2006 Mazda RX-8 Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

Megajeff on December 24, 2019

If you want a really good looking car that is fast and fun with Suicide doors , this is it. The Mazda RX-8 has never given me any problems and it drives like a race car. Fun ,sporty and good looking . 5 star car!!!

S_06rx8 on October 23, 2019

Really fun car to drive when is manual and the sound of his rotary engine is awesome!, the handling is perfect, those back suicide door are so cool and is a neck breaker wherever you go.

Indianman on October 28, 2018

I bought this car 3 years ago and had nothing but problems with it. And spent a fortune trying to fix it. I'm done with Mazda period.

pete48 on June 8, 2018

This car is extremely fun to drive and will last a long time as long as its maintained properly. You have to let it warm up and make sure to keep a check on the oil level, and if you do this car will reward you with alot of fun driving it.

ShinkaTheory on February 11, 2018

I bought my 06 Shinka in 2008 and drive it daily. Learned that it has to be driven hard to stay healthy. Maintenance is a must but in return you have a car that turns heads and is still a blast to drive. Don't buy this car for the fuel mileage - buy it because you want a special car that never seems to get out of control and yet is very spunky. I only have 85k on mine. Had some modifications done by Pettit Racing in WPB FL to improve a few things. I had a three year old at time of purchase so the rear seating with doors was magnificent. This is a sexy family car.

UNFORGIVEN on September 20, 2017

I have never driven a rotary, let alone own one. I have heard that this car is troublesome at times and should be enthusiast owned. That is my only reason for giving it 4 stars. To prepare new owners for the possibility of what may happen if neglected. It has never given me any problems since having it personally. It's a blast to drive!!! The suicide rear doors are a killer plus for me. 4 door access with the look of only 2 doors... are you kidding me??? LOVE IT!!! The rear windows only pop out on a hinge. If you have an enthusiast Jr. (like me) who wants a face full of breeze, then it's a total bummer for them. He still enjoyed the ride because it was sporty and modified though.

Nykesta76 on June 21, 2017

This car met all of my needs and more i have stock 6spd was quit and very tame so i went to my local exhaust shop dropped 1200 on a high flow cat into duels at the back car sounds and drives like a racecar i can seem to get out of third amazing little animal great handeling and reliability most important top 2 check oil every weekend YOU MUST WARM THESE CARS UP AND warm down if you start and turn off before car gets to temp it double pumps fuel into the engine WHICH FLOODS ENGIne here starts your problems othe than this the car is and sounds like a absolute weapon turns head everywhere i go love it once you have one and realise its potential youll find it hard to let go ive had many rotories before but the 8 is just somthing else this thing is a weapon animal beast machine and more nick from sydney nsw

Ace_ASE on September 5, 2016

Overall, this car has been better than I expected it to be. I bought it new with the Touring package (sunroof, leather, etc.) and it has lasted up until now at about 80K miles. It has been through snow, rain, severe hot weather, and a demanding cross-country drive. I only do the regular recommended maintenance on it. Oil change every 3K miles, comprehensive tune-ups every 30K miles, and the occasional Seafoam treatment to remove carbon build up and keep the engine running smoothly. My car prior to this one was a Honda Accord, which was virtually problem-free up until 70K when I sold it. This RX8 has been just as reliable. The only thing a new car owner should know if you've never driven an RX8 before is that you must let the engine heat up if you plan to move the car a short distance and turn off the engine after just turning it on. It's a rotary engine and needs to reach a certain temperature to burn off fuel or the engine will flood. You must hold the gas pedal while in park with e-brake on to rev it above 3K rpm for about 3 seconds and then turn off the engine or drive it around a couple blocks.But, if you accidentally flood it, the fix is simple. You can just press down on the gas pedal at the same time you crank the engine to start, which will burn off the excess fuel in the line. Be sure to use Premium grade 91 or higher grade gas as the user manual instructs you to and to replace your spark plugs regularly. Those are just a few things that extend the life of your car, but it's quite reliable and I haven't had to have any other major service performed. I can accelerate from 0 to 60 in seconds and the optional manual controls allow you to shift gears as you like. It is quite roomy for a sports car and the suicide rear doors make it easy to transport boxes. I love how I can easily make U-turns. The dash control panel is well-organized so that all of the important information is easy to find and not so cluttered. Now that they have discontinued the RX8 line, it is in even greater demand as a collectible car. I can't tell you how many notes people have left on my car leaving their phone numbers and wanting to buy my car (even though I wasn't selling it!). Even the mechanics where I get it serviced offered to buy it from me. It is quite the car that stands out and is fun to drive.

mitch on August 29, 2014

A few months ago I bought a used, black, Mazda RX-8 with black racing rims. The previous owner only racked up 24,000m, so I was really excited when I found this car. I had previously worked in Brazil and drove a manual Peugeot down there for awhile. When I came back I wanted a nice, fun, sexy, manual. I also wanted much more power than the Peugeot gave me. I saw this car at a local dealership and took it to my old mechanic. This man has worked on cars for over 20 years and he was floored by this car. Yes, it has a rotary engine which may cause problems for you around the 110,000 mile mark, but the positives outweigh the negatives. 1. I passed a car on the highway, going 105, in 5th, and the RPM never even touched 5. The hummmm that comes from this is incredible. 2. It's one of the sexiest cars I've ever seen. Like one reviewer before me said, I still look at my car after I lock it 3. The sound system in this car is amazing. I can rock out whenever I want. 4. This car doesn't pretend to be what it's not. This car is not practical, it's not for everyone. If you are young or old and want a sports car to fly around in, this is for you. If you have a family and want trunk space....this car is not for you. In the end, this car may take a bit of maintenance in the long run, but that's the price you'll pay for driving a car like this. I hope I didn't come off as a douchey sports car owner, I just really love this car!

Cole on December 20, 2012

This car is a BLAST!! a little extra user maintanace needed (check the oil a couple times a month. this is normal for rotary RX motors as they inject oil into the Rotaries), but well worth it. FUN FUN FUN! super sexy styling that gets looks everyday - fun to see a brand new Audi driver staring you down.