The Honda Civic and the Mazda RX8 are two heavily compared cars. The biggest difference between the Civic and RX8 is the type of engine that they use. The Civic has an inline four engine that is commonly used in cars. On the other hand, the RX8 uses a Wankel rotary engine. The engine of the RX8 doesn’t have pistons and only has three moving parts. The Wankel engine of the RX8 is much lighter, more reliable, and has a very smooth power flow across the rpm range.
Because of the difference in engine design, there are also several implications with regards to displacement and power. While most Civic engines have displacements of 2.0 liters or more, the RX8 only has a 1.3 liter engine. But despite being a much smaller engine, the Wankel engine is able to put out a lot more horsepower than inline 4 engines are able to put out. Because of this, the RX8’s engine is classified as a 2.5-3.0 liter engine when being compared to traditional engine designs. It is also capable of putting out somewhere between 197hp and 250hp depending on the model. Civics produce way less horsepower than that; except of course for models like the Type R, which produces comparable power to the RX8.
Another major difference between the Civic and the RX8 is in how power is delivered to the wheels. The Civic with its i4 engine provide a lot more torque on the low end than on the high end. In comparison, the engine of the RX8 provides a more constant power delivery across the RPM range. This gives the RX8 a smoother feel and gives some people the impression that it is weaker in the lower RPM than Civics.
Handling is another area where the RX8 excels over the Civic. This is due in part to the smaller and lighter engine and the way the weight is distributed across the body. The RX8 achieves an even fifty-fifty distribution because it manages to keep most of its weight between the front and rear axles. As such the RX8 handles much better around corners and is less prone to understeer or oversteer.
Summary:
The Civic has an inline engine while the RX8 has a rotary engine
The RX8 has a much smaller displacement than the Civic
The RX8 has more horsepower than the Civic
The RX8 has better handling than the Civic