I think the Mazda 3 is pretty cramped for me and my wife, and I’m thinking of getting something bigger but I’m tempted to check out the other cars out there. Should I even consider the Mazda 6 as an option for me right now as our ride of choice here in Texas?

Christian

Houston, TX

Say it with me, Christian, “zoom, zoom, zoom.” Goodness, that old Mazda ad’s stuck in my head. Okay, enough zoom with the Mazda 3, so let’s go big with the Mazda 6. Yeah, Christian, I still think the Mazda 6 is worth a shot for you and your wife in Texas. What’s there worth checking in the Mazda 6? Read on.

Well, if its space that you want, this mid-size sedan definitely has enough for both you and your wife and a few kids as well. Features raved by current owners of this car range from performance to driver/ passenger conveniences like keyless entry, keyless ignition, dual climate control, satellite radio, blind spot monitoring, rain-sensing wipers and even seat memory. For power, there’s a 272 hp 3.7 liter V6 Mazda 6 available, if you are leaning towards fuel economy, you can always opt for a 170 hp 2.5 liter 4-cylinder trim. These are denoted by either “i” or “s” on the trim level. Having an “i” gives you the 4-cylinder and “s” means you’ll get a V6. Trims range from i-SV, i-Sport, i-Touring, i-Grand Touring, s- Sport, s-Touring and s-Grand Touring. The differences among these trims just revolve around the luxury appointments and electronics you get in the car, much like those I mentioned earlier.

I saw a Mazda zoom past me here in Texas. I’m certain it wasn’t an MX-5, so it must be the RX-8. Can you tell me more about it?

Richard

Houston, TX

Zoo, zoom, zoom! Hello, Richard! Yes, it was definitely the RX-8. I think that you will be excited to know more about it. One critical difference from other cars that you should know of first is the 1.3 Liter Renesis Engine. 1.3 liter? Yes, 1.3 liter, its not your usual 4 cylinder piston engine, the Renesis is a rotary engine. I even read somewhere that Renesis stands for Rotary Engine geNESIS. Catchy? Being a rotary engine, this thing has less moving parts than the traditional engines that you are used to. This engine type is thought of as more reliable or durable.

Anyway, the RX-8 is available in 4 trims namely the Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and R3 which mainly differ on luxury appointments like moon/ sun roofs, leather seating and the like. But more importantly for speed freaks like us, if ever you’re going to choose an RX-8 to drive around Texas, do go for the 5-speed manual. I mean, having 9,000 rpm as a redline value, you gotta max it out with a manual. In terms of power and sprinting ability, the RX-8′s Renesis churns out 238 hp at 8,500 rpm and it sprints to 60 miles per hour in 6.6 seconds. There’s more to find out about the RX-8, why don’t you get yourself behind the wheel of one?