@@farmerman7947 nah s2k looks 100x better when you get a hard top and a better looking spoiler. s2ks are also great to modify with all that engine bay space
HAHAHA, true. But, I had a Miata and now have an S2000, and gotta say the Miata really has more power than most think if you keep revs over +/- 5,000. Sounds great at that level as well, and it was meant to be driven that way.
@@BobC59 I test drove a few S2000's before eventually buying a Miata. The cheapest decent S2000 I could find was $25,000. I decided to just spend $3000 on a Miata because essentially it was just as enjoyable to drive. Just have to stay on top of rust 😁
@@TheAdventureAuto As a current S2000 owner (and past Miata owner), I actually agree with you! The S2K is a special car, but the smile on my face after driving it is no bigger than the one I had after driving the Miata.
It's just a shame the car was hardly updated. Aside from 2004, all the updates were very minor for the next 5 years. I'd always wondered if Honda kept up with the competition if there'd still be an S2000 nowadays like there are with Miatas, Boxsters and BMW Z's. It'd be more modern and lose some of its edge, but if they followed what Mazda did and focus on the heart of it, I think it'd do well.
Yep, and unfortunately they don't any.ore so now we have the atrocity known as the civic, mechanically good but fugly. I actually miss the high strung, high reving engines. Everything is now turbocharged and always lose steam before the redline. I like turbos but they seem to not have the upper rpm power they used to have. Guess thats the sacrifice they made for low rpm torque and a quick boost spool up.
@@TheMachRider Because the characteristic is even more serious, exclusive than competitors. No automatic option, manual only unlike Baxter or Miata, no hardtop unlike Miata, and one of the most high revving and power dense naturally aspirated engine even today 2020, including Ferrari F12 Tdf and some Porsche 911s. This is why S2000 had only survived just one generation, and then become a legendary masterpiece sports car. S2000 is too hard for who are not confident to drive.
@Jim S. Some versions can do it under 14. That is fast, unless you've driven something faster. Btw, I suppose you are an American, if you care only about straight line speed.
Some say, Ayrton Senna had more to do with the design of this than the NSX. He then left for Williams but the S in the name is similar to his own Senna brand. And the digital dash was made to look like the McLaren F1 car mp4/4
@@martincoufalik9101 the 2.0 revs to 9000 rpm but American customers complained that it doesn't have enough low end torque so Honda increased the stroke. Because of that they didn't let it rev that high. The 2.2 was only sold in North America and later in japan. All other places only got the 2.0.
Okay Doug, as a 16 year long S2000 owner, I'm going to correct you and provide some additional info on some of the things in this video: 1) The setting on the climate control does not direct air behind you, the air is directed below the dash to your lap and legs through those "hidden vents" you pointed out later. 2) Honda covered the stereo with the hinged cover to remove distraction from the driver. 3) The hump in the bottom floor board is Honda's X-bone chassis created for the S2000, it provides the stiffness of a coupe but in an open top car., the passenger left side hump is part of the transmission tunnel. 4) The glove box is 2 compartments between the seats, there is the one that you showed, but there is a second one you didn't show on top. 5) When you talk about storage space, the S2000 had a very good reputation for having over 5 cubic feet of trunk space, much more than other roadsters on the market at the time, the trunk could fit two sets of golf bags (with drivers removed). 6) The draw back to the 2004 refresh (known as an AP2) that you reviewed was when Honda decided to increase torque, they decided to do so by increasing the stroke in the motor and increase the displacement to 2.2L, doing so increased piston speed at redline beyond piston speeds in an F1 engine so Honda reduced the redline by 1,000 rpm. All that said, the S2000 is one of the funnest cars out there and I think you did a nice job of conveying what it's like to drive an S2000.
Thanks for the info! If Honda made this car with an automatic, I think it would sell better. It's handling score of 8 is better than the 997 Turbo, and it's insanely simple and reliable. However, because it comes in only stick, I can't buy one :( But very cool car from Honda! When the next gen S2000 comes out, I'm definitely checking it out.
so learn how to drive stick! it's not THAT hard. and since the clutch is pretty light in the s2k, it's not difficult to learn. i've taught several people how to drive stick (in my miata and camry) and most people learn the basics in less than an hour. sure, it takes practice to get smooth, but that's even true of an automatic if you've never driven before.
Yea - I've never tried, but I hear stories of people stalling out and performing money shifts. I currently drive a 2013 BMW 335i with the 8-speed auto, and even that is faster than a manual. An auto adds to the zippiness of the car since you can step on it and instantly take off. If the S2000 came with a dual clutch (the first DCT was used in a passenger car in 2003), people would have gone nuts. It would have done 0-60 in 5.0 seconds flat, and you would have the power to change your momentum in all four directions quickly. I know I don't sound like a man by saying #killthemanuals, but I honestly think it's time for better, faster, zippier transmissions. After all, if you don't have to focus on shifting, you can focus on driving faster.
I've owned 2 S200's before and thanks for this comment ... I cringed more than needed whenever he says a false info lol .... you forgot to mention one more point, the fuel button is not actually a button... that button is pulled not pressed
the vast majority of us can't afford such fancy transmissions yet, so manual is still the way to go for most of us. the other advantage (having driven both manual and auto versions of the same car on a track) is that you never have to guess what the transmission is about to do. a manual will never up-shift unexpectedly and cause you to get a bad lap time or not have power when you want it.
