2012 & 2013 Mazda Coupe Reviews & Ratings

When one imagines a sleek, powerful and eye catching roadster coupe, a vehicle produced by the Mazda Motor Corporation may not be the first thing that springs to mind. Long associated with spacey family sedans and recently the cheeky Volkwagon Golf-esque Atenza, the Japanese giant of the homely and secure vehicle does not quite match up with the road rash, boy racer antics of the likes of Honda or BMW.

Enter the Mazda RX-8. First unveiled in Japan in 2001 and blazing into North Ameri... (full review continues below)

When one imagines a sleek, powerful and eye catching roadster coupe, a vehicle produced by the Mazda Motor Corporation may not be the first thing that springs to mind. Long associated with spacey family sedans and recently the cheeky Volkwagon Golf-esque Atenza, the Japanese giant of the homely and secure vehicle does not quite match up with the road rash, boy racer antics of the likes of Honda or BMW.

Enter the Mazda RX-8. First unveiled in Japan in 2001 and blazing into North America in 2004, this plucky little effort from Mazda has caught the attention of many review writers. The successor to the RX-7, stylistically the RX-8 is, on first glance, a visible homage to the rest of the Mazda coupe line up. Gone are the typically cold, pointed sports car angles of its predecessor and in its place the snub nose and friendly grinning grille of its larger cousins.

Retailing for $32,000, the Mazda RX-8 is cheap for a hardtop roadster. Unique among sports cars, this Mazda coupe also features a four door configuration, a homily to the RX-7's compact, lightweight yet practical build. And lightweight it is: the RX-8 weighs in at a nimble 3000 lbs. Matched with its balanced suspension tuning and near perfectly balanced front and rear weight distribution, this Mazda coupe has been praised in reviews for its dream like handling. The soul of the car is its 1.3 liter twin rotor Wankel rotary engine. Rev-happy and mounted far back in the Mazda RX-8's body, the tiny engine completes the package of one of the best handling cars ever made.

But how does it measure up to the competition? The other notable four door roadsters on the market are the BMW 135i and the Nissan 370Z. Both are comparable to the Mazda RX-8 in terms of price - both retailing at around the $30,000 price mark. While the BMW 135i is more of a formal coupe with only partial claims to calling itself a sports car, it does pack 300 horsepower under its hood and reviews clock it at 0-60mph in less than 5 seconds, far outstripping the Mazda coupe in terms of power. Stylistically, its boxy appearance and less than elegant lines may turn buyers off.

The Nissan 370Z is another leap forward in terms of power, with a 3.7 litre V6 engine that pushes out 330 horses. Reviews say its grip and handling are likewise impressive, challenging but not quite matching the feeling of control one gets from the Mazda RX-8. Angular lines mark this out as a far more typical sports car, and reviews have noted that in terms of appearance it matches the more traditional image of the compact, powerful and menacing Japanese racer.

The Mazda RX-8 has currently been shelved, and from 2013 the company will be producing the svelter looking RX-9. At present, the 2012 RX-8 is the last in the line of this mini dynasty. Unfortunately, in recent years, advances in power and style by competitors like the above have left this Mazda coupe in the dust according to reviews. In terms of handling, however, reviews still rave that the Mazda RX-8 stands alone in this category as the tightest, most responsive and superglued-to-the-road roadster coupe.