Mazda's Biggest Mistake? The Fatally Flawed RX-8 Driven and Reviewed (JDM Legends Tour Pt. 35) 

Just let go of my 2004 RX8. I’ve got to say it broke my heart. Every day for 16 years, I have always been eager to drive it. At 80,000 miles Mazda replaced the engine on there dime. As I let it go, the second engine had 106,000 miles on it. The body looked great, no rust. But at my age (70) it was time to get something a little more practical. But I will never regret buying my RX8. I just regret I had to let it go.

I have daily driven an rx8 for almost 7 years. I’ve always kept an eye on the oil and given a daily redline. No engine rebuild 180000km, compression is still fine. Completely stock apart from a cat and exhaust upgrade. Starts and drives flawlessly, only thing I’ve replaced was a slipping clutch plate. This was probably from 4 years of city driving with lots of hill starts. Very fun car, surprisingly practical if you take the spare tyre out the only downside is that it does 22L/100km in the city.

Had one from new for 9 years; apart from a handful of the customary cold-morning start issues, trouble-free. Absolutely loved it! Will always remember Clarkson eulogising as he was test driving one: "God it's smooth. It doesn't feel like it's running on anything as coarse and vulgar as petrol. Feels like it's running on double cream".

Probably one of the most misunderstood cars ever

My best memory of an RX8 was one i attended at the Holiday inn at j15 Warwick. It just about started but was running really badly. After having a poke around, as you do, i found that it had 2 faulty ignition coils. I replaced them and asked him to take it for a drive whilst i put all my tools away etc. All i could hear was the guy ragging it from j15 to j14 and back a few times. when he came back, he had the biggest smile on his face and said "it's never gone that well ever, it's so fast". I reckon it had a ignition coil down for ages, maybe before he purchased it, and the 2nd one just made it undriveable. He was one happy chappy!!

Really nice to watch a balanced, fair and honest review of the eight. Us owners know they drink oil (although nowhere near as much as some would have you believe) and that they use a lot of petrol (that IS as bad as you've heard!), but the driving experience is totally worth these inconveniences.

Thanks for the mention guys, glad you where not too harsh about the review

Best feature of my RX8 was that if you got it on a good road and drove it like you stole it, it'd return 18 MPG. If you drove it like your granny you might *just* eek out 18.5 MPG! Warm up and short journeys killed it; but actually *under-load* it's an extremely efficient engine. Just a shame most driving isn't like that!

I know someone in Dublin who Renesis swapped his NC MX-5, I'm sure he'd happily lend it to you for a review !

In my experience RX8s come in 3 flavours: Good mechanical condition but overpriced Reasonably priced but waiting to explode A pretty body shell for peanuts because engine swaps are a pain in the arse

I pre-ordered mine when they first came out in 03, funnest car I have ever owned. I wish I still had it but I did not have the money for an engine swap and at 140k miles I really needed a new engine. If I had space for a project car and money to spend I will still own it today. I keep hoping Mazda will do one more RX series.

My first car and i still have it 4 years later no problems. Honestly an amazing car if you know how to look after it

Good review, but I disagree about the rear seats. I'm 5'10" and have travelled decent distances in the back of my RX8. Agree it would be a great engine in an MX5, but not instead of the RX8. I had mine for years (yes it had an engine rebuild, at 76K), but I still miss it enormously. Such a great car to drive, all the time...

I’m that person who did get the £7k R3, and I couldn’t be happier. 4 years of ownership, no issues and honestly even if it goes boom one day at least street or bridge porting will be good fun ;) (if a bit expensive) p.s Essex Rotary is great, my car’s looked after by them.

Going on 17 years with my RX8 at this point. (Ordered Jan 2003, delivery in July 2003) First batch of cars that came to Canada. Still love it. As an aside, part of the reason you probably love the gearbox so much is it is the same Aisin gearbox as the S2000 *Edit: Also, I've been to the rotary rally 3 time and expecting to go again this year.

