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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  Greatest Car Ive Ever Sat In - 2001 Honda S2000
  By hondas2000 - April 24 - 2:00 am

  This car is great! I just bought it used from a newspaper ad. I was so nervous about it, but the car has proven to be awesome, and we got it at such a great price. We are so excited to have this new "baby" in our lives!

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  Elemental Roadster Is Not For Everyone - 2000 Honda S2000
  By JoshuaF - April 22 - 2:00 am

  This convertible is just the ticket if you are really into driving. It has loads of power and an agile chassis designed to let you extract as much fun as possible out of your car. However, if you want a smooth ride with little road feedback, if you want to climb up into the car instead of settling into a cockpit, if you dont know what drop- throttle oversteer is, then you may want to look at a less enthusiast- oriented roadster. The Audi TT comes to mind :).

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  Best Car - 2001 Honda S2000
  By Tiger12345 - April 16 - 2:00 am

  Awesome! Fast, fun, handles better than a go-cart!

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  S2000 - 2001 Honda S2000
  By drsayad - April 14 - 2:00 am

  After the initial 1500 miles the engine gained noticable horsepower every 500 miles. Finally around 3500 miles the engine was free revving and much easier to rev up throughout the gears. The suspension specially the shocks are about 5-10% softer than the inital days. Overall the car is much more competitive than its early days.

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  super roadster - 2004 Honda S2000
  By n1k - April 11 - 2:00 am

  great handling, quiter, interior metal look is nice, overall Honda made a nice change.

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  Fun Fun Fun - 2000 Honda S2000
  By pak-man - April 9 - 2:00 am

  Love to drive it, especially on highways.

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  faster than a boxter without the mechani - 2004 Honda S2000
  By gregg darby - April 6 - 2:00 am

  what a pure sportscar.

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  Honda S2000 - 2004 Honda S2000
  By Davebob - April 6 - 2:00 am

  What a beut comfortable to drive, hear and listen a must buy for any Honda fanatic plus a great car to pick up chicks in! I should know I married one!

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  Dream to drive!! - 2001 Honda S2000
  By gche37 - April 6 - 2:00 am

  The S2000 is by far the best sports car in its class. Compared to the Porsche Boxter, BMW Z3, etc.. the S2000 out performs them on the road as well as in the pocket book. You are truly buying a car that performs and sounds like a Formula One racer. Its a true sports car! For those who want a glass rear window, buy a Miata or a Mustang. Those are not true sports cars! For those who want wood grain on the dashboard, go buy a Lexus or an Audi TT. Those are not sports cars! I love the car and all it stands for. Go buy one and you can honestly say that you are living life for the moment.

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  Head Turner - 2004 Honda S2000
  By Carol VanDoren - April 1 - 10:00 am

  Although its the first convertible that I own I have driven several over the years. The pick up on this one is just fabulous. The look is classic sports car, no compromises. The seats are very comfortable and tuck you into the car nicely. The design & location of the radio controls is great. The car does skid when its wet so its an adjustment for me. Heats & Cools quickly!