Model Year | 2009 | 2014 | |
Model | Mazda RX-8 | Honda Odyssey | |
Engine | |||
Transmission | |||
Drivetrain | |||
Body | 4dr Coupe | 4dr Minivan, ext. | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 106.4 in | 118.1 in | -11.7 in |
Length | 175.6 in | 202.9 in | -27.3 in |
Width | 69.7 in | 79.2 in | -9.5 in |
Height | 52.8 in | 68.4 in | -15.6 in |
Curb Weight | 3064 lb. | 4396 lb. | -1332 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 15.9 gal. | 21.0 gal. | -5.1 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 38.2 in | 39.7 in | -1.5 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 54.8 in | 64.4 in | -9.6 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 53.3 in | 58.2 in | -4.9 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 42.7 in | 40.9 in | 1.8 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 36.8 in | 39.5 in | -2.7 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 54.9 in | 63.5 in | -8.6 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 48.1 in | 66.1 in | -18 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 32.2 in | 40.9 in | -8.7 in |
Headroom, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 38.0 in | -38 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 60.9 in | -60.9 in |
Hip Room, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 48.4 in | -48.4 in |
Legroom, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 42.4 in | -42.4 in |
Total Legroom | 74.9 in (over 2 rows) | 124.2 in (over 3 rows) | -49.3 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 7.6 ft3 | 38.4 ft3 | -30.8 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 | 7.6 | 93.1 ft3 | -85.5 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 7.6 ft3 | 148.5 ft3 | -140.9 ft3 |
2009 Mazda RX-8 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2009 | 4dr Coupe 232-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD |
Very comfortable Recaro seats, even on long drives. Larger people may not be comfortable so beware. see full Mazda RX-8 review |
2009 | 4dr Coupe 232-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD |
Given the RX-8's compact dimensions, you wouldn't expect rear seat space to be a strength. But thanks to clever packaging and a subtly high roofline, there is actually space for real adults in back, provided those up front are short or move their seats up somewhat. With a pair of pickup-like rear-opening "half" rear doors, ingress and egress for rear seat passengers is a snap. For those who want a sports car but have children or need to transport a few friends occassionally, the RX-8 fits the bill nicely. see full Mazda RX-8 review |
2009 Mazda RX-8 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2010 | 4dr Coupe 232-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD |
The R3 Recaro seats had side bolsters that were a bit tight for us. I am below average in size as a male, and my wife is also very small and we found the bolsters cut into our hips far more than was comfortable. The seats are racing oriented only. see full Mazda RX-8 review |
2014 Honda Odyssey Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2014 | I test a large crossover and think, "This third-row seat isn't bad." Then I drive a minivan and marvel at home much roomier it is inside than even the roomiest crossovers. This advantage increases the farther back in the vehicle you sit. Back in the third row, it's simply no contest. Among minivans, the Odyssey is the roomiest of the bunch. It's the only minivan with over 40 inches of legroom in each of its three rows. Total up the differences in the official specs, and the Toyota Sienna comes up nearly ten inches short (though the difference doesn't seem nearly so large in reality, maybe an inch or two). A Chrysler Town & Country? Over fourteen inches. A Toyota Highlander crossover has legroom specs similar to the Chrysler minivan, but its third row feels much more cramped. Moral of the story: don't trust the specs, sit in the cars yourself. In cabin breadth, the official specs have the Odyssey about equal to the Town & Country and a little narrower than the Sienna, but subjectively both the Honda and the Toyota feel broader and more open than the Chrysler. Then there's access to the rear rows. The feature most associated with minivans, their sliding side doors, are easier to open in tight parking spaces and provide a much larger opening. In terms of seat comfort, the Odyssey falls a little short of the Sienna, if only because it doesn't offer lounge chair-like legrests in the second row. Then again, for anyone over five feet tall to use these in the Toyota the second row seat must be slid back so far as to render the third row unusable. Either minivan has more comfortable second-row seats than most crossovers, including the Highlander, and third-row comfort is simply no contest. The Chrysler's second row seats aren't as comfortable, as they are more thinly constructed to enable them to fold beneath the floor. The Odyssey, Sienna, and Highlander can each be equipped to carry eight passengers (though the lounge seats in the Sienna eliminate one spot, and the three in the third row of the Highlander best have short legs). The Chrysler minivans can only seat seven. see full Honda Odyssey review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2014 Honda Odyssey.