2007 Mazda RX-8 Exterior Review [ 2008 ]
Mazda RX-8 Exterior Review
Exterior - 7.4 (Good)
Though many auto writers agree that the Mazda RX-8's sleek exterior design sets it apart from other sports cars within its class, some assert that its design is polarizing. Others claim that its four-door design makes it functionally complicated. "A game of twister ensues while trying to escape the clutches of the RX-8 -- one's personal space will be violated," says Road and Track.
The 2007 Mazda RX-8 is a four-door hardtop sports car. While its two front doors are conventional, its rear doors are smaller and open in reverse -- often referred to as
"suicide doors." While Automobile.com says that the RX-8's "front end is beautifully aggressive" and has a "race-inspired look," Kelley Blue Book asserts that its "styling will probably not appeal to everyone" and adds that the car "tends to look different depending upon the paint color, with brighter colors seeming to accentuate the car's crisp lines."
With regard to its four-door design, Road and Track says, "At first the rear suicide doors were novel, then we discovered they add complexity that a typical 4-door doesn't have. The difficulty comes when allowing rear passengers to egress -- the front door must be opened first, then the rear. If the car is parked in a typical space adjacent to another car, the RX-8's open doors trap the front and rear passengers as they attempt to exit."
The RX-8 Touring and Grand Touring come standard with a power moonroof. This feature isn't available for the Sport.
