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2005 Mazda RX8 Review

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2005 Mazda RX-8
by Chris Barth

(2007-1-8)

The car comes with many options available from leather seats to a navigation system. I purchased the base 6-speed model that has none of these options and is the lightest model available, but comes with the bigger brakes and sport suspension.

CarForums.net Review of the 2005 Mazda RX8

Price as tested- $27,420

Exterior Most people feel the lines of the RX8 are ugly some think they are beautiful. Myself when I first looked into buying one was on the fence, but after owning it for 3 months realizes that it is a well thought out design. The manual versions come with 18-inch wheels while the automatics came with 17 inch. There are nice little rotary accents on the outside in the bumpers and has a nice dual exit exhaust. At first you can't tell that this is a 4-door sports car from the outside but once you open the doors you wonder who the hell can fit back there (more on that in the interior section). The stock tires do not do this car justice and I have switched to Falken summer tires for better grip. Interior Once you unlock the doors with the key fob and let out the key switchblade style and set yourself into the bucket seats that hug you nicely and are snug but are not harsh, you will notice that the rotary theme continued inside. The headrest area and shift knob both resemble the rotary engine nicely. Surprisingly the shift knob feels nice in your hand is nice and low but not to low.
The steering wheel incorporates audio and cruise control buttons so that you don't have to take your eyes of the road. The tach is large and nicely put in the center with a digital mph/kmh readout. The interior is surprisingly roomy and the rear seats will accommodate an adult as long as the front seats are not all the way back. Performance The most unique thing about this car is of course the 1.3L rotary engine that puts out close to 230hp. With having the 6-speed transmission and a 9000-rpm red line the car accelerates pretty well. Where this car truly shines is in the handling and braking department so if you are looking for straight-line power you might be a little disappointed. I personally was worried the electric power steering would feel numb but to my surprise feels very good.
EPA Observed Fuel Economy (miles per gallon): 18 city 24 highway Overall Score: 9 out of a possible 10 --------------------------------------------- High points: Very good handling, braking, and it's a 4 door sports car Low points: More upkeep than your normal car due to the engine design (not one of my worries but most people say this) Vehicle Specs Specifications Acknowledgements Thanks to CF.net Member AutoXWRX for contributing this review. www.barthmullinsracing.com
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