GOOD LOOKS, AND TALENTED TOO; RX-8 refuses to change its excessive ways, but we appreciate it still.(news)(mileage testing)(Column)

Byline: JOE KOVACH Despite some complaints, our Mazda RX-8 remains a popular ride. Many staffers like it for its looks, but the long-termer's road talents are most admired. One editor chose the RX-8 to drive through Hell, Michigan, and back. He was determined to take a scenic, curvy route that added two hours each way to his assignment.

"I've done the same trip in our past Boxster S and 350Z long-term cars,'' he wrote in the logbook, "and this one is a good match for its predecessors. The car tracks perfectly through corners, some of which are 90 degrees and can be ...

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