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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Drive It - 2000 Honda S2000
By James D. - November 15 - 2:00 amThis car broke in well at 15,000 miles. I call it "Songbird" for its sound. The more I drive it the more I like it. Do not be afraid to biy one with some miles on it. Dont listen to the naysayers just drive it.
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WOW! - 2003 Honda S2000
By gr8fun1 - November 14 - 2:00 amHot out of the hole or when youre already doing 65 on the highway. Excellent responsiveness on straightaways and killer curves. All the compliments from lookers are killing me:)
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Makes Life More Enjoyable - 2003 Honda S2000
By SDWelch - November 14 - 2:00 amThe S2000 has been a very good purchase. It is, as one should know, not a practical car--ie, you do not plan a month long trip with several suitcases etc to go along, but it is a fun, racy, get-up-and-go car that just makes life a little more enjoyable.
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Look at that S Car gooooooooo... - 2003 Honda S2000
By CeeJay - November 11 - 10:00 amThe S2000 is a wonderful, fun car to drive. Living in Chicago, I have to store it for the winter. I am always anxious for spring so I can drive it! Top down on a summer nite...perfect. It is a great car!!!
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s2000 - 2002 Honda S2000
By jpt - November 11 - 2:00 amwonderful car. solid, quick, beautiful and very sporty
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Love it! - 2003 Honda S2000
By Never Too Old - November 9 - 2:00 amWe love the sportiness, appearance and how fast the vehicle is. It seems just about every time we drive it, we get a thumbs up or comments from people admiring the car.
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reviews r right on - 2003 Honda S2000
By hot chile - November 9 - 2:00 amIve own this car for a year now .Bought it after seeing a friends but never drove it till a saleman let me take his out for a test drive.WOW!! Never again concidered the BMW or the Porsche I had test driven.Now after all this time I just read all your reviews, again WOW!,they are right on.I LOVE THIS CAR. Still excite me to go driving!
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4 wheel motorcycle - 2003 Honda S2000
By s2000slk - November 7 - 2:00 amI cant say enough about this car. My wife has an 02 SLK and doest even come close to this street legal Formula 1 car. When the vtec kicks in and it revs to 8800 so does my adrenaline.
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2003 Honda S2000 Owner - 2003 Honda S2000
By Dale Lind - November 7 - 2:00 amThis car has returned the fun factor to driving again. Country Roads that I have avoided driving in the past due to cruves,tightness, on/off accelaration are the ones I look foward to driving with this car.Stay off the main highways and hit the backroads and its a blast to drive.To sum it up take this car for a test drive if you have $33,000.00 dollars to spare because you will want to take it home with you when you return.
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Best car for the price - 2003 Honda S2000
By arteyepro - November 5 - 2:00 amThis little sports car is trully the most fun and best handling/performance for the buck. It truly runs rings around it competitors.
