Overview & Reviews
Automatic transmission-equipped Mazda RX-8s are a bit sportier for 2006. A new paddle-shift six-speed automatic replaces last year's four-speed transmission, and the rotary engine's maximum horsepower has been increased for cars equipped with the automatic.
User Reviews:
Showing 1 through 10 of 45.00-
Cool Car - 2006 Mazda RX-8
By JW79 - December 3 - 9:36 pmTons of fun to drive + has turned a lot of heads. I have had many compliments on the design from friends and strangers alike. A police officer told me to roll down my window + I figured my sticker was past due or I had committed an infraction + instead he inquired about the car and told me how much he liked it. The handling is great! Tons of fun around corners and curves. It should be a little faster off the line + this is a significant drawback considering the horsepower + the poor gas mileage. At first I was unsure about the lines but now I love the look. I love the suicide doors + at least 3 adults can fit in the car as long as everyone isnt tall. You need snow tires bad in the snow!
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Kick in the Pants - 2006 Mazda RX-8
By Blackhawkbill007 - July 11 - 11:20 pmI have this car for a couple of weeks and this car is awesome. I was looking for something that was sporty and fun, and I found it with the RX-8. I was a little shocked about the actual MPG (so far 16 MPG after two fuelings) but the handling is incredible. I have got it up to 123 mph so far and it handled like an Indy car. If somebody is looking for a sports car that is not the dime a dozen then this is it. Everybody that has seen it has been impressed and the back seats believe it or not are roomy. So if you are 30 something not ready to commit to a family car then this is perfect. You can fit the car seat when needed and take it out and have fun whenever you want.
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Tires - 2006 Mazda RX-8
By Joyce - June 23 - 8:23 pmI really love this car. It is so fun to drive and really turns heads, but I cant keep tires on it. Bought in July 06 I now have 13K on it & on 3rd set of tires. Dealer cant help me, Mazda cant help me. I cant afford to put tires on this car every 4 to 7K miles.I do not spin them or drive recklessly. I am going to have to sell it. I am just sick over it, I love everything about the car, but at $500/2 tires I dont know what else to do. The dealership doesnt know if this is the expected life for tires on this car or not?? I bought this car for my 40th B.d. Im really going to miss it. If this problem is just with my car I wish theyd fix it for me!
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Quirky and Loads of Fun - 2006 Mazda RX-8
By RX8LA - March 11 - 2:20 amI may be a bit biased as I inherited my moms 1984 RX-7 as my first car. It was light on its feet, smooth, high revving and nimble as a go cart - so is the RX-8. The car isnt super fast, especially from a dead stop, but it has lots of pep and is plenty fast as long as winning drag races isnt high on your must-have list. The handling is wonderful and the car looks great inside and out. The nav system can fold away if you dont want the screen to show, and the Bose stereo can get painfully loud. This is the first car where I cant stand to turn the stereo to max. Negatives - fuel economy is SUVish and the car gets hot inside from the engine. The A/C can barely keep up on a hot, sunny day.
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Fun to drive, but not enough power - 2006 Mazda RX-8
By NRutkowski - February 29 - 6:00 pmThe car handles well and is fun to drive around corners. The problem is the lack of real power. Be prepared to downshift several gears to get any usable power. Gas mileage is another big concern. I am getting an average of 18-20 MPG, and I drive mostly on the highway. Everything inside the car in positioned well and within reach (though the digital speedo does take some getting used to). Overall, it is a great car with the lack of passing power and fuel consumption being the only real concerns.
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I love this car - 2006 Mazda RX-8
By Opus37 - July 14 - 9:56 pmI purchased an RX8 after driving a lot of similar sports cars. This one just feels right. The rotory engine sounds wonderful and has plenty of power. This handles like a dream even at over 150 mph. (it goes faster than that). I smile every time Im driving it. I can get up to 25 mpg on the road or down to 16 mpg if I drive agressively. The ride is a little softer than other sports cars but that does not affect handling. It improves the ride.
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Nice car, terrible dealers and service - 2006 Mazda RX-8
By denverrx8 - July 11 - 8:03 pmIve owned my RX-8 for just over a year. I love almost everything about the car, except for the fact that its a Mazda. The car has spend over a month in the shop, mainly due to dealers that dont know anything about the car. The car now has a power problem where it loses power after driving, and 2 different dealers have failed at repairing it, and now theyre charging me for diagnosis and rentals, even though theyve duplicated the problem. Mazda is no help, the car is a lemon, and they wont stand behind it. Ive even filmed the problem for them, and they still say it doesnt happen! Bottom line. Great car, terrible car company, this will absolutely be my last Mazda. Dont buy Mazda!
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My RX-8 Review - 2006 Mazda RX-8
By Mr Rotary - January 20 - 10:13 pmThis is a very fun animal to drive. Performance could be a little bit better on the engine side: theres no torque or power at the lower RPMs until you hit 5k or more. Too bad theres no turbo, I miss the old RX-7s. As with all rotary powered cars, fuel economy is awful. Interior design is really good but the chairs cant recline all the way when I want to lay down and theres no lumbar support. The reason for an 8 on reliability is because I had to bring it in for three different recalls and this thing EATS OIL! Rotary engines consume a lot of oil, I had to add oil to it every 3k miles.
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Jammin Coupe! - 2006 Mazda RX-8
By rx8bear - June 12 - 6:46 amI love this car! The car is an unbelievable value for the money. It drives and handles like a dream. It is built as solid as a tank and the fit and finish are superb. I havent had any problems whatsoever with the car.
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More Power, Please - 2006 Mazda RX-8
By Bobby - August 29 - 4:36 pmIve had the car now for 2 months, and ive noticed some rattles and loose body parts on the interior of the vehicle. I enjoy driving the car alot, but as much as i enjoy driving this car the gas mileage is very poor. The power is there if your not a lazy driver. I noticed that you have to keep it above 4000 Rpm for the real power to kick in, the power kicks in 2 stages. 1st at 5000 Rpm and at 7500 Rpm....