Honestly it’s the only bit of the car that looks dated, works great though, you can easily see the speedo and revs without looking away from the road and you do NOT want to look away over 8k in third.
They are cool but they are very expensive to replace and parts are expensive for the car too. My dad used to have trouble finding parts for his and when he did they were not cheap. He had the ap1 model
I was working on the European launch of the s2000 in Germany, and one thing that stood out from Honda was how aware they were that getting the idea of a high revving engine like Vtec into the heads of the largely BMW loving journalists was going to be a tough task. These engines are designed to run at high revs and as you found that is where the power is, the engine will happily run close to the red line all day. Practically the opposite to the typical BMW delivery. To attempt to address this with the journalists, the pre-drive presentations went to great lengths to explain the nature and characteristics of the Honda engine. Even specifically comparing the ideal driving style for performance against a BMW. The journalists were all advised and driven by Honda drivers before being sent out on their own to evaluate the cars, again with great care to highlight the fact that with this car you are supposed and safe to keep the engine at high revs. Guess what? Pretty much every German journalist managed to ignore every bit of advice and tried to drive the s2000 exactly how they would a BMW! They never got to experience the car as it should be driven and all gave it bad reviews for being slow and rubbish! Most of the other European journalists took the directions on board and most seemed to really enjoy the car. I felt sorry for the heads of the launch team, I don’t really see what more they could have done to try to get the German press to be more open minded; it was almost laughable listening to the comments from those guys after their test drives, like they had listened to zero of the presentation and guidance and just drove the cars their usual way.
It's funny that car journalists know shit about driving a car, I personally know one and I took him on a ride with my s2000. The guy was bragging about driving gt3 once before and after a 5min ride he was begging me to slow down. Yes he doesn't have a car of his own, never had.
Haha i was just trying to see if anyone here is also bugged out that he didnt talk about vtec while saying it “gets alive” haha he shouldve said “vtec kicks in” lmao maybe he just doesnt know about vtect😁
Kinda disappointed by all the things not talked about in this video. 1. Forged internals from factory with fiber reinforced sleeves. 2. Factory engine making 120hp per liter, which was the highest for 10 years until the 2010 4.5l Ferrari 458 italia. 3. Like everyone said the "hidden compartment" 4. The fact that it doesn't have any door lock switches except on the fob. 5. 50/50 weight distribution. 6. Mid engine 7. S2000 CR had options for no a/c or radio from factory. 8. You have to insert and turn the key then push the "push to start" button. 9. There are cupholders. 10. The steering wheel is fixed in location and can not be adjusted. For anyone that doesn't know, the hump on the floor is the because that's where the catalytic converter is.
turbo s2k Ikr, he talked about goofy controls and lack of cup holders and glove box for half the video, people buying s2000 don't care about glove boxes!!!
Bill Gates M8s you obviously know nothing about cars. Mid engine refers to any engine fully located between the front and rear axle. If the engine is behind the driver but in front of the rear axle, it is a "rear" mid engine. If the engine is in front of the drive but behind the front axle it is a "front" mid engine. Honda even refers to the s2000 as a mid engined car.
I’m totally biased as I’ve owned 2 but a few things you missed: 1) This was Honda’s 50th birthday present to itself and was a tribute to its F1 racing heritage. 2) You can see that nod to its F1 dominance from the red starter button, the digital display that mimics an F1 car, and all the controls at your fingertip. 3) When first released in 2000 it had the highest output per liter than any other production vehicle 4) In the original AP1 it reved to 9000 rpm. Unheard of at that price point. 5) Its technically a mid engine car and has a perfect 50/50 weight balance 6) You missed the secret glove box ;) 7) The same guy in charge of the NSX’s development was also in charge of this one and it was his last project. 8) The LED taillights were way ahead of their time as well as the HID headlights. Anyway, love your channel and glad you included an S2K!
Dave, having HIDs weren’t what made the car ahead of its time. It had some of the best projectors in any car for at least 10 years. If you go look at other vehicle forums, many HID upgrades said the high end solution was to use the S2000 projectors. Not sure if you have driven one at night, but if you get the chance, check it out. The light output and cutoff is shocking good and damn near perfect.
Dave Points we’ll taken. I should have been more specific on the racing point. They were celebrating their involvement in motor sports with this model. They had over 70 F1 Grand Prix victories and were the single engine supplier for Indy Car at the time. Additionally it was developed in Suzuka by the same engineers who worked on their racing engines. Not to mention their dominance in Grand Prix Motorcycle and motocross 😁. 4) True, I shouldn’t have implied it was the first or only. The Integra type R was a beast of a motor too but was limited production and if I remember correctly it wasn’t sold here. You’re right. The RX-8 did rev that high although knowing it’s garbage reliability would you want to repeatedly 😉 8) I understand it wasn’t the first or only but honestly. At that time and price point I’m pretty sure it was rare and unique. Plus I’m a lighting guy and I just think it was a cool touch.
