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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  Best car Ive ever owned!!! - 2003 Honda S2000
  By Maje - April 25 - 2:00 am

  this is what driving is all about! Forget about the TT, the Z3, the miata, the boxter....they just dont match up. The S2K will blow their doors off!!!!

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  Review of my S2000 - 2002 Honda S2000
  By Dwarflord - April 24 - 2:26 pm

  Very tight inside, in fact it is close to being uncomfortable. Because of the high revving engine and convertible top, this car is very loud inside. The car is fun to drive on curvy roads but you have to keep the rpms high to enjoy the vtec engine. This car is quick, but does not feel like it due to the lack of torque on this vehicle. Quality is typical honda, so no disappointment there.

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  The Yellow Hornet - 2004 Honda S2000
  By Judith Johnson - April 23 - 6:11 am

  This car has major curb appeal, handles like a dream and makes driving anything else very disappointing. However, it has to use premium gas, will only carry 400 pounds in passengers and luggage, must be hand washed, children under 12 cannot ride in it and it is not comfortable for a taller driver due to the way the headrest on the seats is constructed. It is very expensive to get a satellite radio installed and there is no place to put anything like a purse if you are hauling a passenger.

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  All race car - 2003 Honda S2000
  By fishman - April 20 - 3:10 pm

  This was more race car than I wanted. More like a slot car than anything else. Great fun to drive. I am 59 so car was comfortable. It was not a car to take on road trips or heavy traffic though. Lots of road noise, even for a convertible. I think the car was more quiet with top down. There is a reason they put a volume control on the steering wheel, you are always turning up the stereo to hear it over the road noise.

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  S-2000 - 2005 Honda S2000
  By John Killeen - April 16 - 2:31 pm

  I love driving my Honda S-2000. It is fun and reliable. I wish I had access to a race track so I could find out how really fast it can go.

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  Suzuka Blue - 2005 Honda S2000
  By Mnakano4 - April 15 - 6:29 pm

  This car is sick and poised at the same time. The limited slip rear provides much fun on tight corners. And with each day I become more impressed by her abilities to carve the curves. This is a car you wear but as the scenery flies by, you forget about the compact size. And once you hit 6,500 rpm... she hits power-band much like a CR 250. When will Honda provide us with an eight cylinder monster?

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  Better than a go-kart - 2003 Honda S2000
  By aphelps - April 14 - 6:06 pm

  After purchasing my 2003 S2000, everything else seems soft, slow, and lazy. Any sports car must have three things: beauty the S2000 owns some of the most agressive angles ever on Honda, performance at 9000 rpms, nothing comes close the excitement or impressive poise of that engine, and excitement the S2000 translates each factor of the driving experience flawlessly through the wheel, pedals, and seat. Trully a drivers car, this no nonsense pocket-rocket can really create driving memories thatll last a lifetime.

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  An exclusive club... - 2003 Honda S2000
  By BoxsterBeater - April 14 - 10:00 am

  This is, by far, the funnest of the 12 cars Ive owned. The "Big & Tall" crowd should avoid this car and Honda has made sure that anyone that prefers an automatic cant get one. The S is a pure drivers car. Roadster enthusiasts, this is THE car. Forget spending $10K more on a Boxster and still not measuring up. The closest competition is the 350Z roadster. The S will out handle it all day long. My car sees at least one autocross per month and handles exceptionally. There are no electronice aids (except ABS), so it is very involving. The biggest plus is that you can drive all week and only see 1 or 2 others on the road.

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  S2000 - 2005 Honda S2000
  By Lonman - April 13 - 12:34 am

  Whats not to like about this car. Solid as a rock (more so than a lot of hard top cars), stunning good looks, excellent hids, great led tail lights, superb handling, awesome gearbox, and honda reliability and amazing value. Snatch em up while you still can. This car is one of the best kept secrets in todays auto world. And my other car is a 2004 BMW M3.

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  Summer fun - 2001 Honda S2000
  By toydriver - April 6 - 12:23 am

  This car makes a mundane drive to the QuickShop a hoot! Ive driven 3K mi since buying it used last Fall. Couldnt wait to get it out of the garage this Spring. Every feature of driving with the top down is a pleasure. Accelerating on entrance ramps in 2nd gear to near redline will get your heart pounding. Its like riding in a very well built roller coaster, except youre in total control People still express compliments, envy,"wanna race", and cool depending on age.