2009 Mazda RX-8 User Reviews

Pros

Great speed, handling, beautiful

Cons

Gas (but to be expected), interior parts for an 04'

Purchased As Used

I LOVED my RX8. I felt like a million bucks driving her...her name btw was Christine. She was totaled a couple of weeks ago and I am extremely heartbroken & currently looking for another one. I had the 04' model. BEWARE... if you are considering purchasing a RX8 get a newer model. The 04' models have a lot of problems and recalls...this was the "guinea pig" year for the rotary engine. I had a few problems out of Christine. She would sometimes lose acceleration when it was over 90 degrees outside. If you notice there are a lot more people trying to get rid of 04 models than any other years..I have noticed this in my car hunting quest. Some of the interior parts could have been made a little better. The driver side visor broke apart during a hot summer, the middle console button popped off and the air conditioner knobs came off. Quite a few people had problems with this as well. I can honestly say the overall drive of the car outweighed any of the bad that I experienced. Every time I drove Christine it was like driving a new car all over again. I actually got excited about going to work or school just so I could drive my car even after 2 years of driving her. That's why I am looking for another one, b/c I honestly don't think I could ever find a car quite like an RX8....read morehide

Pros

Great speed, handling, beautiful

Cons

Gas (but to be expected), interior parts for an 04'

Purchased As Used

I LOVED my RX8. I felt like a million bucks driving her...her name btw was Christine. She was totaled a couple of weeks ago and I am extremely heartbroken & currently looking for another one. I had the 04' model. BEWARE... if you are considering purchasing a RX8 get a newer model. The 04' models have a lot of problems and recalls...this was the "guinea pig" year for the rotary engine. I had a few problems out of Christine. She would sometimes lose acceleration when it was over 90 degrees outside. If you notice there are a lot more people trying to get rid of 04 models than any other years..I have noticed this in my car hunting quest. Some of the interior parts could have been made a little better. The driver side visor broke apart during a hot summer, the middle console button popped off and the air conditioner knobs came off. Quite a few people had problems with this as well. I can honestly say the overall drive of the car outweighed any of the bad that I experienced. Every time I drove Christine it was like driving a new car all over again. I actually got excited about going to work or school just so I could drive my car even after 2 years of driving her. That's why I am looking for another one, b/c I honestly don't think I could ever find a car quite like an RX8....read morehide

Pros

Great sports car!

Cons

people are too ignorant about this wonderful car!

Purchased As New

2 years ago i had the 2007 Mazdaspeed3 and one time i saw a guy next to me driving the rx8 so we were kind of racing. But until we reached a twisty road i couldn't keep up with him. So now a Mazda dealer here in town has a clearance price on the 2009 rx8 r3 for less than 25K. I just couldn't pass this up and got one for myself 3 days ago. The car is wonderful in handling and very stable. I feel like it glues to the road at any speed. The engine sound and exhaust note are great. The ride is supprisingly comfortable for a sports car (not harsh like S2000 and STI or truck-feeling-like Mustang GT). The gear box is excellent (even though i think the S2000 has a better gear box). Very easy to handle and drive. I used to have the S2000 and STI and i have to say you have to be a very skillful driver to make the most out of it but this rx8 r3 even a novice can handle it easily. I know there are people out there who complain about the maintenance and fuel comsumption of this car. They don't know a thing about sports cars and shouldn't even drive a sports car then. If they care about those things get a Civic or a FIT then. Or there are people who complain about this car doesn't have enough power, get a truck or any car and put tons of mods in then you have power (but can you use all that power or not is another story). Cars are not just about straight line but everything else. When was the last time you have to race from 0-60 in town? very rarely. You don't race 0-60 on the way to work at every traffic light, that's for kids. This rx8 r3 is about everything a sports car can dream of: light, agile, moves and darts like a snake, stable at any speed, excellent handling, perfect 50/50 weigh distribution, affordable, wonderful gear box, easy to drive and control, classy, fast enough, fun, and yet, it's comfortable (i don't know how the Mazda engineers able to do this)....read morehide

Pros

Great appearance and comfort. The car fits like a glove. I love the small side doors.

