2009 Mazda RX-8

The RX-8 is available in four trims, Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and the R3. A 232 horsepower rotary engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission, while six-speed automatic equipped cars get 212 horsepower. The six-speed automatic comes with steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters for sequential sport shifting. It seats four adults very comfortably and has two small rear opening "Freestyle" doors making entering and exiting the rear seats much easier than a typical two-door sports car. Standard safety features include front and side-impact airbags for the front occupants, curtain airbags front and rear, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, stability control with traction control and tire pressure monitoring. The Mazda RX-8 has been significantly refreshed inside and out for 2009, and a new R3 trim level has been added.