Mazda RX-8 review

Its performance isn’t world class, then, but it’s inside where the RX-8 truly presents itself as something of a wild card. Those unsure whether to make the leap from the practicality of a hot hatch to the glamour of a coupe had their anxieties quietened by this car. With two decently sized back seats – and a door beside each – this Mazda purported to be the best of both worlds.

The fact absolutely no one followed suit save for Mazda itself with the recently launched MX-30 (which is neither hot hatch nor coupe, of course) ought to tell you how much of a success it was deemed. But even the best part of two decades on, the whole TG team still cooed over the Eight’s unconventional body. It remains a bewitching thing to simply behold.

But what about ‘sit in’?

Well those in the back get cupholders and a cubby hole, as well as the sort of pop-out rear windows not seen on three-door cars for a long time. So Mazda deemed their welfare as important and seats as real, not token gestures.

Up front, the RX-8 gives its age away with weeny wing mirrors and a button to select ‘minidisc’ as a music source. We’d argue the general design has aged well, though – the lack of fingerprint-smeared touchscreen clearly shows this isn’t a new car, and the sheer amount of space taken up by the handbrake probably proves why, on a practical level, these things are no longer mechanical.

But the layout works well and it all feels well screwed together. The seats are comfy and delightfully low-slung. Only the dated infotainment setup would prove irksome on a day-to-day basis if you're flitting into one of these from something more modern. And no, seeing a ‘10’ on your rev counter simply never gets old. Having to use the key to open the boot lid does, however.