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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  S2000 Review - 2003 Honda S2000
  By crashgorden - January 24 - 10:00 am

  The most fun to drive car I have ever owned. Absolutely a blast. Works best as a second or third car. Honda reliable, good looking, excellent value, and lots of horsepower at high revs. I think this is the best sports car for the money. I think its probably the best sports car regardless of price up to $60k.

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  WOW! - 2003 Honda S2000
  By Mario Andretti - December 17 - 10:00 am

  The S2000 is a car for anyone who loves to drive; except if youre over 510". Im 65" and I got the car for my wife who is 52". It fits her perfectly. Very fast. At 6000rpms, this car will get up and go like a Honda CBR 900. Its a little sluggish in low-end torque, but it truley makes up for it once it hits 6000rpms. Itll handle with the best of them.

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  Only issue has been clutch - 2003 Honda S2000
  By mdewind - December 12 - 10:00 am

  Clutch has been replaced 4 times due to installing the wrong way by Honda dealerships after finding a defective flywheel. Besides that the car was chosen after extensive test drives of like cars (including a Dodge Viper) and I am 100% sure that I picked the right car for me.

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  EXCELLENT FUN - 2004 Honda S2000
  By SHARK - October 7 - 10:00 am

  JUST AN AMAZING CAR TO DRIVE--THE PICK UP OUT OF 2ND OR 3RD GEAR IS AWESOME. POWER ON HIGH END. COMFORT IS GREAT, CONSIDERING I AM A LARGER GUY...GREAT HANDLING TOO...

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  A true sports car - 2005 Honda S2000
  By Skip - September 29 - 1:46 pm

  I spent a lot of time reviewing and driving all the competitive 2 seaters out there and chose the S2000 and I couldnt be happier with my choice. I have always wanted to drive a sports car and Honda has built one that meets all my expectations including having to put it away for most of our New Hamphire Winter. It does not do well on ice and snow to say the least but I knew that and planned for it. I have seen a few out there this Winter so some people must add snow tires and probably studs and survive. The rest of the year is pure joy. The suspension and handling are consistant and predictable. It is a real 50/50 rear wheel drive car. The engine is smooth and very powerful for a 2.2 L.

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  Great Value for a Performance Sports Car - 2005 Honda S2000
  By Bob Hall - September 19 - 7:20 am

  Tremendous value for the money compared to the competition. Great performance and great fun as an occasional driver. Too loud, too small and too harsh a ride to use as a daily driver, especially on the interstate. Buy it for what it is, a true performance sports car, and you will love it. I would definitely buy again (and I plan to keep forever).

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  Owned 2003 model - liked 2004 changes - 2004 Honda S2000
  By Luxorchamp - August 30 - 2:00 am

  We bought a 2003 model in August and enjoyed it. We joined a S2000 club and had rides thru the hill country nearby. We learned of the changes in the 2004 model and we decided to trade up to one. We got the new one mid February and are very glad to have done the upgrade to the 2004. The ride is smoother and with the larger engine it has a lot more power in the lower gears. I could not believe there could be an improvement over the great 2003 that we had, but I sure love driving it.

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  impulse buy - 2003 Honda S2000
  By Hondarific - August 16 - 2:00 am

  After owning this car for a month I have to say.....I wish I would have waited. All the power is @ the high RPM bands which is great for highways and wide open roads but for day to day use in real world situations it leaves a lot to be desired. Another thing worth mentioning is that I had to have my wife take a cab when we got a flat tire because the damaged tire had to ride shotgun.

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  Best bang for buck youll ever find. - 2004 Honda S2000
  By thelittledragon - July 24 - 2:00 am

  The S2000 is for those fun-loving people. It drives so smoothly, and takes turns even smoother. Sexy styling, and the interior looks like a cockpit. Real cool. System sucks but who cares, because if you get this car and dont pimp it out you dont know what youre missing out on. TURNS HEADS WHEREVER YOU GO. Who care about torque when you got everyone staring at you driving down the street with the top down and system up?

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  nice car - 2004 Honda S2000
  By s2000 owner - July 18 - 2:00 am

  This car is more fun than any thing within 20 k, the only thing that may be better is the lotus elise.