I think I may have found the perfect compromise that I've been looking for, between a classic British droptop roadster and reliable daily transportation. The 2007 Honda S2000 melds British Leyland ambiance with Honda quality. For a price of $34,845, the 2007 Honda S2000 comes with Honda's 3 year/36,000 mile basic warranty and 5 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty and an EPA estimate of 20 mpg city/26 mpg highway. Let's put the top down and drive.
First Glance: Roadster lust
Though S2000 is the only convertible in the Honda lineup right now, it's a relatively low-volume car, selling under 10,000 vehicles per year in the US. S2000 was introduced as a year 2000 model in 1999, and it has undergone minor cosmetic alteration since then. Why mess with a good thing?
When I look at the S2000, all my lust for a roadster comes rushing back. I love the long hood, the short back deck, the aggressive stance and the sleek lines. S2000 wears smooth curves and elegant lines that are built for speed. With the soft convertible top up, it looks great -- but drop the top and the S2000 becomes stunning. The lines work better, and the slight wedge shape of the car gives an even greater impression of speed. Big wheel wells and fender openings make room for beautiful 17" 10-spoke alloy wheels -- 7.0" wide up front, 8.5" wide out back -- wearing high performance tires. There's little adornment or design for the sake of design. No scalloped-flame body work, no chrome trim, no spoilers. Body-colored bumpers blend with the rest of the body, and even the third brake light blends in with the trunk lid. Fit and finish are tight and sharp, a step above what you'll find on an Accord or a Civic.
In the Driver's Seat: It's all about the driving
If you're used to driving an SUV or a big sedan, the S2000's low stance and driving position will shock you at first. With 4.2 inches of ground clearance, you're riding the road, almost literally. Ease yourself down into the bucket seat, and the driving position is classic sports car, with legs straight out in front. The seats are nicely designed, with great side bolstering and all-around support, even in the thighs. I'm taller than average at 6'2", and I had more than enough leg room and even ample head room with the top up.
S2000's dash board and instrument panel layout is a no-frills affair, truly designed with the driver in mind. Every control, even audio and climate, sits close enough to be operated without removing your hands from the steering wheel. Distractions like the actual radio are hidden from view, leaving a clean, clear display in front of the driver.
The gauge cluster is very modern and high tech, with a digital speedometer and a big sweeping tachometer -- but it's simple high tech, not complex or flashy.
There's a little bit of storage in the cabin, enough for a wallet and cellphone. Combined with the 5 cubic feet of trunk space, S2000 is actually a good weekender, and can haul groceries for a thin, small family.
On the Road: I want one!
If cars were only about looks, I'd be driving a Triumph TR6 or an Austin Healey 3000 mk III. I've even flirted with owning an MGB, the last and least of the Brits. I could always figure out how to manage the practical restrictions of owning a two-seat convertible, but I've never been able to come to terms with being stuck by the side of the road with a smoking electrical system. S2000 puts Honda build quality into the roadster equation, and I'd expect it to perform as reliably as any other Honda (if I treated it right).
Which brings us to the most important measure of a sports car -- what's it like to drive the S2000? Well, it's a hoot. With a 2.2 liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 237 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, it's not blazing fast, but it has amazing character. Peak power comes high up in the rev range. You have to treat S2000 more like a sport bike than a muscle car to get the best performance. I found the light clutch and slick six-speed manual transmission easy to handle for daily driving through heavy urban stop-and-go crawls of the Los Angeles variety. Honda added an electronic stability control system as standard last year. Handling is superb, with rear wheel drive, stiff shocks and suspension and direct, responsive steering. I loved driving this car, and I want to own one.
Journey's End: The pure roadster experience
The two-seat roadster has always been the Holy Grail for drivers. I'm always jealous of the freedom and the fun that roadster drivers seem to be having in the next lane. We may well be in a second golden age of roadsters right now, with a wide price range of vehicles out there to be explored.
A few thousand dollars beneath S2000's price, there's a trio of very attractive vehicles, the Saturn Sky, Pontiac Solstice and the Mazda MX-5. Sky and Solstice don't offer the true sports car performance that you get in S2000, but MX-5 comes really close. Drive the turbo Solstice and Sky first, then check out the MX-5.
At or above the S2000's range (in order of ascending price), there's the Nissan 350Z Convertible, the BMW Z4, the Audi TT, the Lotus Elise, the Mercedes-Benz SLK and the Porsche Boxster, all fine cars with unique, individual character. It goes on up from there into the exotic category.
S2000 is really the lazy man's way of getting the British experience. It can be your track car on weekends, and your daily driver on weekdays -- and it will work pretty well in both roles. You'll have fun, you'll look cool, and you'll get where you're going in style. For the pure roadster experience, it's hard to beat the Honda S2000. -- Jason Fogelson