I love attending these for non starts, nearly always flooded with fuel. Usually caused by the owner moving the car a few feet and turning it off and/or the battery is getting weak. The smoke out the back on start up is superb lol

Ive had one for 4 years,. It gives me a smile everytime,. When rx8 drivers meet each other on the road its always a great feeling

I owned one of these back in 09/10 out in the United States. Even drove it cross-country, didn't skip a beat. Still one of my favorite cars I've ever owned. I was one of the lucky ones; I drove it from 50k-80k miles without a single issue. The trick is though, you need to drive it hard. If you drive it like a nanny to the grocery market, you're going to have problems. I red-lined it EVERY. SINGLE. TIME I drove it, and I think unwittingly that was the secret to its longevity.

Having owned one, its an awesome B road basher and track day fun car, excellent well balanced chassis, nice exhaust note with the right aftermarket system, Nothing on this planet sounds like the rotary engine and it promotes the biggest smile you could have, its only let down is MPG, I was returning below 20's average driving and down into single figures on track days or driven enthusiasticly for example around the evo triangle, However Every petrol head should experience the RX8 purely for the experience and that smile that lasts even after you get out

Very well said! I am a proud owner of a 40th anniversary RX8 in Australia, completely rust free and mint and i love it. She does need plenty of tlc but that smile when driving makes it all worth while. Great review!

"for those of you across the pond"? Don't sell yourself short - you reach down-under as well (New Zealand) :o

I still miss both of mine. Had a standard 231 and followed that with a PZ. Both were super reliable and ridiculous fun. What gave them the reputation was all those company drivers not reading the manual and failing to either check the oil or do the proper cold start/stop technique. That led to lots of failing catalysts, flooded engines and worn seals.

I heard that those Rotary engines can last up to 200.000km and usually last up to 150.000km which isn't that bad tbh. I think if the engine is taken care of they aren't as bad. People call vehicles unreliable pretty fast, its the same with BMW cars and KTM motorcycles

I've bought mine a litle bit less than 2 years ago (3'000 miles on the engine) i drove it for about 15'000 miles, and other than a broken spring and ordinary maintenance it has been flawless. The moment i drove one i knew i had to bought one. Excellent review 👌

The back seats are actually decent. I’m 5 foot 6 inch and a six foot tall adult could sit comfortably behind me. Our daughter came home from the hospital when she was born in the rear seat. When they showed the concept cars they had a color matched car seat shown in the auto shows. It really was a clever design.

My friend was once considering to get a Scirocco TSI to replace his previous car. Reliable thing, but here in Indonesia, when it breaks down, spareparts are few and far between. And they're ruinously expensive. Ended up buying RX-8 Spirit R instead, since it is much easier to find Mazda dealers and spareparts here. And he ended up loving it to bits.

I've owned a PZ RX8 exactly like this for a few years, it's such a joy to drive but absolutely no use as a daily so I only drive it on occasion. Every few months I think about swapping it for something both fun and sensible, but watching this video reminds me of exactly why I love it so much and I immediately change my mind! Can't sell this thing, it's way too exciting... When it works!

I bought one with 30k on it and drove it to over 80k. The only failures were 1 ignition coil and a crank sensor. I knew how to warm it up and to keep the oil level up and maintained. It was a great car. My wife didn't want to get rid of it even for a newer one. They are great fun to drive and sound amazing but a lit of people didn't understand how to take care of them.

I had an rx-8 in the early 2000’s. Dreadful MPG, had to get the Mazda rescue out twice when it wouldn’t start and useless back seats. Also the only car I’ve ever approached in a car park grinning from ear to ear and there isn’t a day that goes by I don’t miss it.

Owned my ‘05 for over 13 years/49K miles and loved it! No problems until catalytic converter failed at 49K miles. Engine good and strong throughout ownership. Truly a special and lovely sports car.

I have always loved the rx8, I remember back in 2007 (I was 13) getting a DVD of it from a mazda dealership and taking it to my auntie to try and pursuade her into getting one. I've been tempted many times to buy a ropey one and fix it up, they have a really satisfyingly low driving position and amazing gearbox feel, two major priorities. Like you though james, i wish it was a convertible. Maybe even just a manual T top, that would have been badass

I own a Gen 2 2010 R3 with 105k miles. The car has been flawless and not one issue. Proper maintenance is key, and oil top offs are important. I've done basic maintenance such as brakes, oil, filters, coils, and plugs. Most reliable car I have owned, hands down, and still running strong at 105k+ miles. The driving experience puts a smile on the face! I live in Denver and it is driven year round. No rust.