@@BobC59 I totally 2nd guessed myself after watching this video and commenting, went to my car and moved the seats and was shocked to see some kind of vent looking thing behind the seats.... I was like omg Doug knows my car better than me and he had it for 5mins... Sure enough nothing comes out of them lol But I watched a video of a car he did recently (don't remember what car it was, definitely a roadster as well though) but he said it had some contraption that replicates a bass sound cause they couldn't put real speakers there.... I have a 2000 s2k with literally just 2 door speakers (thanks Honda) lmao and sometimes I feel like I hear bass from my trunk and was wondering if it's the same mechanisms... Clearly Doug does not know the answer to that though
@@christianwilliams6117 HAHAHA! Yeah, I did the same things when I saw this video!!! And no, nothing comes out of them - so what the heck are they there for????????? I think we need to find out. Promise, whomever figures it out, please respond to this thread! 1, 2, 3... Go! :D
@@BobC59 lmao well it didn't take me too long to figure it out.... Thanks to Google of course (why didn't I search in the first place🙃)... www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-under-hood-22/duh-what-vents-behind-seats-708418/page2/ IDK if TH-cam let's you see links but basically it filters the are out of the cabin from what I'm reading. I guesssss🤷
yes he went over 6k, but was he even red lining to stay in vtec? thats probably why the car felt so slow, going in and out of vtec. obviously s2000 aint the fastest car around but i dont think he knew how to drive it
You have to know how to drive the s2000 to truly appreciate it. He should buy one and he will fall in love with it. My granddad owns an s2000 and I've never met someone who wasn't in love with theirs. It's really hard to explain why it's so amazing. It just engages with the driver better than anything I've ever driven.
Honda hit it out of the park with the S2000. They made a great sports car that was well designed and engineered, speedy, and relatively affordable. It looks timeless.
TH-camrs like Doug are among the greatest contributors to keep love for cars alive in the Uber era. Otherwise many wouldn't understand the role cars once played in people's dreams. This Honda video brings that passion back to viewers.
Great video Doug, but I do disagree with you on one point; significance. The S2000 had the highest output per liter of any naturally aspirated car until it was dethroned in 2010 by the Ferrari 458 Italia. Just a matter of opinion, but having the highest hp/liter for 10 years is no small feat in my eyes
Anthony Ghadieh besides no one breaking that for 10 years, to have a company as big as ferrari have to make a several hundred thousand car just to beat it is insane
A friend and coworker of mine owned an S2000 and he used to let me drive it. Doug is spot on. The handling is pure fun, and the engine is gutless at low revs. But driving with the top down was amazing fun, and once it hit that 6000rpm you get shoved back in your seat and very quickly find yourself above the speed limit! The gear shifter was great, short and notchy, but even in 6th gear, cruising at 100kph was a buzzy noisy affair! My girlfriend and I borrowed it and did 1000km in a weekend, driving along twisting swooping country roads and it was the best driving fun I've ever had. But when we needed to stop for petrol, I couldn't find the damned fuel door release!!! :-D I had to look up the owner's manual to find it in the door sill as I'd never seen it filled before. Such a fun car. Great fun going through tunnels with the top down, slowing down and then revving it high. Good times :-)
My grandparents have a blue 2004 model like this one (without the spoiler), and I have very fond memories growing up and getting to go for a ride in it. I’m almost 18 and have had my license for about two years now, but have never learned how to drive stick. But my grandpa says he’s gonna teach me this summer in the S2000 and I’m really excited to finally get behind the wheel after all of these years. It’s just a really fun car
I felt the same way. Bought one. After a while it gets really annoying to drive as a daily. Such a lack of torque forces you to rev it out a bit, and sometimes you just don't feel like driving it aggressively. My suggestion is don't buy one unless you have another car.
@Turbo knight No Ford gear box will ever beat even a Honda economy gearbox, sorry. The 94-01 generations of the Honda Prelude were the same, shift out the shift bushings to aluminum and you quite literally had one of the best feeling gearboxes in the industry.
Doug... The trick to having maximum fun and performance in one of these cars, is to drive the S2000 like you stole it. Honda's F1 racing engineers had a hand in design and the engine dynamics are the result. This is the closest car from Japan that compares to the high-revving Italian Super-cars. I had a 2001 and it was always in the 6500 to 9000 RPM range. It was one of the most fun cars to drive. Now, this video has inspired me to start looking for a 2000 or 2001 S2000. That engine when it revs to 9000 RPM.... is like a F1 Race Car!
RIght there with you bud. I did my research in 2006 when I bought mine (used) and if you want to enjoy all the perks of the AP1 (00-2003) without all the issues of the earlier years, buy a 2003. They took care of the differential issue, they put a stronger pressure plate on the clutch, and some engi9nes were dropping valves due to valve springs retainers cracking and in some cases FAILING. They also got rid of that crappy/hazy plastic rear window from the 00-02 for a glass one with rear defrost (which does reduce the width of visability... but its still way better than a plastic window that has hazed over. They even changed the shift knob from the ALL stainless LAVA ROCK to one that had a leather strip in it so if the sun was on it all day.. it didn't burn off your finger prints when you touched it like the earlier 00-01 unit. The '04-on is the "AP2" and although they made it look better with a slight facelift, they kind of "pussified" it so you have to do a few things to it to make it more like the AP1 again - the updated wheel size saw the front wheel width increase with the diameter, that .2 bore/stroke upgrade they made to net some low end tq set the redline back to 8500. They also installed a little cushion between the clutch fork and slave cylinder to soften clutch engagement (cause lets face it.. if you owned an s2k and didn't do a full on VTEC clutchdump from a stand still.. you weren't living life right! LOL) They even changed the seats to have less bolstering for "comfort". THey attempted to "upgrade" the stereo but it STILL wasnt loud enough to hear at highway speeds with the top down. Unless you upgraded the player OR had a killer intake/exhaust setup.. long rides at speed would get boring. the interior did get nicer material on the dash and seats in the AP2.. but thats small potatoes. Good luck on your hunt and I hope you get another one duder! I myself AND the wife want another one but financially - Im going to have to pull a trade up game until Ican afford one. Ive started with a 2003 Explorer I got for free and have worked my way up to a 2007 Wolfsberg Ed Jetta so Im getting closer financially. a few thousand more in value and I'll have what I need to own one again!
