Modern-day NSX Still the Same Everyday Supercar as the Original

By Cameron Aubernon - September 19, 2018

As one YouTuber learns, spending a week with an Acura NSX means accepting some trade-offs for the driving excitement it offers.

The original Acura NSX gave the supercar world something it never had before: reliability. While the Ferraris and Lamborghinis of their day could be counted on to go as fast as they looked, they also could be counted on to break something sooner or later. The NSX, on the other hand, not only went after the likes of the aforementioned brands, it also added quality engineering to the mix. The result was an exotic that was as badass as a Testarossa, but as liveable (and as repairable) as a Civic.

As YouTube personality and tech wizard Marques Brownlee comes to discover, the modern-day NSX continues the tradition of the original. Brownlee had put down a deposit on the upcoming Tesla Roadster, so he wanted to know what it would be like to live with a similar technological wonder every day, like the NSX.

For Brownlee, a supercar is any car “that makes big trade-offs for maximum driving performance,” which the NSX does in spades with the twin-turbo V6 and trio of electric motors, as well as the $189,000 base price. Brownlee also discovers some of the bigger trade-offs in his week with the NSX that make it a supercar, such as how low it sits to the ground. The low clearance is great for the track, but he can feel every bump while on the street, and he has to be careful when going up and down driveways, lest the front splitter scrape the pavement.

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And like with every other supercar, space is at a premium in the NSX. As the front end is occupied by electronics and the radiator, the only place to store anything is behind the V6 in the rear. While there’s enough room for a backpack or two, you definitely don’t want any ice cream back there due to the heat of the engine. Brownlee does love the driver-focused cockpit, though, with everything he needs within reach. Though, he later says he’s not impressed with the standard software of the NSX’s infotainment system, but with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available, you won’t need to use the stock system.

Performance-wise, Brownlee notes that while the NSX is a hybrid, the system is designed for filling in the gaps of torque and horsepower the twin-turbo V6 has, not for taking on a Prius (though one of the driving modes makes the NSX a cooler green machine than said Prius). There are few places to really get a feel for that performance, though, such as the Monticello Motor Club in New York, where Brownlee is able to take the NSX to his limits as a first-timer on a track.

At the end of the week, Brownlee learns what we’ve known all along about the NSX: it’s the supercar anyone can live with it every day, especially if they’re willing to make a few trade-offs in comfort, fuel economy, and versatility. Now, if only he would get his deposit back on that Tesla so he could put it on an NSX.