I’ve now owned one as a weekend toy for the past 6 months Down here in aus. Bought one that just had a rebuilt engine from a rotary mechanic. I’ve averaged about 11-13l per 100 ( I think that’s around 20mpg). Mechanically the car has been flawless due to the engine rebuild. As long as you drive them once a week there very suitable to weekend use as there’s very little parts that need changing on a time based interval thus keeping ownership costs actually pretty low. If you find the right vehicle there worth a punt. I had to spend about a year looking for mine though so you have to be patient. Another benefit is there’s so many in scrap yards it’s very easy to find used parts. I do truely love how you can drive it hard and enjoy it with out getting a speeding fine. Funnily enough the car has been more reliable then my previous mx5 nc and more enjoyable on a mountain road then my mk2 focus rs. The only car I can remember that was as fun to drive was the bmw 130i and the Corolla t sport .Thanks jay for the review

I had an RX-8 six years ago. I would love another one. Good RX-8's are very tuneable, perform well, and still look modern. My Stormy Blue 2005 example was also good fun, and early Velocity Red cars really sparkle. Like you say, an E46 330Ci could be had for the same price, but they've all well-and-truly had it now. Expensive parts, dated and worn-out interiors, boy-racer image, too much rust on most examples, along with moody mileages and guessing what the mostly-incomplete dashboard displays are trying to tell you. On the other hand, the S2000 is a real winner. Just AWESOME!!! Beautiful, well-engineered little cars from every angle. So glad you got one. Yours is stunning. Don't ever get rid of it.

I remember when these first came out!! My girlfriend at the time had just gotten a brand new Red one. I drove it alot and at that time owned a modded GS-R Integra. Despite them both having similar high end power and high red line I just remember how well balanced the RX8 was. It was already on its second engine which was replaced by Mazda under warranty(she was bad about checking fluids)which I thought was crazy at that time. Id LOVE to have one but Id go the built motor route and forced induction no doubt. The chassis is a gem as is the motor with proper engine work and engine management.

Few things. Make sure oil Is nice and level. Make sure you warm up before its driven as it's a sport car. And just make sure you service more than average as it's a rotary engine

Be wanted an RX8 for more years than I can think about… I have decided to start putting g money aside to get one, hopefully in the near future I’ll finally own my dream car

Having owned both an S2000 and RX8, the S2000 has the better engine and feels more special, but the RX8 had a better chassis and far better steering feel. Down a twisty B road, I could carry a lot more speed in the RX8 in almost all conditions. The balance of the RX8 is really spot on.

I did an engine swap to 2jz 5 years back and still loving it.

Rotary fan over 50. First car was an 82 RX-7 and i ran with the rotary. An 84, 87, and an 89 later.. and now a 2004 RX-8 with 150K mi. I had one problem with the 87 when downshifting to 2nd on the freeway. Other than that they all gave me a long life. With the huge red line you don't use the brakes except as a courtesy to those behind you. Smooth at the top and able to jump when you want. The sound, and the steering and cornering are the important factors for me... not off the block times.

Excellent video!! Even with the negatives, you still paid homage to its uniqueness and fun mazda qualities. Kudos!!

JayEmm, you have raised your game. Specs don't always tell the whole story. So pleased that you kept an open mind. You got me. I'm going to click subscribe finally. :)

That made me really want an Rx8, I’m off to trawl the internet now haha!

Always releasing great videos 🥇 really enjoy your reviews and thanks for the entertainment 😊

Had one of these in my 20s before the kids came along. Listening to that engine and exhaust note, brought a huge smile to my face. Yes, you do have to become best friends with your rotary mechanic and the bloke at the petrol station will know you by name, but all that's forgotten on the twisties!