MacPro8CoreMan sorry if i seem ignorant/dumb, im a young and new car enthusiast and am only starting to learn more about cars. is it harmful for the car if i rev it high? im referring to cars in general, not just the s2000. even normal cars like the honda civic or some normal toyota. and of course i dont mean revving it until redline, maybe until around the 6k rpm mark. sometimes i try to rev it high in my mom's toyota that has vvt and the sound of the engine when it reaches 4k rpm makes me uncomfortable so i just stop. i apologise again for probably sounding like an idiot to you guys
@LAD Teknologies yeah Ohlins is definitely top of the line in terms of suspension. Wouldn't a staggered setup with the rear tires being wider help alleviate the loose feeling at higher speeds? I agree with your point about the shorter wheelbase.
My wife and I decided to look for an S2000 back in 2010. We went to a dealership to "Look" and "Drive" the car. It was a Laguna Blue with 24000 miles on it. Asking price was around $25K. Bare in mind we lived in MN so convertible only gets 6 months of use out of the year. I had to show the "Sales lady" how to start the car. After we both drove it, I drove home. My wife decided to stay to "Look at numbers" with her friend, who drove her there. Later that evening, I was having dinner, when I saw this gorgeous blue thing drove up to my driveway. All I can think of is, "She didn't". Yes. She did. This was a present for each other when we got married in 2010. Unfortunately, 5 years later, we had a baby and this had to go. I miss it dearly. It was a great car. I miss washing and waxing it on sunny days and taking it for a spin. You cannot be mad/angry/sad/depressed when you're driving this thing. It's smiles all the way. I vow that someday after our daughter grows up, I will rebuy the car. This one here is great as well. I also hope Honda brings it back.
Doug, you forgot the Hidden storage compartment! The handle is inside the glove box between the seats. The door that the wind deflector sits on flips up!
These engines were never meant to be for drag races so pure acceleration off the mark is nothing special but on a proper track where you can manipulate your RPM to always be in VTEC these cars will smash any other NA four cylinder and even most turbocharged four cylinders. Honda don't make drag cars, they make race cars, there is a reason they have Type R not Type D. The fact that all your power lies in the high RPM makes it stupid fun to drive fast as driving it properly means that the engine is always incredibly loud and is probably a great way for people to learn to use the right gears for the best possible times.
Doug, The s2k was made to be driven through the curves, and it does so perfectly. It was not designed for straight line speed. Perfect pedal set up; braking is phenomenal; there is no better short-throw shifter; steering wheel is very communicative. I am 6' 4" tall and I fit in it comfortably. The car is a true driver's car. It was meant to be driven, not to be practical. If you want additional cargo space, then you get an Accord or Civic. One additional quirk that you failed to mention is that above the glove box between the seats, lies another storage area, which is very deep. I leased one from 2004-2008 and owned one from 2008 through 2017, when it was unfortunately stolen. In a word, the car is frenetic above 6500 rpm, and it is meant to be, to have fun. Regarding the bump, it is across member, shaped like an X, that gives the car substantial torsional rigidity, and allows it to handle so well. The car does not rise during cornering or acceleration, and it does not squat during braking, due to the stiff suspension. What's more, it has no driver's aids other than traction control (added in 2006) and abs. This car is perfect for driving enthusiasts.
@@dundonrl well - I used to have 2001 version and 2004 euro specs - both of them used to do it on a highway... 245 - easy! Later - a bit slower (with top down)
You missed the secret storage compartment, I accidentally found it after 2 years of owning mine. I've owned mine for almost 11 years and never had anything major go out. I love the s2000
I didn't know about the secret compartment until literally like 7 months of ownership when another s2000 owner showed me after my little rant about lack of storage
Fair review, you forgot the secret compartment above the center console, no mention of the 50/50 weight distribution or how the S2000 had the most HP per liter (120) until being surpassed by the Ferrari 458 I think 9 years later.
He also didn't mention the insane speed of the retractable power top. I was told by an S2000 owner, that later showed me how fast the top can go up and down, that it was one of the fastest power tops put into a production car when it came out. We timed it and it took about 12 seconds, which is really fast.
All controls should allow an elbow to the head of passengers who try to touch them. And.... "As a passenger, you don't matter in an S2000" The perfect driver's car :D
This video has been out for over 2 years now and I'm just finally getting around to watching it. If your a car guy I agree that this is one of many cars you should get a chance to drive.
he has no clue. he talks about how slow the car is below 5k. when a car redlines at 9k, who in their right mind would get on it at such a low RPM. the full reason behind the vtec engine is for it to be slow and eco then turn into a beast when the vtec kicks in.
I think you made a mistake on the importance factor. It was the first easily accessible car to rev to 9k, and that's a big deal considering almost no road car could do that before it came along.
Not only that, but these days you have to look at Lotus (and their price range and problematic build quality) to find a car more pure, analog and less computer controlled. These will become more and more important.
It also held the record for the highest normally aspirated specific output (hp/liter) for a number of years. And it was Honda's first RWD car in something like 40 years.
