What a sweet car ... if you can overlook it's numerous annoyances. The car is great when it comes to ragged edge performance. However, if you aren't prepared to drive it like that all the time, you will be sorely disappointed. The engine ... when not flying high at it's astonishing 8000rpm (lowered from 9000rpm when the upped the engine size) is rather docile and buzzy. However, once you get it up past it's 6000rpm sweet spot, it loses it's oversized blender like buzziness and trades it in ... for you guessed it... a higher powered oversized blender. Engine sound and exhaust not are not this cars strong point. I've heard lawnmowers sound better than this thing. That being said, the engine is quite potent above 6000rpm... ask it for anything below that and you'll be left wanting... another engine in the back to help.

Enough about the engine tho, the car is balanced... very well balanced. Steering is sharp, but lacks communication. Suspension is stiff and taught, but supple enough to handle small bumps and road inconsistencies. Understeer is very prevalent if you are not careful and steering it with the throttle requires that the RPM be up around that sweet spot or else you will just induce more and more understeer. The shifter is awesome... Honda has perfected the shifting technology when it comes to smooth short shifts. Now if they could only get the thing to stop shaking around like a hawaiian dancing girl duct taped to the dash, we would be in business. The shifter tho makes the car a joy to drive... downshifts and upshifts are a breeze and just want to make you change gears for the fun of it ... even if not required.

The cabin... is horrendous. Remember that gokart like feeling I spoke of earlier when it comes to handling? Well, it's even more apparent in the car because you feel like you are shoehorned into a go kart. The interior erogonomis are excellent ... if you are going be blasting to and from work and don't care to do anything else. Otherwise, I found that the buttons to the left of the steering wheel were too far to reach easily, the buttons behind the radio cover were too small to get to and damn near impossible if you were in 1st, 3rd or 5th gears. Plus, when the radio cover is open, the cover folds down flat (if the shifter isn't up in the upper gears) which then starts to annoyingly stab you in the leg.

The steering wheel sits down a bit and the cluster is easily seen through the wheel opening, but the cluster is a big difficult to see in direct sunlight. I guess you can deal with that. However, wheel placement and bad erogonomic make finding the ignition extremely difficult... especially in poor lighting.

The car drives great when you are driving it how it's supposed to be driven ... with your hair on fire. However, daily driving and comfort leave you wanting much much more.

I drove a 2005 S2000 and felt exaclty the same as you do... I was a bit disappointed!

Besides this and the Elise there no longer is anything on the market that makes you feel like a race-car driver. All the new cars are so big and plush that we have become spoiled. This car has everything you need and nothing you don't. It doesn't waste your time with dual climate control, interactive touch-screen monitors, park distance conrolers, seat coolers/heaters/massagers, annoying back-seat drivers, 20,000 button dash, etc... Get in, drop the top, and row through the gears.

Definitely on the lower end of practicality... but this car wasn't made to be practical. Want practicality? go get a G35.

/my take on this car

Yeah, because we don't need a glove box, right :sticoutt

We actually don't.

I noticed how small the cabin was too, never got to drive one but for me it was like trying to fit a sumo wrestler in an old Beetle.

in short, the S2000 is a wonderful SECOND car.

However, the S2000 manges to be both boring and irritatingly unrefined when used as a commuter car.

I wanted a posh luxury car, and a tossable sports car, all in one. I had to settle, as no such thing existed.

If I were to do things over again, I'd buy a reliable commuter car, and have a second car like the S2000:)

Besides this and the Elise there no longer is anything on the market that makes you feel like a race-car driver. All the new cars are so big and plush that we have become spoiled. This car has everything you need and nothing you don't. It doesn't waste your time with dual climate control, interactive touch-screen monitors, park distance conrolers, seat coolers/heaters/massagers, annoying back-seat drivers, 20,000 button dash, etc... Get in, drop the top, and row through the gears.

Definitely on the lower end of practicality... but this car wasn't made to be practical. Want practicality? go get a G35.

/my take on this car

Very nice!

I bought because I guess im not old enough yet to care how hard the ride is and little the cockpit is. I love the way the steering feels, the shifter feel, the 9grand motor(mine is a 00'), and love the simplistic to-the-point buttons. Just a difference in people.

The only thing I completely disagree with from the original post is the understeer comment. Every person that has driven my car has said "that is the most oversteer prone car I have driven". Now they did change some things with the AP2 chassis to make it oversteer less.

I drove a 2005 S2000 and felt exaclty the same as you do... I was a bit disappointed!


You're right! It looks great from a distance but once you sit in it...it's all over.

Just depends what you like.

Nice write up.

I am 6'2", 220lbs and have yet to find a fun Japanese sports car I can comfortably fit into for more than a short drive.

I love my S2000. It's not as practical as most cars but it is definitely a fun car to drive. It really is something different revving a motor to 9k RPM.

Besides this and the Elise there no longer is anything on the market that makes you feel like a race-car driver. All the new cars are so big and plush that we have become spoiled. This car has everything you need and nothing you don't. It doesn't waste your time with dual climate control, interactive touch-screen monitors, park distance conrolers, seat coolers/heaters/massagers, annoying back-seat drivers, 20,000 button dash, etc... Get in, drop the top, and row through the gears.

Definitely on the lower end of practicality... but this car wasn't made to be practical. Want practicality? go get a G35.

/my take on this car

in short, the S2000 is a wonderful SECOND car.

However, the S2000 manges to be both boring and irritatingly unrefined when used as a commuter car.

