The RX-8 is one of our favourite cars of the last five years, so much so that a member of our team currently drives one. The combination of a rotary engine that spins to dizzying numbers and excellent handling make it an excellent value sports car. Mazda has upgraded the old and often complained about 4-sp auto to a better 6-sp model, and retains the F1-style paddle shifters.

In addition, a system called Adaptive Active Shift (AAS) that optimizes transmission shift points based on driver input using data from various sensors (for example, in the accelerator and brake pedals) and vehicle handling (rate of acceleration, cornering etc) has been improved. New leather options are also available.