Good review, I just wanted to say something about the differences between the 231 and 192 as you just dismissed the 192 with a short sentence saying nobody would want one because the performance was so much worse. That is not true at all. The 231 has 6 ports and a 6 speed gearbox and revs to 9k, the 192 has 4 ports, a 5 speed box and revs to 7.5k. The two extra ports on the 231 open at about 6k or 7k in order that the extra 1.5k revs can be used. Having said that, on the road there is very little difference in performance and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between them in a 'spirited' drive with drivers of similar ability (I have been on several road trips where this was tested and never had any trouble keeping up if I was following - or ahead if I was in front). On track the 231 will pull away, but not by loads, on the longer straights and it may get to the top speed (maybe 5mph more) a bit quicker, but the 192 doesn't disgrace itself and is every bit as much fun to drive. Around town the 192 is easier to drive because of the 5 speed box and it having a little more low down torque, so it is a bit more forgiving ... which was why I got one nearly 14 years ago because of where I live and that most of my driving is in town. It is still going strong on the original engine (getting on for 90k miles now).

The Rx8 is a very misunderstood car . What I love about my Rx8 is that A lot of people are drawn by it . I always get compliments on my Rx8 . Sometimes it makes me appreciate my car more everytime I drive it . Best Car purchase I’ve ever done . 5 years later and it still impressed me all the time

I was watching this thinking I recognised the roads and then I realised it was where I thought it was. Right where I live, they are good road to drive :)

Really enjoyable video! Great commentary and a special little car!

Loved this video bud , love NA high revving engines 😎👌🏻 and can see you do also, loving this jdm content, hope to really see you do a dc2 video some day. It will shock you how epic they are . Even to this day they are a timeless masterpiece.

I had one! Despite well documented flaws, there is just no better car for a petrol head at that pricepoint.

Just purchased one from a friend about a week ago. I love the car! I've been wanting one since I was young! It has some issues but the driving experience is incredible!

I love your commentaries. Driving real cars for real people. Not just showing off all your high range out of reach of normal people's cars. Keep it up. I am glad you don't waste time bragging what expensive cars you have just bought either. God bless you.

Great video. Loved my 04 8. Agree on the wind in your hair. That's why I went back in time and picked up a 91 7 vert..... Love all the RX love out there. Zoom zoom

He's a good few grand off on the price, you can easily pick one of these up with good comp results for £4000 or 1500-2000 if you're willing to gamble, and a good engine rebuild including fitting runs between 2500-3000. I owned one for years and loved it but I wouldn't again honestly. Useless for a daily as I got under 15 mpg on average and if you're doing a short commute it'll kill the engine even quicker, and honestly, 230bhp just isn't enough for a car you're only driving on the weekends even with how fun the 9k redline is. Not to mention as far as running costs go I'd want at least double that power to justify near single digit MPG when you're going for it.

in germany you could by a "hansa 23r", which is a mazda mx5 with a rx8 rotary.

Absolutely great video. Desirable ultra quirky niche car. That‘s where not only the car but you are at your best. I was tempted by this car at the time. Unfortunately, I didn‘t have the ultimate courage to go for it. Very interesting and simply brillant reporting.

Great review. Owned two RX-8s and they rank right up there as one of the best drivers cars I've ever owned. Unfortunately, both were sold for spares or repair on ebay!

I almost bought one of these last month. Went for a 1991 Eunos Roadster instead. Also I saw a Pro Drive RX8 for sale last month, with about 56k on the clock go up for sale for £2,995

I'm glad the 8 is getting love these years. It never entirely deserved the bad rep it seems to have eluding over it. It's a stellar car that simply offers a near divine driving experience at the expense of typical sports car issues. Address the issues, know what to look for and keep it maintained and it will be there in the driveway, ready for an adventure on the way to work and back every day. I do like the updated styling of the 2009-2011, and my 2011 GT is my daily. I don't plan on changing that, unless fuel continues to drive even further in price to where no car is viable anymore. At that point I guess I'll just have to whip out the bicycle to work and pedal for an hour...

