A revised all-wheel-drive icon and a reborn sports car legend have created Australia’s Best Cars history by being the first vehicles to tie for a category win.
Mazda’s new RX-8 and Subaru’s venerable WRX dead-heated, nudging out last year’s champion, the Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo.
While both winning sports cars are good packages and ended up with identical scores, each had their strengths and weaknesses.
In value for money terms, the Subaru ekes out a higher score overall.
It has a price advantage of almost $14,000 and offers better fuel consumption, despite being quite thirsty itself. On the other hand, the Mazda has the edge in running and repair costs, especially with annual insurance premiums, and boasts a longer list of standard features.
When it comes to design and function, they have very different approaches, with the Mazda maintaining an edge, mainly for its better performance in the highly weighted categories of ergonomics and innovation.
The RX-8 is cleverly packaged, with the reverse opening, rear ‘coach’ doors providing good rear seat access, while maintaining a coupe design feel. The cabin ergonomics are top notch, with steering wheel-mounted controls and a user-friendly dash layout the highlights.
The Mazda also has an innovation advantage, and it received just rewards for a cleaner engine, which meets the more stringent Euro III emission standards, and its dual stage airbags.
But the WRX is no slouch in terms of what it delivers for occupants.
It rated more highly in security, with its keypad anti-theft system and Datadots, and in comfort, with its superbly shaped and supportive seats drawing plenty of accolades.
The Subaru also out-pointed the RX-8 in space, by providing better occupant and cargo room, and practicality, because it offers a choice of body styles, even better rear seat access (with four ‘normal’ doors) and seating for five instead of four. Sadly, both cars offer space-saver tyres.
While the WRX has ‘space’ and ‘practicality’ advantages, both criteria carry a low weighting in this class, so it didn’t push the Subaru’s nose in front by any significant margin.
These two top performers couldn’t be separated in the five on-road criteria. For example, both offer strong, progressive brakes.
Mazda’s rotary engine loves to rev and it is at its best in the 5000 to 9000 rpm range, where sharp acceleration, aided by a snappy, six-speed gearbox, is the order of the day. It has light but very direct steering and plenty of grip and chassis poise, helped by the 50/50 fore-aft weight distribution.
Subaru’s turbocharged engine also needs some revs under its belt to get onto the boil. But once it gets in the zone, the throttle response is dynamic. It is a brilliant handler, with masses of all-wheel-drive inspired grip, well-weighted and responsive steering and tremendous chassis balance.
Although it scored very well again, last year’s winner, the Falcon XR6 Turbo, couldn’t quite match the ‘terrific twins’.
The dynamic XR6 still holds the class leadership for engine performance and also came up with the highest possible rating in running and repair costs, seat comfort, space, practicality, ride and smoothness and quietness.
But it couldn’t match the handling and braking performance of the winners, has the worst fuel consumption in the class and was also shaded on build quality.
Final Scores (Out of 5): RX-8 & WRX 3.78, XR6 3.66
Full Details: www.australiasbestcars.com.au.
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