Mazdaspeed3 vs RX8? Pointless thread? Here goes a whole bunch of whining and arguing?
Ok, well that may or may not be true, but I can already hear the firey responses.
I've seen the other threads on this topic, but have yet to find a comprehensive comparison review.
Since I find myself in a unique position, I will step up and write one.
I currently have 1 excellent example of each car, so I think I may be the right person to articulate a comparison.
We’ll see how long it takes mr twinkie to respond that my post is too long or that this topic is played out, but I don’t care.
If you want to read this, great! If not, um, I suppose my raisin bran will be just as crispy tomorrow morning.
If you think I’m an idiot for posting this, then you can take a flying leap.

Here’s what I got.

2005 Mazda RX8 Grand Touring – Titanium Grey / Saddleback

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2008 Mazdaspeed3 Grand Touring – Cosmic Mica Blue / Grey

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Why do I have both now? Because I was looking to get something a bit more practical for me at this point in my life.
So I sold my beloved RX8 (have received holding deposit but still have possession of the car).
I will attempt to articulate the differences between these 2 great cars.
(Another side caveat; I actually purchased a fully loaded 2008 Mazda3 S Touring sedan [white car in the RX8 gallery]
but due to CA registration laws, I was forced to give it back to the AZ dealer.
So I have experienced owning the 3 in non-speed form as well and really like it)

First of all, so many people want to compare these cars, but are they really comparable?
Take one glance at these cars side by side and it would not appear
that the Speed3 can compete on any level performance-wise with the RX8.
That being said, it's quite true that the Speed3 cannot match the svelte character of the 8.
Make no mistake, the Speed3 is fit for the track in its own right,
but does not have the “performance machine” feel of the RX8.
EVERYTHING in the RX8 is smoother, and it is a more comfortable cruiser.
The Speed3, although much sportier than any soccer mom sedan out there,
still feels like a Mazda3…. until you press down your right foot.
Let’s look at a few basic categories.

Design/Styling

RX8: It’s hard to pit the Speed3 against the RX8 in styling. The RX8 is nearly flawless here.
I have never heard anything but high praise from everyone that has seen my RX8.
Everyone loves it, including me. The outside is strikingly sporty, with a good mix of sharp lines vs bubbly areas.
The inside is awesome, with Mazda outfitting their GT model with dual color seating options.
All functional items in the interior are easily accessible and seem to be in the right place.
If there is one complaint I have about the styling, it is that my passengers have told me
that the bubble on the floor under their feet up front is quite intrusive on the already limited personal space.
But one thing is for sure, when you are driving an RX8, you feel very “cool”.

Speed3: The design behind the Speed3 is much more simplistic. Mazda took a Mazda3 and made it sportier.
I am really enjoying the look of the Speed3, inside and out. I’ve never wanted a speed wagon,
but this one grabbed me. It has a bold, aggressive stance.
Inside, I LOVE the seats. Excellent quality and quite attractive.
It’s also very functional, with lots of cupholders and cargo space.
I only wish that there was a moonroof. Mazda says it would compromise structural integrity.
I can’t say I quite agree with Mazda on that. Zillions of other performance cars have a moonroof. Why not the Speed3?


Acceleration

RX8: I have read that a lot of people are left wanting regarding the acceleration performance in the 8.
And although I can understand why, I have never felt that way.
I suspect that people only say that because of what's available in the competition today,
but the competition cannot duplicate the other aspects of the RX8.
It has excellent acceleration all the way through 6th.
If it only had 200 hp, we would all be begging for at least 30-40 more.
My first car was a 1988 Nissan 300ZX with a 165hp V6, and it felt very fast to me at the time, so it’s all relative.
I find it amazing that a 1.3 rotary can propel this car as fast as it does. And man it is buttery smooth.

