2005
Mazda RX-8

Starts at:
$25,375
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New 2005 Mazda RX-8
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Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
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Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • 4dr Cpe Auto
    Starts at
    $25,375
    18 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    4
    Seat capacity
    Gas Rotary
    Engine
    Rear Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Cpe 6-Spd Manual
    Starts at
    $26,875
    18 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    4
    Seat capacity
    Gas Rotary
    Engine
    Rear Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Cpe Shinka Special Edition Auto
    Starts at
    $31,700
    18 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    4
    Seat capacity
    Gas Rotary
    Engine
    Rear Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Cpe Shinka Special Edition Man
    Starts at
    $32,470
    18 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    4
    Seat capacity
    Gas Rotary
    Engine
    Rear Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

Photo & video gallery

2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8 2005 Mazda RX-8

The good & the bad

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Safety review

Based on the 2005 Mazda RX-8 base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Frontal driver
4/5
Frontal passenger
5/5
Nhtsa rollover rating
5/5
Side driver
4/5
Side rear passenger
4/5

Factory warranties

Basic
4 years / 50,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years
Powertrain
4 years / 50,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
4 years / 50,000 miles

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Consumer reviews

72% of drivers recommend this car
4.1 / 5
Based on 33 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.2
Interior 4.5
Performance 4.0
Value 4.3
Exterior 4.6
Reliability 3.7

Most recent

  • By Henrik from San Francisco CA
    Owns this car
    March 15, 2021

    A true sports car for under 10,000

    The Mazda RX8 is an amazing car it sounds great and looks good too. It's comfortable for a sports car and it is so much fun to drive. The reliability is below average but not terrible. It isn't very expensive to fix the car either. Best value sports car. Could use a little more power but for under 10,000 it's still a bang for your buck. Solid car. I currently have 87,000 miles.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 3.0
    30 people out of 32 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By Tonya from Port Charlotte
    Owns this car
    February 29, 2020

    This is a very reliable car and so fun to drive.

    This car is very nice inside and out. It is fun to drive and very comfortable. Has heated seats . Built in GPS, great radio,sunroof, cold air and hot heat.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    17 people out of 17 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By Bluetii from Blauvelt
    Owns this car
    December 18, 2019

    I own 5 RX8s

    I bought all of them used and abused. First thing to do when you buy one of these cars is to do a Tune up and oil change. 20 50 oil and oem filter. Than change all the coils and plugs and wires ngk. Than check suspension rear coils usually are broken. Stock coils with bilsteins or kybs. Too many bumps in these roads. This car handles like an expensive Porsche at a much cheaper price. Its not fast in a straight line but the handling is amazing. I love all 5 of my RX8s. I would not recommend this car to my friends because they don't like to fix anything and xxxxx too much. So I enjoy my rx8s and they just keep xxxxxxxx!!!!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 4.0
    17 people out of 18 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By Mbyrum from Eugene Oregon
    Used to own this car
    July 19, 2018

    Mazda 2005 rx8 review

    I owned this car for 2.5 years, it was my daily driver. In the beginning I have horrible issues with the car. It was a major source of stress and disappointment considering when I got it in late 2015 it only had 30,000 miles on it. It required replacing many mechanical components including putting in a factory new motor. After 6 months of it being unreliable and a huge expense it was then worked well. The handling was amazing but the acceleration was lacking. Although it was a beautiful car with a great sound system and the Nordic green paint with metal flake would turn heads. I now drive a new Cadillac SRX and am much happier.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 3.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 3.0
    Value 3.0
    Exterior 3.0
    Reliability 2.0
    2 people out of 5 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By Kat73 from Louisiana
    Used to own this car
    February 3, 2018

    Temperamental car!

    Learn about the Rotory engine before buying! Not your average car. It?s a beautiful car, pretty interior, loaded for a sports car. Now for the issues.... The check engine light stayed on, more than it was off. Dashboard cracked exactly where airbag was located, rear speakers went out, chargers went out, $700 sylonoid replacement, had to change catalytic converter several times, transmission: second gear slipping, engine compression failing!! This car had 95,000 miles and was garage kept, with all maintenance performed regularly. Apparently many other RX8 owners had all of the same problems. No more Mazda?s for this girl!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 3.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 1.0
    4 people out of 5 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By jjgiveaway from san diego, ca
    Owns this car
    December 2, 2017

    Mobile Man Cave

    The RX-8 is truly a car like no other. The rotary engine and the handling are something everyone should experience. It's a fun car, and I'm only taking about the manual, the automatic is not as exciting, sorry. It's not a Dodge Viper or Challenger and the car is not without some TLC and babying, as this car requires some maintenance and patience. In the end, what you will get it is a great car that wants to be red-lined, and all-in-all, cheaper to own than some of the sportier rides out there! Have fun while you can in the mobile man-cave!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 4.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By TexasMom
    Test drove this car
    November 11, 2017

    Sporty 4 door with great backseat.