I’ve got a 2004 RX8 still on original engine, still going strong.. 19 mpg driving local 23 mpg on the motorway so it does like to drink, best car I’ve owned definitely no complaints tons of fun..

A few years back I had a grey PZ, the same as the one in the video, it's probably the only Prodrive car I'll ever afford! I bought it after being disappointed by a test drive in FN Type-R, the RX-8 seemed so much more interesting and special. Over the period I owned the car it cost a fortune to run, fuel was awful (worse than my current Z4M), I had to replace a cat at great cost and eventually I had low compression engine problems so I let it go. To make things even worse I remember being caught in the wrong gear on an uphill once and getting out dragged by a Clio Diesel which was really depressing. Still even with all that on the right winding road on the right day it was fantastic fun, plenty quick enough if you could rev it out and sounded wonderful.

Enjoy the videos. Its also amusing to be able to recognise places from my old stomping grounds of 35+ years ago. I almost bought an RX-8, big discounts on offer, but went for an MX-5 instead.

Lots of comments on here clearly from people forming an opinion based on reviews and internet posts who have never owned or possibly driven an RX8. Its a great car at a number of things, far more practical than an MX5, far less common than an E36, styling that is fairly unique and less "EuroBox". Does it drink fuel and burn oil...yes. Is it actually as bad as people like to claim....no not really. I owned one for 7 years until someone crashed into it and it was written off. It was a daily driver and weekend fun car (we also have another family car) and yes it was often the preferred choice to go out in....sure the rear doors are a bit of a pain, but they are also cool and again unique. Fuel wise, around-town driving it like it was stolen I managed to drain the tank in 147 miles once, but 250-300 was more common with the occasional motorway drive. As for oil, I would usually do about 18-20k a year in the RX8 and would use 1-1.5 One litre bottles of oil over that time so £15-20 of oil a year. I actually rather miss it these days and often think about picking up a cheap one for an engine rebuild and slapping on a turbo to help with the torque as I think this would make the RX8 the car it always should have been.

Had one about 10 or so years ago. Still coming back to the videos. Mine was reliable and I enjoyed it a lot.

Excellent review, as an owner I can say your conclusions were spot on!

Love mine. I blew the old original numbers matching engine a couple of years back that had done 180,000mi at the point it lost compression through carbon lock, side and corner seal failure, and coolant seals in both housings went. Carbon lock actually prevented a lot of damage being done, and it cleaned up spectacularly. New seals, new bearings, and rebuild with a streetport are my goals for that engine, and I also am doing a reseal job on a second engine I got very soon. So I'm looking forward to this rebuild, as it is one of the easiest cars I've ever worked on, and it's such a blast to drive. You need to change a few things on the S1, But, you can make them more reliable than how they came off the showroom floor. I wouldn't swap it for anything, nor will I swap any other engine into it.

Just commenting because I like your video's & you say it helps you out.

gotta agree with ya Jay.. i reviewed one a few months back.. n i couldn't get the smile off my face haha the driving experience is unlike any other.. almost like a motorcycle

Hi James. I owned one and it got me through midlife crisis number two - with a very big smile on my face. Had no problems at all, traded it at around 130 ks and now regret that I hadn't found a spot in the garage to keep it. The back seats are quite usable, my six foot son and his mates rode back there without complaint and entry and exit only required the driver to release his seat belt, versus getting out and in again in most coups. They are great to drive, best manual shift I have come across, light agile handling and a great sound track. I think Mazda should be commended for having the courage to think outside of the box.

As an American, I’ve been waiting for you to level up 😄

Still rolling in my '09 I picked up in '12. Still love the car. Can not wait for warm weather and the salt to get off the road so I can get it back out.

Great review. I bought a 192 version in 2004 and kept it for (an enjoyable ) 2 years. As a promotion, Mazda offered a free day at the Prodrive circuit near Coventry. It was a varied day with experienced instructors and some time on the open road, but highlighted by time on their skidpan. The fuel consumption average was 24 mpg and I never thought too much about the oil usage. There was a significant problem with fuel flooding when starting from cold which really meant that new plugs were needed. However there was a later factory mod. which cured this problem. Loved the smooth high revving engine, the gearbox and the roadholding.

