ABA-SE3P · CBA-SE3P · LA-SE3P
Mazda RX‑8 SE3P specs
SE3P is the model code of the Mazda RX-8. Japan’s transport ministry lists it in its fuel economy lists from 2004–2012 under 3 model types ABA-SE3P, CBA-SE3P, LA-SE3P. A genuine car’s chassis number starts SE3P-.
SE3P at a glance
- Make
- Mazda
- Model
- RX-8
- Model code
- SE3P
- Model types
- ABA-SE3P, CBA-SE3P, LA-SE3P
- In MLIT’s lists
- 2004–2012
- Engines
- 13B 1,290 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol; 13B 1,308 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol
- Gearboxes
- 4-speed automatic, 5-speed manual, 6-speed automatic, 6-speed manual
- Drive
- rear-wheel drive
- Kerb weight
- 1,300–1,380 kg
- Official fuel economy
- 9–10 km/L (25–28 mpg)
Fuel economy is from Japan’s official tests and is usually better than you’ll see on UK roads. MLIT doesn’t list power or torque.
ABA-SE3P
Listed 2005–2012. The ABA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol passenger car certified to Japan’s 2005 emissions rules. Check ABA-SE3P against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13B1,308 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol | 4-speed automatic | rear-wheel drive | 1,330–1,350 kg | — | 9 km/L25 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2005–2006 |
| 13B1,308 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol | 5-speed manual | rear-wheel drive | 1,300–1,320 kg | — | 10 km/L28 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2005–2007 |
| 13B1,308 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol | 6-speed automatic | rear-wheel drive | 1,340–1,380 kg | 4 | 9 km/L25 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2007–2012 |
| 13B1,308 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol | 6-speed manual | rear-wheel drive | 1,310–1,360 kg | 4 | 9.4 km/L27 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2005–2012 |
CBA-SE3P
Listed 2009. The CBA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol passenger car certified to Japan’s 2005 emissions rules, 50% below their limits. Check CBA-SE3P against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13B1,308 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol | 5-speed manual | rear-wheel drive | 1,340 kg | 4 | 10 km/L28 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2009 |
LA-SE3P
Listed 2004. The LA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means certified to Japan’s 2000 emissions rules, 50% below their limits. Check LA-SE3P against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13B1,290 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol | 4-speed automatic | rear-wheel drive | 1,330–1,350 kg | — | 9 km/L25 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004 |
| 13B1,290 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol | 5-speed manual | rear-wheel drive | 1,300–1,320 kg | — | 10 km/L28 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004 |
| 13B1,290 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol | 6-speed manual | rear-wheel drive | 1,310–1,330 kg | — | 9.4 km/L27 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004 |
Each row is one version as MLIT lists it. A version can appear twice when MLIT gave figures on two tests that year. Low-emission stars and trim names aren’t shown. MLIT gives fuel economy in km/L; the mpg figures are our conversion to UK gallons. Japanese tests are gentler than real UK driving, so expect less.
Check an SE3P before you buy
Make sure the car is what the advert says: the chassis number on the V5C should start SE3P-, and the engine and gearbox should match one of the versions above. Our free check reads the UK MOT history and compares it with the chassis code.
Questions
What engine does the SE3P have?
MLIT lists the Mazda RX-8 SE3P with 13B 1,290 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol or 13B 1,308 cc (two-rotor rotary) petrol.
What fuel economy does the SE3P get?
Officially between 9 and 10 km/L (about 25–28 mpg), depending on the version, on Japan’s own tests. Real-world figures are usually lower, especially against the older 10-15 mode test.
How heavy is the SE3P?
Between 1,300 and 1,380 kg kerb weight, depending on the version.
Is ABA-SE3P the same as SE3P?
Yes. ABA-SE3P is the full model type: the letters before the hyphen are Japan’s emissions code, which changed as the rules were tightened, and SE3P is the model code. The chassis number starts with SE3P-.
About these figures
The model types, engine codes, capacities, gearboxes, drive, weights, seats and km/L figures are copied from MLIT’s yearly lists of cars on sale in Japan each March, so “listed” years are list years, not exact production dates. The English model names, mpg conversions, emissions code explanations and chassis number matching are ours. Lists before 2013 were printed as PDFs that we read by machine; where an older list gives an engine code that doesn’t match its capacity, we’ve used the figure the same model type has in other years. Check anything that matters against the car’s own papers. Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected]. All Mazda model codes.
Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan, fuel economy lists 2004–2026, used under the Public Data License 1.0. Edited and translated by JDM History.