Overview & Reviews

The Honda S2000 was a two-seat, rear-wheel-drive roadster produced from 2000-'09. It featured a high-performance, high-winding inline four-cylinder engine along with a superbly balanced chassis. The S2000 was the first sports car to roll out of a Honda factory since the tiny S500, S600 and S800 roadsters of the 1960s, and it ended up having one of the longest production runs of any modern car.

With minimalist cockpit comforts and a racetrack-ready suspension, the Honda S2000 was a pure sports car. More powerful than the less expensive Miata, yet not as pricey or luxurious as a Z4 or SLK, the S2000 occupied a niche within a niche. Quick and communicative steering, an ideal 49/51 weight distribution and an engine that loved to rev coupled with a slick six-speed gearbox promised a lot of fun for the serious driving enthusiast. Today, the S2000's reputation for reliability and reasonable resale values makes it a superb pre-owned choice.

Most Recent Honda S2000

There were two versions of the Honda S2000 roadster for its farewell 2009 model year, the standard version and the racetrack-oriented CR (for Club Racer). Notable hardware on both included a feisty 2.2-liter inline-4 with an 8,200-rpm redline coupled to a short-throw six-speed manual gearbox. Without resorting to forced induction (turbo- or supercharging), this jewel of an engine utilized Honda's variable valve timing and lift system (VTEC) to squeeze 237 horsepower out of just 2.2 liters. No automatic transmission was available in any S2000.

Standard features on later iterations of the S2000 included a power-operated top with a glass rear window (with defroster), lightweight 17-inch wheels, leather seats, keyless entry, air-conditioning, an eight-speaker CD audio system, stability control and HID headlights. A lightweight (44 pounds) aluminum hardtop was optional on the standard car. The special CR version deleted the power top, A/C and stereo to reduce weight and added a removable hardtop, track-oriented suspension settings, a beefed-up structure for higher rigidity and more aerodynamic bodywork.

Debuting in 2000, the Honda S2000 started life with a 2.0-liter inline-4 that redlined at 9,000 rpm. With 240 hp, it put out more horsepower per liter than any other naturally aspirated engine on the planet. Although it provided a thrilling ride when driven aggressively, our editors did find some faults. Among the more notable ones were a lack of low-end torque that made the S2000 a bit flat-footed around town, a sometimes persnickety shifter, a weak audio system and a plastic rear window.

Honda gradually made upgrades to the S2000. For 2002 the company amped up the radio, added a glass rear window with a defogger and smoothed out the short-throw shifter. Some styling changes took place as well, including chrome taillight rings, a new shift knob and a few pieces of well-placed silver trim in the cockpit. A lightweight aluminum hardtop became optional, a blessing (albeit a pricey one) for those in colder climes.

Several key improvements came about in 2004 that made the Honda S2000 a more viable choice as a daily driver. This is when the 2.2-liter engine debuted. Honda also added shorter gearing for the six-speed transmission's lower four gears, thus giving the S2000 more snap at lower engine speeds. Larger 17-inch tires (versus the previous 16s) were fitted, as were minor suspension tweaks designed to make the ultra-reactive S2000 more forgiving of less-than-expert drivers. 2008 was another notable year, as it saw the introduction of the CR version as well as a revised gauge cluster and claimed improvements in high-speed stability.

Any version of the Honda S2000 should speak loudly to the driving enthusiast. With its finely balanced chassis, quick and communicative steering, eager-to-rev engine and snick-snick shifter, the S2000 makes short work of twisty roads. The initial 2.0-liter engine is more thrilling for those who don't mind taking their engines to redline on a regular basis, but the trade-off is an edgy, tail-happy nature that Honda softened with the 2004 refresh. Even with all this performance potential, the S2000 retains strong Honda attributes such as sound ergonomics and comfortable, supportive seats with enough adjustments to accommodate short and tall pilots alike.

