Not to be overshadowed in the shifting department by the benchmarked Miata, the RX-8's new six-speed's gates are well defined. Car zealots fear not, that familiar short, flick-of-the-wrist action has been retained.

In the RX-8's cockpit, the driver's gauges are tunneled in three pods in a style that is now found in everything from the new Pontiac G6 to the new Mercedes-Benz SLK350. You get engine temperature and oil information but no analog speedometer, which, like the digital speedo in the Honda S2000, takes awhile to adjust to. And just to make sure you don't think you're driving a conventional cylindrical, internal combustion engine, there are Rotary logos chiseled into the shift knob and upper seat back design.

And you really can fit four full-size car zealots in this thing. With occupants in place upfront, those allocated to the rear can easily jump in--no front-seat sliding required. The rear seats are just as resolutely bolstered and roomy as the front seats. We're not talking Skydome room here, but it's better than the G35 or new Mustang.

After waiting 24 months, I've found that the Mazda RX-8 is also more entertaining to drive on a twisty road than either of those 2+2s. And if you need to include three other passengers, for the price, the RX-8 comes as close as you can get to a sports car experience.

- John LeBlanc is an automotive critic and publisher of straight-six.com