Speed3: Put bluntly, the Speed3 wallops the RX8 here. The immediate availability of huge torque is the clincher.
It is extremely impressive on the open road. You can be in 6th at 80mph,
stab the throttle, and without downshifting, 120mph will arrive in a flash.
I can only imagine what it would feel like with a few tasteful mods
to let the engine breathe easier… a monstrous beast, I’m certain.
However, it has become a fairly common gripe that the shifting is finicky and notchy. I must agree.
And I strongly dislike the placement of reverse (top left). I see absolutely no reason for that.
The other major downside to the Speed3 is the torque steer.
Although Mazda apparently developed a system that counter balances this,
it's still present and desperately wants to own this car through 1st and 2nd gear.
That aside, it’s probably true that Mazda has at least done a better job of taming
the torque steer than anyone else, which is why they have the fastest FWD car in production.

Handling

RX8: I have never "raced" or "tracked" either car.
I just used the RX8 for daily driving in normal street setting, but the handling is amazing.
Very precise and surefooted with tremendous grip. Although the Speed3 may post a faster lap,
I would bet that the RX8 is a much easier car to race around a track.

Speed3: Excellent handling as well with virtually no body roll,
but it seems that the car would excel when it's pushed hardest.
It feels much stiffer than the 8. But I bought mine with 15,000 miles on original tires,
so I have yet to truly experience the handling capabilities of the Speed3.
The tires seem to be losing their grip and if I hit the throttle coming out of a turn,
it takes some skill to keep the car in control. But that may be true even with grippy new tires.

Cost of Ownership

This is probably the one determining factor for my decision to make a change.
It’s not that my RX8 had problems. On the contrary, it’s perfect.
But there were many times that I couldn’t help but choose my wife’s Infiniti G20 over the RX8 for daily outings.
Nearly all aspects of the Speed3 are more affordable; gas mileage, maintenance, repairs, possible collision damage, and insurance.
It’s not that the RX8 is any more expensive than its competitors. In all fairness to the RX8,
I think it’s simply the difference in class of car that makes the Speed3 more affordable to own.
You get what you pay for, and the Speed3 is a bargain. The RX8 - not so much.

So the bottom line… the clichéd conclusion:

These 2 cars are extremely different. It’s all a matter of what you are looking for.
With the RX8, you are going to pay more for everything,
but you are going to get an awesome machine that you and probably everyone you know will love.
On the other hand, the Speed3 is still the best car in its unique class and a great bargain for your money.
Although I will definitely miss my RX8 and may buy one again in the future,
I cannot say I regret making the switch at this time.

 

I've thought about getting more practical and going with the MS3. It seems your priorities are similar to mine, so your opinions make sense to me.

You can't say it was the "fastest production FWD" car. The turbocharged Cobalt SS will put the hurt on an MS3...

 

... but the turbocharged Cobalt SS is not in production anymore

 

And neither is the first generation Mazdaspeed 3. They both ended production the same year :P

 

hard to catagorize FWD econobox vs. a RWD sports car.....

I like the 3 for the power but the 8 for handling/appearance.....

I'm not a fan of hatches AT ALL but I was very impressed when I first drove the speed3

 

Good comparison. If I could, I would own both.

When I was shopping for a new car the 8 and the Speed 3 were my two top choices.

I love the Speed 3, but I just couldn't go with FWD. Nothing is better than plain old RWD when it comes to sporty cars, even the fancy-pants electronically controlled AWD cars are inferior IMHO. And for a RWD sports car, the RX8 is quite practical, it makes a much better daily driver than the competition.

 

nice post.

coincidentally i just got completely owned by a fella in an MS3 from a stop light, both of us trying to get on the same clover-leaf ramp to the interstate. of course by the end of the clover-leaf i was right back on his bumper showing the popular handling vs acceleration conflict we have between the 8 and MS3 (small assumption that MS3 was being pushed through the clover-leaf as hard as i was pushing the 8 - seemed like it from the body lean anyway)

i love my 8 and plan on hanging on to it, fun from both inside and out, but there are a few other cars i wouldn't mind owning if forced to, or happen to, pick up an additional car - the MS3 being one of them.