Patrick94GSR rwd "honda" in America. However, the NSX preceded the S2000 by about a decade, was rwd, and sold as a Honda globally. In the US it was sold as the flagship Acura...which are just leather upgraded Hondas.
3:25, If I don't like the whoever is going to be the passenger, I WOULD JUST NOT GIVE HIM/HER A RIDE!!! instead of letting him/her seat at the passenger seat and DON'T TELL them about it.
You missed the secret compartment, I can't tell you where it is because, well, it's a secret. Also, below the flat trunk bottom carpet panel is a tray that holds the scissor jack/tool kit, if you remove the tray you'll see the bottom is curved, that's there so if you get a flat tire you can remove the tray and carry your removed wheel/tire home inside the trunk.
It does 0-60 in 5.5 seconds , that's not even slow . Maybe in today standards v8 doing it in 3.4 seconds . This is an almost 20 year old 4 cylinder rwd mini beast
ORANGE BOY 714 lol yeah he makes it seem so much slower... he literally took off in 2nd and expected to be Impressed drive it like it's meant to be driven
Honda has a history of digital dashes like the S2K's, just not here in the US. Going way back to 1984, in Japan, you could get the CRX with a digital dash and it looked freaking AMAZING. It's one of the most desirable 1st gen CRX JDM parts.
I think it deserves a 7 or 8 in importance, just because od the fact that this car is still sought after 20 years later, and it also held the record for highest HP output per liter until Ferrari came out with the 458 Italia.
I have owned my 2005 for over 10 years now. Has been a daily driver for most of those years earning 138k miles of pure pleasure so far. I will never get rid of it. And yes it's been very reliable.
I just recently had to put reinforcement in an soft top area that was looking thin (not worn through). 60,000 on my 05. I have two sets of 05 rims since they where the nicest designs. One set of rims wears cold weather tires and one set has summer weather tires.
Honda was winning with these 90s and 2000s designs. The S2K and 5th gen Preludes look like something they could push out as a new model and I’d still buy it
I think this car's significance score should be higher. I'm from Timmins Ontario Canada, and when this car hit the street, they made sure to have one on display in the mall with all the specs listed, too. The good old boys were shocked at the horsepower rating and performance figures. Next thing you know, there were more Civics and Accords next to their pickups, instead of Cavaliers and Malibus. It made some of the hardcore domestic owners realize that Honda built good cars with small engines that put out good horsepower figures, great gas mileage and high reliability, not to mention higher resale value. Hell, my neighbor who used to hate on Hondas is on his third Civic. Food for thought.
mehftv - True. While the S800 did receive modifications for the North American market, it was never officially imported for our side. You can count the grey market, but let's stick with the official record. Thanks for that tidbit of information.
3:25, If I don't like the whoever is going to be the passenger, I WOULD JUST NOT GIVE HIM/HER A RIDE!!! instead of letting him/her seat at the passenger seat and DON'T TELL them about it.
I use to have this car and loved it! haha you missed the hidden glove box in the center. Just pull up on the center piece where the glass wind reflector is. Its very clever.
3:25, If I don't like the whoever is going to be the passenger, I WOULD JUST NOT GIVE HIM/HER A RIDE!!! instead of letting him/her seat at the passenger seat and DON'T TELL them about it.
Actually, would be interesting to do a kit car version as well... to see if a replica can give you the same feel as a real one, if it worth it or not just for the experience.
I bought mine 2 years ago, drove it today. Not sure if I liked it the first time I test drove it, or driving it this evening. It just feels right. Possibly more right driving it tonight than the day I got it.
i worked at an oil change shop when I was 19, when a blue s2000 pulled up I was so excited because we drove the cars into the bay. I changed the oil, the filter, washed the windows and aired up the tires. Then i talked to the owner, after about 10 minutes of talking he handed me the keys again and said "lets go for a drive". my boss let me leave and I got to drive it for a whole hour, that sealed my need for the s2000. I'm 21 now and I've been saving ever since then to buy one and I'm so close. This is my dream car and I'm happy I got to drive one. The owner was about my dads age, (mid 50"s) and he was super nice, he even let me red line it for a few seconds. I'll never forget that day.
Quality should be a 10. To me it had a "handmade" feel (in a good way). It was truly a special car in the way it drove and just the overall ambiance. Driving in the 6k-8k rpm range was an experience like none other. I wish I still had it.
You may say its "not that fast" but what are you comparing it to? The fastest 100k Ferrari's and stuff like that you've driven? IMO its better to have a fun reliable car that you can really open up and let the RPM's sing to play with without getting hurt. So while it may not be nascar, it's still plenty fast to have a lot of fun with and you don't have to be scared of it like some cars. Like the ones where if your turn off traction control, you'll end up in a ditch... Personally though, I've never been much of a fan of convertibles. I'd rather have a hardtop with a sunroof. Still a very cool car.
It's actually pretty damn quick for its time period and it's category of vehicle. A stock S2000 in the early 2000s does 0-60 mph in 6 seconds, the quarter mile around 14.4, and I think a little over 140 mph? That's pretty great for nearly 20 years ago in a 2.0L, 4 cyl car.
yeah, he actually is comparing it to supercars. that it handles as well or better than many of them and is also as much fun means ridiculous value in a drivers' car for under $20k. Had my '03 for three years now - the running cost in OEM state is seriously around a tenth of what it takes to run your 'average' exotic supercar...WIN :)
Had my 2003 for 4 yrs now. Previously drove my dad's e36 U.S.-spec M3 (light mods to wheels+tire and maybe +10hp via intake+exhaust) for a while before it, but the s2k is much better to drive in every way except for torque. When cruising the s2k gives me a similar vibe to, of all things, my aunt's '84 Alfa Spider,...but then when you're on it it growls and rips around like nothing else OEM; certainly not for the money.