Cons

Gas mileage, and maintenance. I have taken it in for service several times.

Purchased As Used

Overall I like this car. I wreally wish it was just better on gas and didn't have so many problems. From the outside my car looks brand new (2004). The engine and the fuel injection have been a constant source of anguish for me.

Pros

fuel economy available navigation, fast

Cons

rear seats can be useless

Purchased As Not Purchased

this is a good car. I dont know why everyone says its a gas guzzler, but acually its not that bad. It may not look pretty, but its performance is. it looks fun to drive

Pros

look good, handling, easy to drive and control

Cons

gas mileage, maintenance

Purchased As Used

This car looks good. The ride is more comfortable than i expected. Handling is EXCELLENT. One time i went about 70 mph and avoided a large object on the highway and other 2 friends of mine who were sitting in the car talking to each other didn't even know it. It is THAT GOOD! Engine sound is sweet and special. Just listen to the engine sound is pleasure enough (no need for stereo). Visibility is good compared to most sports cars. This car is very easy to drive. I have driven many other sports cars and by far this one is the easiest to drive and handle. Shifting gears is easy and precise and never have to worry about searching gear or hard to get in like the 3rd gear of the S2000 or other hondas or Acuras. However, this car is not fast off-line but once you get it up to above 40 mph it starts going very fast all the way to above 100 mph. Fuel consumption is bad but that is what you expect when you buy a sports car. Warm up the engine good before you drive and don't turn it off when it's still cold. Other than that, enjoy!...read morehide

Pros

Very nice sports car, good sound system. detail of car was great.

Cons

unreliable, noisy, rough ride, used lots of oil!

Purchased As Used

I traded my Rx-8 almost 2 years ago. It was a 2005 and I had nothing but problems with it. I loved the RX-8 though because it was a nice car and everyone liked it. The only downfall was about a year after I bought it, it started having problems. I had to put oil in it about every two weeks or else it didnt run right. I had to have it towed at least 4 times even once when I was in school because it did not turn over so I didnt have a way home. Maybe I just had a "lemon" but I would not recommend this car if you are looking for a reliable sports car after my experience with it. If you were interested in buying a RX-8 definitely read up on the rotary engine because it can be troublesome and expensive when it comes to repair....read morehide

Pros

it fits you like a glove, go to where you want it to, sooo enjoyable

Cons

soooo thirsty and noisy, should put soundproff, especially near tire wall

Good seat, good power, good toyy, good value, bad effeciency,all in a good car.
It is not the best 0-60 time, nor the best cornering action, but if you want good and well balanced sport car in around 30K, this is the best package that you should get.

Pros

The look, the feel, the power...There is nothing bad to say about it. I love this car! Fuel is avg.

Cons

avg fuel economy, but it's a sports car! Its fast!

I absolutely love my RX-8. I've had it for about 3-months now. Its a 2005, 6-speed stick that had just over 11,000 miles on it.

I get stares everywhere. people ask about it all of the time. It's the most beautiful car I've ever owned. It's a show car when clean, which I do happily, everyday.

It handles so incredibly with it's quiet rotary engine. It sounds like Kit from the old knightrider television series.

The fuel economy is average, but that's to be expected from a sports car. It runs oil, so you should check it every 3-4 fill ups. You also have to run the engine at 4,000 rpm for about ten seconds before shuting the veh off. other than that, no worries.

i love my car!...read morehide

Pros

Shifts very well. one of the best sound systems stock and gas sipper. High redline

Cons

Ride is rough, what do you expect it is a sports car.

Car handles great I have driven the S2000 and the Saturn SKY there good too this car looks the part and sells it in 1st-3rd gear impressive response time. 4th gear is lacking it seems to die when you get to that gear the responsiveness fails.