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2009 Mazda RX-8 Review

November 5, 2008

STYLING | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Not everybody thinks it's pretty
Car and Driver

Freshened interior and exterior styling and a new R3 sport package
ConsumerGuide

Cabin that has small, rear-hinged back doors to make it easier to get into the backseat
Cars.com

After going nearly five years since its introduction without any hint of a restyle, the Mazda RX-8 arrives in dealer showrooms for 2009 with a slightly revised look.

The 2009 RX-8 Mazda is, in the words of Edmunds reviewers, "a four-seat coupe with a pair of rear-hinged 'suicide' doors" that comes in "four trim levels: Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and R3." Those who love the striking exterior design of previous Mazda RX-8s will be pleased to hear that "the RX-8 carries on with only minor changes to the exterior," according to Automobile Magazine. Otherwise, it's still what ConsumerGuide calls a "sporty coupe," and Cars.com loves the "longish hood" and "pronounced fender flares" that give it one of the most unique appearances on the road. Unique isn't always a good thing, though, and Car and Driver reports that "not everybody thinks it's pretty," but overall reviews read by TheCarConnection.com aren't overly critical of the styling. Edmunds sums it up perfectly by describing the 2009 RX-8 Mazda as "weird in good ways and bad," with the styling leaning more toward the former than the latter.

The interior of the 2009 Mazda RX-8 has been restyled as well, though some reviewers still have a few complaints about the layout. Automobile Magazine devotes quite a bit of space to criticizing the stereo controls and is disappointed to find that in the 2009 Mazda RX-8, "the channel selector is on the left, and the volume control is a large, centrally located knob," which results in reviewers "changing the station when [they] really only wanted to change the volume." Aside from that criticism, other reviews read by TheCarConnection.com appreciate the new styling touches. Road & Track points out that "the instrument panel was redesigned to 'give a feeling of dynamic movement,'" while some gauge changes for the 2009 Mazda RX-8 include a "variable red-zone, which should keep drivers from using too many revs when the engine is cold." ConsumerGuide lists a few pros and cons with the styling; while they love that "the navigation system doesn't incorporate any other functions, which is a plus," they don't like that "when the console cupholders are in use, shifting the manual transmission is awkward." Other styling touches on the interior of the Mazda RX-8 include "numerous circle and triangle details throughout the cabin," which Edmunds says are "a visual homage to the car's rotary engine design."

Conclusion

A mild makeover for the 2009 Mazda RX-8 keeps all the important styling pieces intact and makes room for a navigation system.

STYLING | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:Not everybody thinks it's prettyCar and DriverFreshened interior and exterior styling and a new R3 sport packageConsumerGuideCabin that has small, rear-hinged back doors to make it easier to get into the backseatCars.com After going nearly five years since its introduction without any hint of a restyle, the Mazda RX-8 arrives in dealer showrooms for 2009 with a slightly revised look. The 2009 RX-8 Mazda is, in the words of Edmunds reviewers, "a four-seat coupe with a pair of rear-hinged 'suicide' doors" that comes in "four trim levels: Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and R3." Those who love the striking exterior design of previous Mazda RX-8s will be pleased to hear that "the RX-8 carries on with only minor changes to the exterior," according to Automobile Magazine. Otherwise, it's still what ConsumerGuide calls a "sporty coupe," and Cars.com loves the "longish hood" and "pronounced fender flares" that give it one of the most unique appearances on the road. Unique isn't always a good thing, though, and Car and Driver reports that "not everybody thinks it's pretty," but overall reviews read by TheCarConnection.com aren't overly critical of the styling. Edmunds sums it up perfectly by describing the 2009 RX-8 Mazda as "weird in good ways and bad," with the styling leaning more toward the former than the latter. The interior of the 2009 Mazda RX-8 has been restyled as well, though some reviewers still have a few complaints about the layout. Automobile Magazine devotes quite a bit of space to criticizing the stereo controls and is disappointed to find that in the 2009 Mazda RX-8, "the channel selector is on the left, and the volume control is a large, centrally located knob," which results in reviewers "changing the station when [they] really only wanted to change the volume." Aside from that criticism, other reviews read by TheCarConnection.com appreciate the new styling touches. Road & Track points out that "the instrument panel was redesigned to 'give a feeling of dynamic movement,'" while some gauge changes for the 2009 Mazda RX-8 include a "variable red-zone, which should keep drivers from using too many revs when the engine is cold." ConsumerGuide lists a few pros and cons with the styling; while they love that "the navigation system doesn't incorporate any other functions, which is a plus," they don't like that "when the console cupholders are in use, shifting the manual transmission is awkward." Other styling touches on the interior of the Mazda RX-8 include "numerous circle and triangle details throughout the cabin," which Edmunds says are "a visual homage to the car's rotary engine design." ConclusionA mild makeover for the 2009 Mazda RX-8 keeps all the important styling pieces intact and makes room for a navigation system. 2009 MAZDA RX-8 STYLING | [8 out of 10] Car and Driver: "Not everybody thinks it's pretty" ConsumerGuide: "Freshened interior and exterior styling and a new R3 sport package" Cars.com: "Cabin that has small, rear-hinged back doors to make it easier to get into the backseat" After ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

If you're looking for alternatives to the RX-8, you won't find any other models that provide the same combination of responsiveness, backseat space, and an affordable price. The BMW M Coupe and Porsche Cayman are sportscars that provide very impressive performance, but neither of them quite has the sharp, connected go-kart-like handling of the RX-8; however, both the BMW and the Porsche have torquey, powerful six-cylinder engines that are easier to live with. The edgy Honda R2000 roadster has a feel on the road that's comparable in some ways to that of the Mazda RX-8, with crisp handling and a peaky, high-revving engine, but the RX-8 has a quiet enough cabin for occasional road trips—and a backseat for occasional extra passengers.

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See the Mazda RX-8 in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

Comments (1 total)

  1. By Juan Pablo #1, Posted: 5/24/2009

    new car

    hi!
    how much the taxes matter a new car for Chile?
    tks

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