    I think this car is ideal for an adult, couple or couple with kids. The front seats have enough space for a taller person, while the backseat has bucket seats with a cup holder divider. The bucket seats in the back make it a good car for younger kids so they won't fight about who sits in the middle.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 3.0
    Exterior 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By 00Cray from Fort Worth, Texas
    Owns this car
    August 31, 2017

    Awesome purchase!!!!

    I couldn't have asked for a better deal, car, and the interaction with the sellers. It's roomie for the size and delivers a punch when I ask for it.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 4.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By RX8_man_date
    Owns this car
    August 26, 2017

    Mobile man cave redline at 9000 rpm's!

    One of the most well balanced and best handling cars out there to drive. Comfy seats and fun to drive. You need room to get it up to the higher gears, so open roads and highways is where you can appreciate the value of the car. Stop and go traffic is not ideal for this car as the fuel economy is a little low for this type of car. It is a sporty car so it's a give and take trade off. Overall a good car and reliable if you do regular oil maintenance. It needs a minute to warm up but then you are good to go to enjoy shifting gears on the 6-speed that actually drives better the higher the rpms.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 4.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By Pearsonles from Memphis TN
    Test drove this car
    August 17, 2017

    Very poor customer service

    Nice car. Poor sales courtesy I was not respected as a customer. They refused to negotiate and let me know the true status of the car
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 1.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 1.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 4.0
    0 people out of 5 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By 808 RX-8 from Honolulu, Hawaii
    Owns this car
    July 29, 2017

    Don't let negative reviews of the RX-8 fool you.

    The fun part about this car is the really high redline. If this is the first time you've owned a rotary, I highly recommend that YOU DON'T shift the car at 2,000 RPM. This car is meant for really high shift points. With that in mind, always check your oil. Why? Because the motor uses the oil to lubricate the internals. That's just a minor setback. I have the leather interior, and the theme is black/grey with royalty symbols here and there. The seats do keep you in place when taking high speed turns. Gas wise... well, let's just say that if you're having fun and love to throttle a car hard and go fast.. This is that car. Also, after every refuel (me I just go full tank all the time), drive it as hard as you can. It's just something that helps maintain the motor. You can find out why in a lot of the forums.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    5 people out of 5 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By Rotary Fan from Greenville, TX
    Owns this car
    May 23, 2017

    Fun Car To Drive But...

    Mazda RX8 is a very unique car due to the rotary engine. It is a fun car to drive but not the fastest, I'll say it is a good learning car. But for some they hate it because of the fuel cost. I love every bit of it even though the fuel consumption on this car is like driving a v8 engine. You'll be lucky enough to squeeze 22mpg on the highway. But aside from all that, this car is really good at corners, sharp turns, unique design, and the redline is 9000 rpm. You will hear the engine roar and push it pass 9k and still won't blow your engine. I love this car.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 3.0
    2 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2005 Mazda RX-8?

The 2005 Mazda RX-8 is available in 2 trim levels:

  • (2 styles)
  • Shinka Special Edition (2 styles)

What is the MPG of the 2005 Mazda RX-8?

The 2005 Mazda RX-8 offers up to 18 MPG in city driving and 24 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

What are some similar vehicles and competitors of the 2005 Mazda RX-8?

The 2005 Mazda RX-8 compares to and/or competes against the following vehicles:

Is the 2005 Mazda RX-8 reliable?

The 2005 Mazda RX-8 has an average reliability rating of 3.7 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2005 Mazda RX-8 owners.

Is the 2005 Mazda RX-8 a good Coupe?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2005 Mazda RX-8. 72.7% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

4.1 / 5
Based on 33 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.2
  • Interior: 4.5
  • Performance: 4.0
  • Value: 4.3
  • Exterior: 4.6
  • Reliability: 3.7
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