What Car? Q&A - Is a Mazda RX-8 worth £4000 fuel bills?

Q: I travel about 25,000 miles per year and need a car that can handle motorways but still give a level of excitement on country roads.

My heart wants an RX-8 as it ticks all of the boxes but the fuel tank size and the low mpg suggests that I’ll spend all my life in the petrol station. Is this the reason why most people don’t tend to hold on to their RX-8 for very long? I'm looking for a strong argument to overcome the economy issue
Duncan Howes

A: We're not sure where you get the idea that typical RX-8 ownership is shorter than usual, but you've hit the nail on the head with the fuel consumption issue.

The Mazda's thirst, for oil as well as petrol, is the only real major chink in its armour. With your mileage we reckon you'll be spending £4000 a year on fuel at the very least. If you're a company driver the high emissions which go hand-in-hand with this also mean higher tax bills.

The strong argument you're looking for has to come down to the Mazda's great looks, fantastic driving ability, decent price and, for a sports car, reasonable practicality. Only you can tell if these elements will keep you happy with the car as you pull into the petrol station yet again.

Alternatives? The Nissan 350Z is another great car, but it's official combined economy is worse and it's got a higher list price. Subaru's Impreza offers similar performance with slightly better economy, but it hasn't the looks of the Mazda.

Other than that, why not consider hot hatches like the Volkswagen Golf GTI? It's not as quick or stylish as the RX-8, but it's a hoot to drive and is almost teetotal compared to the Mazda.