Wow Doug, everyone says you are a nice guy, but that giggle while saying that I, as a passenger, don’t matter sent chills down my spine, truly malevolent...
Doug the reason you feel it kicking in at 6k rpm is because of VTEC... Aided both performance and fuel economy... look it up, it's actually quite interesting
Out of all the cars I've owned, the only cars that were better built and more reliable that my 2004 S2000, were 1998 LS400 and 2006 C2S. S2000 was truly an amazing car. And comparing it to Miatas just isn't fair. Miatas are waaayy softer in both steering and suspension.
I just bought an ap1 w/31k miles. Dougs review is spot on. People think im crazy for selling my S550 GT that cost almost the same price. But I have a feeling these cars will keep going in value. Hopefully anyways!
The car is almost 20 years old and doesn't look one bit dated in styling, it's so beautiful. I'd love to get my hands on one.
90s and 00s styling is this generation’s 60s and 70s styling
Diego Garcia this and the miata are hairdresser cars
@@farmerman7947 nah s2k looks 100x better when you get a hard top and a better looking spoiler. s2ks are also great to modify with all that engine bay space
yeah these are awesome cars. People know they're good though so they keep going up in value.
Go on ebay,plenty of them
Who doesnt love a car that revs to 9000 rpms and is all about the driver? Nice tour with "all the quarks and features" as usual Doug!
ChrisFix HEY!!!!
ChrisFix dude what are you doing here lol
You have to rev the engine to 9K because it has no torque.
No it was not perfect, he did not show us how the roof works and especially how does that spare wheel fit in there.
Unfortunately this model AP2 only revs to 8k. The older s2000 AP1 are the only ones that rev to 9k. The trade off is the increase in torque.
My Miata's power comes on at about 9000rpm. Too bad it doesn't rev that high.
that’s how 86 gt owners feel too.
@@evan8tor21 86's are dogs compared to a Miata, so I cant even imagine.
HAHAHA, true. But, I had a Miata and now have an S2000, and gotta say the Miata really has more power than most think if you keep revs over +/- 5,000. Sounds great at that level as well, and it was meant to be driven that way.
@@BobC59 I test drove a few S2000's before eventually buying a Miata. The cheapest decent S2000 I could find was $25,000. I decided to just spend $3000 on a Miata because essentially it was just as enjoyable to drive. Just have to stay on top of rust 😁
@@TheAdventureAuto As a current S2000 owner (and past Miata owner), I actually agree with you! The S2K is a special car, but the smile on my face after driving it is no bigger than the one I had after driving the Miata.
The S2k is the true example of when a car company listens to its fans
Yul Strokheet Al-Wauch drive one and you’ll change your mind
It's just a shame the car was hardly updated. Aside from 2004, all the updates were very minor for the next 5 years. I'd always wondered if Honda kept up with the competition if there'd still be an S2000 nowadays like there are with Miatas, Boxsters and BMW Z's. It'd be more modern and lose some of its edge, but if they followed what Mazda did and focus on the heart of it, I think it'd do well.
@@TheMachRider if it isn't broken don't fix it
Yep, and unfortunately they don't any.ore so now we have the atrocity known as the civic, mechanically good but fugly. I actually miss the high strung, high reving engines. Everything is now turbocharged and always lose steam before the redline. I like turbos but they seem to not have the upper rpm power they used to have. Guess thats the sacrifice they made for low rpm torque and a quick boost spool up.
@@TheMachRider Because the characteristic is even more serious, exclusive than competitors.
No automatic option, manual only unlike Baxter or Miata, no hardtop unlike Miata, and one of the most high revving and power dense naturally aspirated engine even today 2020, including Ferrari F12 Tdf and some Porsche 911s.
This is why S2000 had only survived just one generation, and then become a legendary masterpiece sports car. S2000 is too hard for who are not confident to drive.
my gf left me because I gave her a low Doug score :(
practicality of 0?
So 0 importance?
Fake Website didn't she have bumper to bumper warranty?
Fake Website Too bad the weekend ride fell short 😥
wawawaaaaaa
These bodies are timeless. 20 years old and it looks so fresh and sleek still. Angles and proportions are great on it.
@Jim S. sml?
@Jim S. Not everyone seeks validation by how fast their cars go.
Jim S. Okay Jim. Whatever you say Jim. It’s a great car. Drive one someday.
E46 M3 is the same way with timeless looks, but faster
@Jim S. Some versions can do it under 14. That is fast, unless you've driven something faster. Btw, I suppose you are an American, if you care only about straight line speed.
Whoever designed that car is a genius. Almost 20 years later and still looks dead sexy from every angle.
Same designer as the NSX
1:20-1:22 is that a wasp?
timeless design forsure
shigeru uehara the creator of the nsx and s2000
Some say, Ayrton Senna had more to do with the design of this than the NSX. He then left for Williams but the S in the name is similar to his own Senna brand. And the digital dash was made to look like the McLaren F1 car mp4/4
It really kicks in above 6,000...**shifts at 6,500**
hahahaha
Not really vetc engin gose 8000 rpm. factory setup. 4:08
@@oyi-jo2lc Why 8K? I thought S2000 revs to 9K RPM. Is this some murican version or what?