I wanted a posh luxury car, and a tossable sports car, all in one. I had to settle, as no such thing existed.

If I were to do things over again, I'd buy a reliable commuter car, and have a second car like the S2000:)

Both really well said, the key point being I think that it would make a great second car. If you really want to drive, it can provide that, although I must say with prices of Elise's falling, I would rather opt for picking up an Elise in the $30K range with relatively low mileage.

It makes a great replacement for an E36 M3 not missing the extra room at all(GF does but that doesn't concern me at all). Though it's not my dd I wouldn't see to many problems dd along as the top is down ones it's up rear visiblity isn't so great and stop lights are hard to see with out ducking your head. Also about the dash being hard to see in direct sunlight all you need is a decent set of polarized lens.

I absolutely loved it as my primary car, I would love to own one again and would trade the M3 for an s2k in a heart beat. Unfortunately I need the back seats so it looks like the EVO will be the next choice. I've honestly never felt the S2k understeer, if anything I beleive it oversteered a little too much but it was enjoyable. Interior was PERFECT because it was simple, I could've used a little more space but I got used to it. I loved the fact that it felt underpowered low in the RPM's b/c it just made cruising around and saving gas that much easier, when I wanted to have some fun I would just bring the rpm's to 4K (vtec controller) and blast down the curvy roads.

I'd love to pick up one of these as a track car, but I'd want to put in a roll cage to stiffen it up a bit more. Fantastic cars to drive on the track. Not so fun on the road. Thanks for the writeup.

s2k is a decent sportscar.

drove 02 ap1

Likes: -roadster
- looks tough unlike its competitors
- perfectly placed short shifter
- pushstart button
- 9k redline
- one of the best Hid projectors come on this car
- digital gauges like a f1 car

Dislikes: -no lowend power
- tight cabin
- people like to steal these cars for its seats
- its a honda

I seriously wish manufacturers would make lightweight, high revving, simple cars again. Like the e30 M3 or S13 or AE86 or even the Porsche 914. No fancy electronics, manual windows, throttle cable connected to the pedal, non of that "electronically adjustable" suspension junk. Something easy to work on and easy to modify.

I can't help but feel that all these electronic aids and luxury items makes people that much lazier and don't think so much about their driving technique...a car that applies the brakes, even steers for you? Attend a driving school and learn what not to do. I'm pretty hardcore I guess. I just don't want to have to miss the feel of driving a lightweight car that does exactly as you ask in 2030.

I hope Honda keeps the same philosophy going forward though. I wish BMW would consider making a simple, lightweight car again, but I guess it wouldn't be a good marketing decision. There's always Lotus, I suppose!:redspot

I love my s2k beater.

Man. I wish I could say that an s2000 would be a "beater" for me.

I wonder when they are going to give it a facelift. Not that the Sk2 old or dated but a nice facelift wouldnt hurt.

lol... you guys that are saying the cabin is too small and that it lacks amenities haven't seen a real sports car :lol

I traded my 04 S2000 after 1 year because it was too plush for me as a fun car... I did love it though. They make excellent daily drivers :D

How's the Lotus?

How's the Lotus?

It's great if you're willing to make a lot of concessions :) I don't think the average BMW driver would like it very much.

1) The A/C barely works
2) It's so noisy I have to wear earplugs if I'm going to be on the highway for more then 20-30 minutes
3) The ride is ... well let's just say it's not like an S2000 or a Porsche
4) It has poor rear visibility
5) It takes a "Chinese acrobat" to get in and out of the car
6) A 2-3 mph love tap from another vehicle costs between $5000-$12000 to fix.
7) Other vehicles don't see you because the roof line is below the mirrors on larger sedans and all trucks/SUVs
8) If you are a woman or have a girlfriend/wife... forget having them wear a skirt/dress
9) If you aren't mechanically adept it costs $300+ for an oil change.
10) Radio barely works
11) It rattles, squeaks, and leaks water through the top.

hehe is that enough? I love the car though... I'll drive it everyday if the weather is nice.

My girlfriend just tolerates it. We are debating doing the European Delivery for a 335i sedan for her (if we get married). I thought about an S2000 for her but she thinks they are too plain looking and it's not big enough to haul her crap around :stickoutt

I wanted a Lotus! F-ing dealer wouldn't even let me test drive it. Bought an M coupe instead, and still have the S2000.

An S2000 does not understeer, it oversteers. You must have gone for a rather slow test drive. I own a s2000 for almost 3 years now. I have never heard anybody said it understeers. It makes me think it is your driving hobby/style.

Nevertheless, it is a great car.

Werd, I drove one for about 6 months and loved every minute of it, was a daily driver. I put on a nice single exhaust and test pipe, threw a K&N intake on and it sounded great, like a big bore sport bike when you took it over 6k on the tach.

S2Ks may understeer if you don't keep the rpm in a certain range.. nonetheless it should rather oversteer more aslong as you're in/around the power band.

I felt less cramped in an exige and miata. It's a good performer, but at the sacrifice of everything else. I'd buy a go kart for tens of thousands less and go just as fast (shifter karts FTW) and buy a miata for a fun ragtop.

helluva redline though...

I have no problem daily driving one and I have the most hardcore original 00 MY. But then again I'm a pretty skinny Asian guy so it might not fit some larger Americans as well. Lacks some torque between 2000-4000 rpm but once you get into the powerband it's great. 00-03=9000 rpm, 04-08=8500 rpm.