 

yawn.

 

great write up...everytime i see a mazdaspeed 3 on the road it kinda pisses me off that I dont have the fastest car made by mazda...we can obviously turbo the car ourselves and it would be faster than the ms3, but it probably wont be as reliable. Hopefully than next gen rotary car will be made with the turbo option for those of us that dont wanna do it ourselves

 

I thought it was a nice write-up.

 

Nice writeup. I like your statements that you have made, and in a lot of ways you are correct. Ignore Mugatu, all he does is search search search! Plus he's special.

 

Loooove the Mazdaspeed 3. For the direction you go I don't think you could of made a better choice. Good review, sick car.

 

Nice write up but for me it is the rotary and rear wheel drive all the way!

 

You hit a lot of points that were going through my mind when I traded in. So I can relate.

I'd say the interior quality is equal on both cars, since they are both built in Japan. I had a Mazda 6 with mostly North American content, and it reminded me why I don't buy American... it was **** on the inside. I have to give the nod to the MS3 for having real sun visors though.

You forgot telescoping steering wheel. With my long arms and legs, it makes ALL the difference in the world. Mazda seriously needs to address this in their next rotary.

I do miss the "driveability" of the 8. The smooth, linear power curve was so enjoyable. With the 3 I have torque (and I mean TORQUE), but not smoothness. It's great in its own way, but not the same. And the RX8 shifter was the best I've ever handled. I will definitely have to get a short shifter and bushings mod for this car at some point.

Far as ride comfort, I prefer the 3, I'm surprised you find it stiffer. Did the previous owner mod the suspension in any way? Might be your tires too. I drive some pretty lumpy roads to and from work (damn 2-year behind schedule road construction), and could tell the difference between the two cars on day one. Both cars are rigid, but the 3 is noticeably softer. Then again, this is my ***, not yours.

You'll enjoy the car, no doubt.

 

Different kind of cars.
Same amount of fun.

 

I'm sure he did too. It has just beat to death already about this N/A rotary RWD and a FI 4cyl FWD comparison.

 

You know what man... your comments here reminded me that the Speed3 has telescope steering. The RX8 is a perfect setup for me and I never had to fool with it. But the first time I got into my Speed3 after reading your post, I adjusted the wheel a bit more toward me and wow! It truly does make a big difference. The wheel was all the way pressed against the gauge pod and without realizing, I found myself reaching and leaning foward to drive. It felt so.... open. Now I can lean back a bit more and it feels more "coupe-y". I like it.

 

in my opinion you cant compare them both because one is a 1.3 na and the other is a FI. Ive driven both but i will prefer the rx8 over the ms3 any day...plus hatchback are meh

 

Let's settle the whole "comparable" thing right now once and for all shall we?? It's quite simple, really. It only takes a few seconds of reasonable thought to determine why these cars are compared so much.

The RX8 and the Mazdaspeed3 are Mazda's fastest cars.

It's not about FI/4cyl/Rotary/RWD/FWD... etc etc. If either car was made by some other company, nobody would ever compare them. It seems that a good amount of RX8 owners would consider an Speed3, and vice versa only because they are Mazda's "go fast" cars... hence the endless comparison debates.

 

you are forgetting the speed 6

 

You know, you're right. I guess the MS3 to RX8 comparison is much more common than the MS6.
I watched a fair amount of youtube vids online and looked up some stuff on MS6s.
Looks like they hold their own pretty well and have quite a folllowing.

Bummer that my pics are gone. What a lame pic host.

I may be selling my MS3 unexpectedly. I just sorta inherited another car.
Not sure what I want to do just yet.

 

^ So what did you inherit?

 

haha. uh... an old beater Cherokee. But it was my Dad's.
I'm thinking of driving it for about a year to save several thousand smackers.

 

+1 I'm in total agreement here
They both have different benefits--- its all about what the driver is looking for.

good read

 

And I was thinking it was going to be something "fun."