Martin Coufalík it’s the refresh of the s2000. First gen went up to 9k
@@martincoufalik9101 the 2.0 revs to 9000 rpm but American customers complained that it doesn't have enough low end torque so Honda increased the stroke. Because of that they didn't let it rev that high. The 2.2 was only sold in North America and later in japan. All other places only got the 2.0.
Okay Doug, as a 16 year long S2000 owner, I'm going to correct you and provide some additional info on some of the things in this video: 1) The setting on the climate control does not direct air behind you, the air is directed below the dash to your lap and legs through those "hidden vents" you pointed out later. 2) Honda covered the stereo with the hinged cover to remove distraction from the driver. 3) The hump in the bottom floor board is Honda's X-bone chassis created for the S2000, it provides the stiffness of a coupe but in an open top car., the passenger left side hump is part of the transmission tunnel. 4) The glove box is 2 compartments between the seats, there is the one that you showed, but there is a second one you didn't show on top. 5) When you talk about storage space, the S2000 had a very good reputation for having over 5 cubic feet of trunk space, much more than other roadsters on the market at the time, the trunk could fit two sets of golf bags (with drivers removed). 6) The draw back to the 2004 refresh (known as an AP2) that you reviewed was when Honda decided to increase torque, they decided to do so by increasing the stroke in the motor and increase the displacement to 2.2L, doing so increased piston speed at redline beyond piston speeds in an F1 engine so Honda reduced the redline by 1,000 rpm. All that said, the S2000 is one of the funnest cars out there and I think you did a nice job of conveying what it's like to drive an S2000.
Thanks for the info! If Honda made this car with an automatic, I think it would sell better. It's handling score of 8 is better than the 997 Turbo, and it's insanely simple and reliable. However, because it comes in only stick, I can't buy one :(
But very cool car from Honda! When the next gen S2000 comes out, I'm definitely checking it out.
so learn how to drive stick! it's not THAT hard. and since the clutch is pretty light in the s2k, it's not difficult to learn. i've taught several people how to drive stick (in my miata and camry) and most people learn the basics in less than an hour. sure, it takes practice to get smooth, but that's even true of an automatic if you've never driven before.
Yea - I've never tried, but I hear stories of people stalling out and performing money shifts. I currently drive a 2013 BMW 335i with the 8-speed auto, and even that is faster than a manual. An auto adds to the zippiness of the car since you can step on it and instantly take off. If the S2000 came with a dual clutch (the first DCT was used in a passenger car in 2003), people would have gone nuts. It would have done 0-60 in 5.0 seconds flat, and you would have the power to change your momentum in all four directions quickly.
I know I don't sound like a man by saying #killthemanuals, but I honestly think it's time for better, faster, zippier transmissions. After all, if you don't have to focus on shifting, you can focus on driving faster.
I've owned 2 S200's before and thanks for this comment ... I cringed more than needed whenever he says a false info lol .... you forgot to mention one more point, the fuel button is not actually a button... that button is pulled not pressed
the vast majority of us can't afford such fancy transmissions yet, so manual is still the way to go for most of us. the other advantage (having driven both manual and auto versions of the same car on a track) is that you never have to guess what the transmission is about to do. a manual will never up-shift unexpectedly and cause you to get a bad lap time or not have power when you want it.
man, that gauge cluster looks amazing even today.
Honestly it’s the only bit of the car that looks dated, works great though, you can easily see the speedo and revs without looking away from the road and you do NOT want to look away over 8k in third.
It's replica of McLaren Honda F1 car great Ayrton Senna drove to win his championships
dhsilv2 No, because it does look dated.
I have an AP2, and the gauge cluster is a low point. Nothing beats a classy center tach AKA the FD RX-7 has the greatest cluster in history.
They are cool but they are very expensive to replace and parts are expensive for the car too. My dad used to have trouble finding parts for his and when he did they were not cheap. He had the ap1 model
This car doesn't even look old it doesn't look from early 2000s more like 2010 on wards car.
It does look retro, like something from the 90's. Enough to compare it to a Mazda 3 interior from 2003. However this retro stuff can be fun.
Clearly a 90's design...
@@derrickstorm6976 Your opinion is wrong
@@Sinoops clearly an 80's design
Jus like my 2007 g35 sedan it looks better than the new altimas and hondas as well as kias
I was working on the European launch of the s2000 in Germany, and one thing that stood out from Honda was how aware they were that getting the idea of a high revving engine like Vtec into the heads of the largely BMW loving journalists was going to be a tough task.
These engines are designed to run at high revs and as you found that is where the power is, the engine will happily run close to the red line all day. Practically the opposite to the typical BMW delivery.
To attempt to address this with the journalists, the pre-drive presentations went to great lengths to explain the nature and characteristics of the Honda engine. Even specifically comparing the ideal driving style for performance against a BMW.
The journalists were all advised and driven by Honda drivers before being sent out on their own to evaluate the cars, again with great care to highlight the fact that with this car you are supposed and safe to keep the engine at high revs.
Guess what? Pretty much every German journalist managed to ignore every bit of advice and tried to drive the s2000 exactly how they would a BMW! They never got to experience the car as it should be driven and all gave it bad reviews for being slow and rubbish!
