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:

• 

  Crotch Rocket - 2004 Honda S2000
  By Dabme - June 12 - 2:00 am

  For those looking for an upgrade in power and styling from the super fun Mazda Miata, the Honda S2000 will provide the boost. I felt like I moved from a go cart to a formula one, allowing me to make a move into traffic whenever I wanted to rather than have to yield for a large opening. The controls layout, handling and stability are superb.

• 

  Great car - 2004 Honda S2000
  By JMF7854 - June 12 - 2:00 am

  great car, fun on the back roads and It turns heads everytime I take it out. Great value and when It smokes cars more expensive by $20,000 you cant beat the feeling. It also seems to run better as It gets more miles on It

• 

  What a Blast! - 2004 Honda S2000
  By Ex-Spider - June 10 - 2:00 am

  Honda has spent money where I care-- engine and handling, while not running up the cost with luxury items like heated seats, etc. It is remarkably powerful, and keeps giving all the way to redline, just like a rotary engine, except you get the added kick of a huge boost at about 6200 RPM when the VTEC kicks in. It corners like its on rails the engine sounds great the car looks great and they arent at every stoplight like some cars. For the enthusiast, there are few cars which can compare at any price, and none with a price tag anywhere close to this cars.

• 

  LOOKS POWER COMFORT - 2004 Honda S2000
  By RICH - June 10 - 2:00 am

  Power I Have Not Even Seen Yet. Great Ride Great Looks Fun Car

• 

  S2000 - 2004 Honda S2000
  By Laurelwood Lou - June 9 - 2:00 am

  This will be a classic sports car. The low-end torque has been greatly improved and the Honda quality is evident. It is great fun to drive. The 6-speed transmission shifts flawlessly.

• 

  great fun - 2004 Honda S2000
  By skinu - June 9 - 2:00 am

  this is the best car ive ever owned and ive bought over 34 vehicles including corvette camaro firebird prelude and bmw

• 

  luv it - 2004 Honda S2000
  By peggie - June 8 - 2:00 am

  absolutely love this car! i will never go back to another vette!

• 

  Fantastic - 2004 Honda S2000
  By sphinx99 - June 1 - 2:00 am

  A superlative driving experience; the 04 exterior treatments subtly improve the overall look of the car, while the 2.2L gives it more usable torque and passing power around 3000rpm than the previous models. The revised suspension is more comfortable over bad roads as well. And yet, no loss of performance!

• 

  s2000 are serious - 2004 Honda S2000
  By DC samuels - May 26 - 2:00 am

  man i will just say that the car is mad fast and mad lovely. nice rims and everything very nice looking car. nice color its a nice car you can drive just love to hold on to it just can"t stop driving.

• 

  Sweet Ride!! - 2003 Honda S2000
  By grayday - May 12 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my 02 S2K for about a month now and I cant say enough good things about it! I love the 240hp/4 cyl combo. It did take me a couple days to learn how to drive it the way it was intended. It took some getting used to due to the "rev" factor. Although the radio has often been called "weak", I find it sufficient with the top up or down...or you could turn it off and just humm to the exhaust note! This car is not for everyone as the ride is very stiff and the interior is not as plush as say the Audi TTs. However, for those looking for something different and edgy or if you want to feel like a Formula One driver, this is the car for you!