1987 Mazda RX7 GTX review from North America

It has some minor issues. The driver's seat has a small tear in the back, sunroof sticks. Nothing major.

I can't really comment on the reliability of this car, as I recently acquired it.

However, you would be hard pressed to find a better performing car under $10K. Unlike most cars available, even including those that are marketed as "sporty", the car has virtually no understeer built-in to protect a poor driver. This means that the car handles perfectly neutrally, and it is shockingly easy to shift the handling balance with a little gas or braking. This also means that the car rewards an experienced driver far more than most other cars on the market.

The acceleration is excellent. While off the line a speed on the GXL isn't spectacular, it can still do 0-60 in under 8 seconds, and has enough power to pull quite strongly at freeway speeds. But most importantly, it provides this power through the small and compact rotary engine that enabled the manufacturer to provide a car that is both better balanced and more than 500 pounds lighter than its competitors.

Inside, the highly bolstered seats hold the driver tightly, and the dash is dominated by a large, centrally mounted, tachometer. My car is equipped with a short shifter and aftermarket steering wheel that provides short throws and excellent ergonomics.