I had a 231 brand new for about 18 months. One of the most fun cars to drive I have ever owned. I don’t miss the sub-20 mpg though, nor the 1 litre of oil every 1,500 miles!

I was car shopping and the RX8 was actually bottom of my list. I spent the day going around London test driving all different cars, working down the list but nothing really took my fancy. Right at the end of the day I was about to give up but thought I might as well give one of those Mazda's a try as it was nearby. I drove it and instantly decided, I need this car in my life lol.

I appreciate you saying that you haven't met a Car that didn't have flaws.

One of my favorite moments in my Rx8 was in college. drove from Orlando to Tampa FL. For a film shoot. Me driving with Savannah, Carlos, and Jake blasting heavy metal and rock loaded down with film equipment. We were shooting a car documentary and had such a blast. Im 6ft 1 in so i had to move my seat up some but I'll never forget how fun that night was. I'll never sell my Rx8. Such a fun underrated car.

I love my RX8. Great video, you are spot on . Mine is rust free and low kms with strong compression so hoping to keep it a long time . I change my oil every 3000 miles

Great video mate very detailed review

For me the RX8 provided the best test drive I ever had from a main dealer. Still didn't buy but it was close. I still tell my son to have a go in one as they are quite, quite special.

I actually had one of these for my first car, as I managed to find one insurer that actualy had it down as a 1.3ltr 4 door. Where as all the others have it down as a 2. 6ltr for reason. So I paid less for my RX8 than my friend did for his 1.4 Clio, and was paying around the same a year to insure it. Best 5 weeks of my life, until the car started having serious issues...

A great review much better than all those boring old Audi’s you’ve been doing recently.All of top gear guys raved about the rx8 back in the day when top gear was actually worth watching. I seem to remember that Richard Hammond actually bought one

Relating to 13:01 about a MX-5 with a 13B Renesis rotary, type '13b NC' on the youtube search box and click on the first video that pops out by HotVersion from Japan. Its got English translation once you click on the subtitle button next to the settings. The actual driving impressions start from 1:55

The key to RX-8 reliability is to forego the Series I (2004-2008) and only buy a Series II (2009-2011). Mazda fixed almost all of the flaws in the original RX-8's in the last three years of production. My 2010 has been nearly flawless as it approaches 70,000 miles. Unfortunately, they only produced about 26,000 of the Series II rotaries, so they are harder to come by.

Good review. Glad you overlaid the corrosion section. The sills especially are prone to severe rot. Mazda were and still are behind the game with corrosion resistance.

I bought a new RX8 (230 top-spec model) in 2004 and back in those days, there was zero talk of any unreliability. I thought it was a great car and enjoyed every minute driving it. I guess like any old car now, unreliability creeps in as high mileages and wear sores... Good review!

When I was a teenager I thought the coolest cars in the world were the Alfa Brera, BMW 1 series coupe, and the RX8. Since then I've had a lovely 159 (a 4 door brera), currently drive a lovely 125i convertible, and I guess I know what my next move has to be. I too though wish the RX8 was a convertible or even a T top.

These were some of the most enjoyable vehicles ever built! Friend of mine had one. That thing was a blast! Great seats and a suspension that just made you want to find the curviest road around. That thing burned oil like soldiers drink Budweiser. I miss it greatly.

