Saturn ION (2007) vs. Mazda RX-8 (2008) Specs

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2007 Saturn ION and 2008 Mazda RX-8 Specifications

Model Year	2007	2008
Model	Saturn ION	Mazda RX-8
Engine	supercharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 205 hp@5600 200 lb-ft@4400	1.3L R2 OHV-2v 212 hp@7500 159 lb-ft@5500
Transmission	5-speed manual	6-speed shiftable automatic
Drivetrain	FWD	RWD
Body	4dr Coupe	4dr Coupe
			Difference
Wheelbase	103.2 in	106.4 in	-3.2 in
Length	185.0 in	174.3 in	10.7 in
Width	67.9 in	69.7 in	-1.8 in
Height	56.0 in	52.8 in	3.2 in
Curb Weight	2945 lb.	3075 lb.	-130 lb.
Fuel Capacity	13.0 gal.	15.9 gal.	-2.9 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	38.9 in	38.2 in	0.7 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	54.0 in	54.8 in	-0.8 in
Hip Room, Row 1	49.4 in	53.3 in	-3.9 in
Legroom, Row 1	42.2 in	42.7 in	-0.5 in
Headroom, Row 2	36.5 in	36.8 in	-0.3 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	51.0 in	54.9 in	-3.9 in
Hip Room, Row 2	48.3 in	48.1 in	0.2 in
Legroom, Row 2	32.7 in	32.2 in	0.5 in
Total Legroom	74.9 in (over 2 rows)	74.9 in (over 2 rows)	0 in
Cargo Volume	14.2 ft³	7.6 ft³	6.6 ft³

2007 Saturn ION Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2007	4dr Sedan 145-horsepower 2.2L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	Lots of seat travel results in plenty of available leg room. Adjustable seat height results in plenty of available headroom. see full Saturn ION review
2006	4dr Sedan 140-horsepower 2.2L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	The front set has plenty of leg room. see full Saturn ION review
2006	4dr Coupe 170-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	lots of leg room see full Saturn ION review

2007 Saturn ION Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2007	4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	minimal leg rom when front seat is back see full Saturn ION review
2007	4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD	Seat bottoms are too short. Not enough leg room when the front seats are set back and not enough foot room. There is a metallic bar on the bottom of the front seats that take too much space in the foot wells for the back passengers. see full Saturn ION review
2007	4dr Coupe 145-horsepower 2.2L I4 5-speed manual FWD	small seat that lacks padding even though the back support is very good. see full Saturn ION review
2006	4dr Coupe 170-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	no room in the back for tall people see full Saturn ION review
2006	4dr Coupe supercharged 205hp 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD	Not passenger friendly but easy to access with the rear doors. see full Saturn ION review

2008 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
2007	4dr Coupe 212-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD	Excellent for long trips. Even though I suffer from spinal stenosis, I did a two-day 1800 mile trip with no troubles and felt great on arrival. Most modern cars have comfortable seats, but these also make me feel like I am part of the car. see full Mazda RX-8 review

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