S2000 Retro Review: Proper Analog Throwback

Used Car Review

Honda's S2000 was a big hit with critics when it debuted two decades ago, and it remains uber popular with enthusiasts today. But we're always interested to see what outsiders think of these cars, especially today, when no one really makes anything like Honda's special roadster anymore. So needless to say, we found this "used car review" from Pistonheads to be of particular interest recently, and we think you will, too.

Photos: Pistonheads

Proper Cabin

Pistonheads just so happened to have a very nice example to review - this 38,000-mile Edition 100 that's in stellar condition. They start out by giving some thoughts on the interior, which sadly lacked a tilt wheel or seat height adjustment. But those are really the only niggles inside what they call a "proper sports car cabin." 

Photos: Pistonheads

>>Join the conversation on how good the S2000 is right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!

Proper Layout

The mag otherwise loves the S2000's interior layout. "Kudos to the designers for placing all of the key controls for heating and the radio around the instrument cluster, as it's the digital display - we mean digital in the nineties sense - that monopolizes your view. You've analog Porsche display-like functionality when it comes to getting all the information you need at a glance, not least the mighty spin of the motor, presented in an idiosyncratically Japanese way. It suits the car and that engine down to a tee, and helps you forget the absence of other newer conveniences."

Photos: Pistonheads

>>Join the conversation on how good the S2000 is right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!

Top End Power

As we already know and Pistonheads points out, there isn't much going on at the bottom end of the revs in the S2000. But things get better as they build. "It's hardly sluggish, mind you - but any modern turbocharged engine would show the VTEC unit a clean pair of heels. What it could not do is teach Honda anything about engine performance beyond 6,000 rpm, where it really comes alive."

Photos: Pistonheads

>>Join the conversation on how good the S2000 is right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!

Lots to Love

Of course, it's hard to not love the way this engine and gearbox perform together. "It sounds fantastic, growling as it inhales at lower revs and then becoming noticeably louder as it screams towards that distant redline. This is a four-pot that you can genuinely love for its noise alone, although that high-revving temperament and the tactile, quick-shifting six-speed 'box attached to it aren't far behind."

Photos: Pistonheads

>>Join the conversation on how good the S2000 is right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!

Supreme Rotation

That magic carries over to the chassis, which is obviously superb. "You can carry some serious speed, too, which the S2000's natural balance will cheerily respond to. Even off-throttle corner entry can be met with delicate rotation. This agility can be exploited, of course, via the car's limited-slip diff, providing its owner with a number of options at an apex."

Photos: Pistonheads

>>Join the conversation on how good the S2000 is right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!

Too Good

In the end, it's pretty clear that our friends across the pond came away pretty smitten with this beloved machine. "As a throwback to the days of analog sports cars that rev to the moon, the S2000 is a strong choice. Its engine is famously tough, making it a genuine alternative to the Porsche Boxster of the same era. And while it can't claim the same brand cache as its open-top rival, Honda retains a large enthusiast base which is unlikely to let better examples of its now-departed roadster slip off the secondhand radar. It's too good for that."

Photos: Pistonheads

>>Join the conversation on how good the S2000 is right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!