Car: '03 Spa Yellow S2000
Mileage: 1700miles
Mods: Bug guts on the front windshield, otherwise, bone stock to the tyres
Event: Hawthrone North-South Challenge Autocross Event

Some background, I normally drive a D-Mod CRX...it has roughly 140whp, weighs around 2150lbs with me in it, and is FWD. In terms of RWD cars, I've autocrossed a tail-happy '86 300zx turbo two runs, a virtually stock MR2-Spyder for two runs, a '82 Porsche 911 non-turbo for one run, and an extremely powerful '93? 300zx TT like twelve times (and open track it for a 20min session).

So, my experience in RWD racing is limited. However, he's my view of the $32K Honda.

Styling: Well, what can you say? It's a good looking car. People look at you and you get a lot of compliments. This is easily a car that will get you noticed by women (and cops). Even if you're a personality-less elephant man, driving this car will increase your chances of getting laid by 300%. I believe Honda offers this guarantee in writing.

Interior: Dash molesting. All the plastics are very nice and soft. The trunk release is in the glove box. The glove box is above the arm rest to the rear. The gas release is in the door jam. The AC/radio controls can all occur without moving your hands very far. The gauge cluster can get irritating (i hated how the tach crosses over the top of the entire cluster, but some people might like it). The shifer is very close to the steering wheel allowing more two hand-steering. My friend's MR2-spyder is far more spacious inside though. The seats aren't comfortable for 4hrs of driving.

Drivetrain: With the convertible up, you hear the drivetrain and it makes you kinda nervous. But, with the top down, you can't really hear the engine...making driving it harder (i drive/shift by engine noise more so than tach/gauge). However, the S2K has the absolutely best transmission I've ever driven. absolutely beautiful. This is simply the best thing about the car. However, if any gear above 3rd is pointless since you can't accelerate in it unless you're flying.

Engine: It's true, torqueless wonder. The power delivery sucks. I hate the engine (F20 blows). Honda should have stuck a V6 in it. Who needs a 9000rpm redline when anything below 7000rpm is pointless? On the flip side, the power delivery is pretty linear, making you think the engine is in the powerband when it's not. the VTEC switch over is at 6200rpm i believe... it doesn't quite kick in like my B16A does (which can be good or bad). The VTEC switchover is rather addicting. The engine does sit right behind the front axle, making it for good handling...

Handling: Second best thing about this car. It's well sorted out from the factory. Handling is extremely neutral. You can toss this car into a turn and feel completely confident in it. The stock tyres are pretty sticky and offer little road noise. They are also pretty forgiving. I would be afraid to lower it/mod it in fear of losing it's handling prowess, it's really that good.

Brakes: Honda, take note... call Toyota, ask them what they are doing with their brakes. I think the Toyota echo has better brakes than the s2k...even though the echo has some very response and strong brakes. The S2K stopped, just didn't feel very confident, even with the relatively sticky stock tyres. I still haven't found a car company, short of porsche, that has better stock brakes than Toyota.

Likes: The drivetrain, absolutely beautiful. I love the gates, the throws, and the engagement of the clutch.
The handling is nearly perfect. stickier tyres would do wonders (explains it's conquest in BS)

Gripes: That engine is a POS. So what if it has 120hp/litre, it's still only 240hp/153tq moving a 2900lb car. F30C, blah. I hear it's pretty responsive to mods. This engine needs to shift it's entire powerband down 2000rpm.

Overall impression: I don't think i could live with this car day in/day out. I guess that's good since it isn't my car and i don't ever plan on owning one. The luggage space is rather petite, the engine is pathetic, and the price is what hurts me the most... but the car handles like a champ and the transmission would benefit more from a better engine, and you can't ignore the sheer "look at me" styling. In comparison to a MR2 Spyder... if we're autocrossing, give me the mr2, if we're planning on going to the club, s2K...if we're road racing, it'd be tough between the two (i think the MR2 would still have brakes after 20mins of running).

Thanks to Karim for being kind enough in allowing me to beat up on his car during the event. I had a fun weekend.

and for ***** and giggles, out of 131 competitors, I PAXed 13th day one and 8th day two (kick *** for me).

 

good writeup
i hope i can drive a S2K soon.....
i'll just have to settle for my gf's 350 =/

if i ever come down to Vegas wana take me for a ride in your CRX?

 

hmmm. thanks, driven for the review.. go out and drive a boxster now, so you can review that... heheheeee.. i'm deciding between the two,used of course.. 25 for an S2k, 20 for a boxster... next year, of course.. if all goes to plan..

but thanks for the review, especially coming from someone who owns a car like mine.. i still need to venture to vegas so we can go head to head.. hhehehee.

 

Don't even bother with a boxster Joey... You like playing with cars too much, and with the hassle you have to go through just to GET TO the motor, You'll be hating life....

Dan

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Lt. Dan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Don't even bother with a boxster Joey... You like playing with cars too much, and with the hassle you have to go through just to GET TO the motor, You'll be hating life....

Dan</TD></TR></TABLE>

oh, man!!! but if it's worth it, i don't know... heheheee. let's be honest, will I have enough money for either? maybe... we'll see.. but if i get the S2k, it'll be blue.. hush.. i don't want to hear anything about it..

hey, where's them pics at?

 

Pretty good review! While I've never driven in one, I have taken a few rides and my passenger seat impressions were similiar to yours. The engine will move you around if you ring it out, but all in all, it is pretty unexciting except for the noise factor.

The only observation I'll disagree with is your comment on the brakes - I thought they were pretty decent(but again, I didn't drive it, so no control feedback analysis here). What you may be feeling in most Toyota brakes is that they are WAY WAY overboosted. Like ridiculously so. I had a rental Toyota Corolla that I put through the paces, and it definitely stopped quick for such little pedal pressure. Yet push the middle pedal harder and harder and you aren't stopping any faster than a mild squeeze would yield. All in all, this adds up to braking that is extremely difficult to modulate - which is a very important aspect when heel and toeing and diving into a corner deep and hard on the binders.

For comparison, it takes much more effort on my part to stop my E36 M3. Yet the more I squeeze the brakes, the harder the car stops - to a point it almost gets ridiculous how easy it is to modulate the pedal on just the stock 1 piston calipers since the effort range is so 'large' compared to overboosted cars.

Once you get used to the increased effort, everything just works better.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by shorti &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if i ever come down to Vegas wana take me for a ride in your CRX? </TD></TR></TABLE>
absolutely!

If you want to schedule a vacation in late august, i'll be running an open track event with NASA.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Driven &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
absolutely!

If you want to schedule a vacation in late august, i'll be running an open track event with NASA. </TD></TR></TABLE>

awsome
maybe i'll take a plane ride down for a weekend shouldn't be that expensive
i'll just stay at my friends house in Pheonix.....

talk about a Canadian out of his element