2009 Mazda RX-8 2-door Grand Touring Coupe

The 2009 Mazda RX-8 is one of those cars that can generate strong emotions. Owners love its neutral handling, unique four-door coupe design and lightweight rotary engine. Those same owners, however, often complain about the car's sometimes disappointing fuel economy and noticeable shortage of low-end torque. If you can overlook those eccentricities, and the fact that, when equipped with the automatic transmission, the engine loses 20 horsepower, the RX-8 makes a fine sports car, one that lets you take along three other adults and a bit of luggage. The RX-8's sub-$30,000 price tag, stunning interior detail and long list of standard and available features are just icing on the cake.

You'll Like This Car If...	You May Not Like This Car If...
If you love the nimble, responsive handling of the Miata, but want something faster and with room for four adults, the 2009 Mazda RX-8 may win you over.	If you're looking for a low-involvement sports car (which is, to a certain extent, an unreasonable expectation), the 2009 Mazda RX-8's rotary engine, with its occasional fuel consumption issues and short-at-the-bottom torque curve, may not be to your liking. The compact rotary engine delivers its torque high in the rpm band, meaning you have to run the revs high when passing or accelerating.

The RX-8 receives a slight freshening, with new wheels, a new nose and taillights, and improvements to the car's suspension and body rigidity. An enthusiast-oriented R3 model is also added to the lineup.