Category: Affordable Sports 
Price Range: No data available
Technically interesting; practical four-door body style; fun to drive; good value for money.
High emissions, high tax; heavy fuel consumption.
An utterly unique proposition - and likely to remain that way.
Standard equipment for the Mazda RX-8 includes front and side airbags, full-length head-protecting curtain airbags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners with load limiters, Isofix child seat mounting points plus stability and traction control (which can be deactivated for track use) and a limited-slip differential to help keep you out of trouble in the first place. There's also a Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser and remote central locking with deadlocks.
The RX-8 hasn't been through the Euro NCAP crash tests, but at its original launch, Mazda suggested it would perform to a four-star standard. That's only average by today's standards, but pretty good considering its unusual door layout, where there's central pillar for extra reinforcement. That just shows how rigid the rest of the car is.