User Reviews:

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  My Car For The Decade - 2006 Honda S2000
  By Tarrant - December 16 - 10:33 pm

  I wanted a true sports car that I would be excited about driving for the next decade, and the S2000 is a perfect choice: a drivers car in performance without sacrificing comfort, features, quality, reliability or my financial future. It definitely draws the right kind of attention. Great driveability in traffic as well as on twisty roads where one can wind it out. Excellent build quality and, consequently, a low cost for extending full warranty coverage to seven years. Finally, theres also a great community of S2K car clubs with enthusiasts into tuning, track days or social outings and drives. An ownership experience bar none.

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  love this car!!! - 2004 Honda S2000
  By pinkldy728 - December 2 - 2:00 am

  bought this car 2 weeks ago & have had people pull me over to see it... beautiful exterior body style & fun to drive... interior has everything at your fingertips... start button is really neat!!

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  honda - 2004 Honda S2000
  By hellorr - November 22 - 10:00 am

  My experience with this vehicle is that it is very good and it performs very well. It has a graet interior too.

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  BOO YAH - 2004 Honda S2000
  By Ryan Jaracz - November 22 - 10:00 am

  BEST CAR EVER. LOVE IT

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  s2000 206 - 2006 Honda S2000
  By s2kguy - November 22 - 3:23 am

  The car is very fun to drive. The performance is second to none for a 4 cylinder car. It is very nicely built and very to maintain.

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  Not for the die hard, but for the true. - 2006 Honda S2000
  By WhiteKnight - November 21 - 12:21 pm

  I was in the market for a Porsche Cayman or an exotic that was good as a everyday driver if needed. I somehow always wound up on a search path on the S2000 in forums. All I heard was good, but honestly the internet pics did the S2000 no justice. I decided to go see it in person at a Honda dealership. I was in the market for no nonsense sports car, structurally tight, no rattles, and had a very good dependable engine. When I test drove the car, it was the right fit. For the same price you can buy some others, but this car fit me for what I wanted. I dont like clutter. I like efficient, practical equipment on my cars that is sporty.

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  Major cosmetic defect on my S2000! - 2007 Honda S2000
  By ddanont - November 14 - 10:00 pm

  Hi Everyone, I just wanted to warn you about my S2000 experience. This past weekend, I bought a brand new 2007 S2000 from a dealership in Loma Linda, CA. I took a night delivery, so I couldnt fully inspect the vehicle, particularly the interior. Over the next 2 days as I spent more time in the car, I noticed "bumps" on the dashboard. Think swells, each the size of the top of a pencil eraser. Some were larger, totaling about 10 of them. I pressed on these bumps & found voids underneath (as opposed to the usual firm sponge). I attempted a swap, but the dealership will not work with me, & the car had less than 300 miles on it. I am now stuck with a $33k car, waiting to be disassembled.

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  Drivers Wanted - 2007 Honda S2000
  By LARichard - November 13 - 7:54 pm

  The Honda S2000 has a nice design and a rather tight interior. The quality of the vehicle is outstanding and the engine, transmission and drive train are awesome. The latest models have a nice range of refined low RPM torque and driveability. The Honda is quiet and behaved on city streets until you decide to wind it up. Then the horses kick in with a rush of power that is best experienced descriptions dont do the experience justice. Handling is crisp,responsive and predictable. The S2000 goes around corners like it is on banked rails and it stops quickly with good pedal feedback and linear response. The transmission is a joy short throws silky gear shifts. Puts your mind in another place!

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  S2000 - 2005 Honda S2000
  By Pate - November 10 - 1:18 pm

  I love the car, its a second car for myself and my husband. Its a fun car to drive. The only problems I have experienced so far are a few stalls after starting it up on a cold/frosty morning. And there is a problem with the stereo cutting out for and coming back on of its own accord a few minutes later. We had it checked and they did not find any problems...

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  06 S2000, RED - 2006 Honda S2000
  By Kat - November 9 - 9:51 am

  I am loving this car! I only wish it had a better place to put my coffee. A real attention getter, and performance is outstanding!