An excellent insight into the Mazda RX8, well done. My storey, Around 2005 my two children were leaving the nest and there was me planning my next car. At the time I was driving a very unreliable Renault Laguna that was two years old. I was planning to purchase a reasonably fast car that was on my bucket list from when I passed my driving test at 18. I was leaning towards a BMW M3 so I visited a dealer in Cardiff moving forward. I was excited to think I was going to get an iconic M3. During my journey back home I was passing a Mazda garage and noticed a very nice looking red sportscar in the showroom. I thought lets take a look at this eye catching car and lets get some information on it. I knew nothing about the rotary concept and could not quite grasp the idea there were no pistons. The sales guy said do you want a test drive, I thought why not. I must be honest I was totally blown away by the handling of the car, especially when the sales guy said, floor it as we were coming off a large roundabout. The noise, the handling was nothing like I had experienced before. I had driven a 2.8 Lt ford sierra, and a escort Cosworth that I am confident that would struggle to match this RX8. The M3 started to be a second choice at this point. I still had 1 year left on my Lagunas lease, so I had some time. Six months later I returned to the Mazda garage to talk through the finances and there it was, a Mazda Prodrive RX8 PZ in Galxay Grey. The RX8 was the most expensive car they were selling at the time with a £26000 price tag. Approximately three months later I was the proud owner of this car. Two years had passed and I started thinking did I make a mistake, reasons: a hike in road tax, and a big increase in petrol prices. I was at the stage of thinking this was not a daily drive car in that current climate, and I reluctantly needed to part x the car for another cheaper daily drive. Talking to the Mazda salesman he suggested keeping the RX8 and only using it on weekends as the petrol saving could be enough to purchase a Mazda 2 on a lease deal. The Math worked out so that is exactly what I did. Today is the 24th of January 2023, and YES I still have the car. My RX8 is in showroom condition with 30k on the clock with very little issues to report. New coils, plugs, and brake disks and that is it. I have been told by the RX8 owners club members that my PZ is probably the nicest example of this fantastic car in the country.( I wish you could see it) the car will never be sold because when it hits the road it constantly turns heads wherever it goes. I did hear today that Mazda is releasing an Electric Rotary hybrid soon in the UK. My current CX5 may be replaced by this new part powered Rotary car, Amen.

I had my RX8 from new for over five years, yes, it drank fuel but l never any other issues with it. Loved the quirky looks & still do, l'd recommend it to anyone.

I like your no bs reviews. No fluff to forward through. Just facts and opinions. Just what I want in a car review. Also nice to not have to forward through a long drawn out intro with 100 different panning shots while annoying techno music is blasting through my phone.

I love my RX/8, 140,000 km an still going strong. best car ever.

Part of what hurts this car is the name; people take it as the successor to the RX7, which is an especially hard act to follow when you consider the last RX7 before the RX8 was the legendary, still gorgeous and still highly sought after FD.

I used to own an RX8 231. It was 1 owner, full Mazda service history. I knew about the cold/hot starting procedures and looked agree it perfectly, kept up the Mazda service history, revved it out to clear carbon deposits regularly. At 60k while cruising on the motorway the engine lost compression. It's one of the most lovely engines I've experienced, the chassis is fantastic, gearbox is spectacularly nice. Such a shame they seem to just detonate however well looked after.

I bought one new in 2006. I was sort of looking for a new car and I saw this in the show room, took it for a test drive and had done a deal with the salesman before we returned! Loved it, loved it, loved it. But the wrong choice for business. Yes it drank a lot fuel, but I didn't experience particularly excessive oil consumption, which might have been impart due to the type of miles I was doing. In the 3 years I owned it I did over about 30,000 miles with several trips to the South of France and although I suffered an empty wallet, I never suffered any mechanicals and it was utterly reliable. I had the leather seats option and to me they have been the most comfortable seats I have sat in in any car. On the 13 hour drive from the Channel Tunnel to Perpignan on the Med, I never suffered any aches or stiffness. Driving it was like driving nothing else. A totally unique experience with the way the power was delivered, the whine of the rotary engine and the way the engine came alive above 4000 rpm and then there was the grin on your face.... Today I drive a diesel SUV and still miss my RX8.

I bought one with 24,000 miles, best handling car I’ve driven

I loved my RX8s - real character. You hit the nail on the head though James - the RX needs to be open top, that’s the one thing missing! I have an MX5 NC now and it has nowhere near the character.

Love my fun rx8 even more, thanks to your review

I had a 40th Anniversary edition in pearl white. I didnt have a single problem during ownership and loved driving it. The problem I had was with people constantly telling me the engine was going to go which annoyed me. I checked the oil level at every fuel up and topped up if needed. I had a year of great ownership!!!!

I'd love to see you review an NC MX5. I've bought one as my first fun car and love it.