ccd

Sometimes when you want to read a review, you have to write it. Things are a little slow here so here goes.

Given a choice between comparing a car by class or cost, reviewers always go by cost. Makes sense most of the time, but there are exceptions. The RX-8 is one of those exceptions. The problem with comparing the RX-8 to other cars in its price range is that there aren't any true sports cars in that range. Comparing the RX-8 to its price competitors tends to obscure what the RX-8 is and offers.

Comparing the RX-8 to other sports cars with any true degree of practicality and you come up with only one other car: Porsche Cayman (Base). There are others like the Lotus Evora, but they are are even more insanely expensive than the Cayman and I've never had the pleasure of driving the Lotus. However, I have driven the Mazda and the Porsche.

The cars share a number of similarities: both great handling cars, relatively under-powered when compared to the cars normally offered as their competition, light, and unusually versatile for sport cars in terms of storage capacity. There are differences, of course, price being major one. But customization is another. The RX-8 in it most potent form, the R3, has one major option: satellite radio for less than $500. With a base Cayman, the fiscal pain has just begun. The car even lacks automatic climate control unless it is added. Equipped to minimum standards will add $5,000. Nicely equipped? Your wallet is about the only limit to what Porsche will add to your chariot. Compare a R3 to a base Cayman with few options and the R3 cabin feels less luxurious but the more dedicated sports car.

Now this is the place where most reviewers would either take the car to the track or quote 0-60 times as if they meant anything. The truth is that neither of these cars would be the choice for the track. The much more powerful "S" would be the choice of Porsche lovers for the track and a turbo-charged S1 would be the choice of Mazda lovers. These are street cars and they should be evaluated as such.

On the street, the RX-8, particularly in R3 garb, is simply the more fun ride. It feels faster, lighter on its feet. The ride is firm, but not brutal, the stick is a joy. The Cayman feels more solid, methodical behind the wheel by comparison. In traffic, however, the Cayman is the more relaxed ride. The RX-8, by virtue of its engine, needs to be kept on a boil.

In the end in the real world, the choice between the two really doesn't come down to performance, but how the car is used. Versatility? Definition please. If you need a back seat, the RX wins. Even if you don't have need for rear passenger space, that back seat will hold much of life's necessities. Need a sports car that can double as grand tourer when needed? The Cayman wins, especially with the fancy double clutch Porsche calls PDK. The reduced horsepower of the automatic RX-8 and the lack of a double clutch transmission makes the Porsche the clear winner in "auto" mode.

One other real world consideration is how these cars are actually used. Porsche lovers will tout how practical the Cayman is and how it could be a daily driver (DD), but most owners don't actually use the car that way. I'm told the average mileage is around 5,000 miles. The Cayman is usually a versatile garage queen. Take a look at the classifieds and you might be amazed to find the number of Caymans which don't even average 5,000 miles/year. The RX-8 is much more likely to actually be used as a DD. Which car would you choose to take to the supermarket to risk dents and/or scratches??? The Cayman could be a DD, but the RX-8 is a DD.

This review could go on topics which are usually beaten to death such as the RX-8's poor gas mileage. Get real! For what this car offers and costs, no one should be making a big deal of it. Is torque also lacking? Relatively, yes. But if you know how to drive the car, it's not that big a deal either. Reviewers rarely discuss reliability unless the car has a unique engine like the Wankel or an epic reputation for a reliability or lack thereof (think Lotus). Questions about reliability concerning the RX-8, particularly the Series 2, are mostly urban myths based other cars (turbo RX-7s or early RX-8s) The Cayman has a reputation for reliability but also high maintenance costs that come with any premium european machine. The Porsche engine might outlast the Wankel, but maintenance costs of the Cayman will probably pay for new seals for the Wankel (and then some). Resale? The Porsche wins on paper. But again, factor in the higher maintenance costs of the german car and resale might not be that much of an issue.

So the conclusion of this review is NOT to pick between the cars for you. Driving around town or on the highway, these car exhibit distinct personalities and most will prefer one or the other based on preferred driving styles, traffic conditions routinely encountered or space needs (or need for prestige). A nearly new Cayman is not so much more expensive that it should not be compared to a new RX-8. These cars are natural competitors with no clear winner.