding that occurs in a typical car in turns.
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Great car with issues, bad company. - 2005 Mazda RX-8
By Babcock - September 19 - 4:03 amThe car is very fun to drive, its handling dynamics are excellent. Interior is well done with everything nicely laid out. Good storage for a small car. Back seat room is good, adults seat comfortably. Truck space is good for a sports car but small opening. Over all this is a very livable sports car. Now the bad, gas mileage is the worst I have ever experienced in any car. I get 11mpg city while driving normally. I have had the car to Mazda who tells me that it is normal mileage and they will do nothing about it. Mazdas service is very poor and the company does not likes to support this car. Mazda has given others a hard time on warranty work or refused to acknowledge problems.
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High tech traditional sports car - 2005 Mazda RX-8
By cactusrose - August 22 - 8:16 pmA sports car. Rear wheel drive, light snick-snick gear box and a hunger for the twisties. And you get to check the oil, and warm it up before buzzing the engine, just like an old Triumph. Yet if you know how to look after a rotary, unlike an old Triumph this car is tediously reliable, at least it has been for me. The car has a slightly overdone exterior, but draw your own conclusions on the looks. Yet from a practical perspective the interior is like the Tardis (check with a British friend for the definition of Tardis) and very well finished. I wasnt going to buy a car like this, but one test drive had me hooked. I havent looked back - buy this car!
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Fun Car - 2005 Mazda RX-8
By mark - June 10 - 9:40 amI traded in a Maxima SE for this car because I wanted something fun to drive. The RX8 delivers in the fun department. Enough cant be said about the 50/50 weight distribution and the rotary power curve. It is not the most practical car, however, having low gas mileage and limited cargo space. As with any car in this category, consider that you may need a second car/truck to accompany this very fun vehicle.
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Fun To Drive - 2005 Mazda RX-8
By New Jersey RX-8 - April 19 - 10:00 pmVery fun to drive except for the horrible gas mileage. Everyone says its a sports car but for a car that cant turn a sub 14 second quarter mile, 14 mpg is pretty sorry. I will concede it does carve corners as well as probably anything else out there for the price.
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Fun sports car for fairly mild $$ - 2005 Mazda RX-8
By tkmmusic - April 3 - 9:46 pmWhat a fun car to drive. Even makes going to the supermarket enjoyable. Very reliable, definitely sporty (but not brutally so) -- as a matter of fact, other people that have driven it or have ridden with me have all commented on its smoothness. It also has a surprising practical side -- you can carry quite a bit of stuff in it when necessary. Im very happy with it.
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Head tuner - 2005 Mazda RX-8
By RX-8 - February 12 - 10:56 pmThe handling on this car is excellent. The power is great at high rpm. The look of this car is like no other sport cars out there. No a lot of RX-8 owners out there, so you will turn heads as you drive around town.
