Mazda RX-8 Suspension Leg Replacement Parts

Yes, the RX-8 uses a MacPherson strut suspension leg at the front, so this is a genuine part on the car. The rear uses a multi-link setup, so a suspension leg in the traditional strut sense is a front fitment only on this model. When searching, make clear to the breaker whether you need a nearside (NS, passenger side) or offside (OS, driver side) front strut.

The RX-8 ran as a single generation from 2003 to 2012, with a facelift arriving around 2009 that brought visual and mechanical updates. Whether front struts interchange cleanly across the pre-facelift and post-facelift models is not something to assume without checking, as suspension geometry can be revised during a mid-life update. Confirm with the breaker that the part they have matches your exact registration before committing.

The RX-8 was sold in the UK with the Renesis rotary engine in broadly two power outputs — around 192 bhp and 231 bhp — and the higher-output version may have different suspension tuning to handle the additional performance. The physical strut design is closely related across variants, but spring and damper rates could differ between the two engine specs. Ask the breaker to confirm the part came from the same engine variant as your car by checking against your registration.

Trim levels on the RX-8 such as standard, PZ, or Kuro are primarily about cosmetic and equipment differences rather than changes to the front suspension strut itself. Running gear on this model follows engine output more than trim grade, so a like-for-like power variant should be your main concern, not the trim name. You can reasonably expect the physical strut unit to interchange between same-power trim levels, but always confirm with the breaker using your registration to rule out any sport suspension variants.

Yes, this matters — front suspension legs are handed, meaning the nearside (NS, left, passenger side) and offside (OS, right, driver side) struts are not interchangeable. Always specify clearly which side you need when contacting a breaker, and double-check this on the quote you receive before any part is dispatched.

Within the same pre-facelift (2003-2008) or post-facelift (2009-2012) period and matching power variant, there is a reasonable chance of interchangeability, but this is not guaranteed across the facelift boundary without verification. Sport or upgraded suspension variants add further uncertainty around spring and damper rates that is difficult to confirm from the part alone. Always ask the breaker to match the part to your registration rather than relying on year alone.