Most of the other European journalists took the directions on board and most seemed to really enjoy the car.
I felt sorry for the heads of the launch team, I don’t really see what more they could have done to try to get the German press to be more open minded; it was almost laughable listening to the comments from those guys after their test drives, like they had listened to zero of the presentation and guidance and just drove the cars their usual way.
It's funny that car journalists know shit about driving a car, I personally know one and I took him on a ride with my s2000. The guy was bragging about driving gt3 once before and after a 5min ride he was begging me to slow down. Yes he doesn't have a car of his own, never had.
...as if the Porsche Boxster back in the days with 40 less HP than the S2000 wasn't a pile of crap LOL
@@PaoloD2R2 yep all of them need $5k of engine work on the IMS bearing meanwhile k series in the s2000 keeps on trucking with just oil changes.
He made a video about a Honda without mentioning vtec once haha
Didn't even mention the engine's magical quirk of having the highest specific output per liter.
Striker Alpha One used to the Ferrari 488 pista stole the title with a 3.9L V8
Haha i was just trying to see if anyone here is also bugged out that he didnt talk about vtec while saying it “gets alive” haha he shouldve said “vtec kicks in” lmao maybe he just doesnt know about vtect😁
That HAD to be intentional
Actually ur rite
*Jesse.. Don't do it. I bet he's got $100k under that hood*
Dustin Platt too soon Junior
Yo! Heads up, bro. We got problems.
Now that I'm older that's like so unrealistic even then when the car was new
Good times...
Dustin Platt lmao classic reference
Kinda disappointed by all the things not talked about in this video.
1. Forged internals from factory with fiber reinforced sleeves.
2. Factory engine making 120hp per liter, which was the highest for 10 years until the 2010 4.5l Ferrari 458 italia.
3. Like everyone said the "hidden compartment"
4. The fact that it doesn't have any door lock switches except on the fob.
5. 50/50 weight distribution.
6. Mid engine
7. S2000 CR had options for no a/c or radio from factory.
8. You have to insert and turn the key then push the "push to start" button.
9. There are cupholders.
10. The steering wheel is fixed in location and can not be adjusted.
For anyone that doesn't know, the hump on the floor is the because that's where the catalytic converter is.
turbo s2k Ikr, he talked about goofy controls and lack of cup holders and glove box for half the video, people buying s2000 don't care about glove boxes!!!
Thanks for doing Doug's work. Also, it has a retractable roof.
Thank you bro fr didn't know that
Bill Gates M8s it is a front-mid engine. The engine is behind the front axles so technically it is not wrong to say its a mid engined.
Bill Gates M8s you obviously know nothing about cars. Mid engine refers to any engine fully located between the front and rear axle. If the engine is behind the driver but in front of the rear axle, it is a "rear" mid engine. If the engine is in front of the drive but behind the front axle it is a "front" mid engine. Honda even refers to the s2000 as a mid engined car.
I’m sitting here with a sinister smile because he did a whole bit on storage in the s2000 but didn’t find the hidden compartment haha
It is supposed to be a secret, I didn't find it until another owner showed it to me like 2 years after I'd owned it! "Hidden in plain sight."
Where is it I wanna find it in mine!
Exactly haha I was also waiting for it but he forgot. That is actual the place where the car manual is stored, very funny 😂
@@zohair4658 push the button for the trunk to open and push the piece of leather on top of the button and it should be there.
Sometimescloudy you are proud of being a drug addicted? Pathetic.
I’m totally biased as I’ve owned 2 but a few things you missed:
1) This was Honda’s 50th birthday present to itself and was a tribute to its F1 racing heritage.
2) You can see that nod to its F1 dominance from the red starter button, the digital display that mimics an F1 car, and all the controls at your fingertip.
3) When first released in 2000 it had the highest output per liter than any other production vehicle
4) In the original AP1 it reved to 9000 rpm. Unheard of at that price point.
5) Its technically a mid engine car and has a perfect 50/50 weight balance
6) You missed the secret glove box ;)
7) The same guy in charge of the NSX’s development was also in charge of this one and it was his last project.
8) The LED taillights were way ahead of their time as well as the HID headlights.
Anyway, love your channel and glad you included an S2K!
Dave, having HIDs weren’t what made the car ahead of its time. It had some of the best projectors in any car for at least 10 years. If you go look at other vehicle forums, many HID upgrades said the high end solution was to use the S2000 projectors. Not sure if you have driven one at night, but if you get the chance, check it out. The light output and cutoff is shocking good and damn near perfect.
lounge2fly2 engine is in the front
bend over yes lol. I know I’ve owned 2 ;) It’s considered a mid engine because the entire engine is mounted behind the front wheels center point.
Dave Points we’ll taken. I should have been more specific on the racing point. They were celebrating their involvement in motor sports with this model. They had over 70 F1 Grand Prix victories and were the single engine supplier for Indy Car at the time. Additionally it was developed in Suzuka by the same engineers who worked on their racing engines. Not to mention their dominance in Grand Prix Motorcycle and motocross 😁.
4) True, I shouldn’t have implied it was the first or only. The Integra type R was a beast of a motor too but was limited production and if I remember correctly it wasn’t sold here. You’re right. The RX-8 did rev that high although knowing it’s garbage reliability would you want to repeatedly 😉
8) I understand it wasn’t the first or only but honestly. At that time and price point I’m pretty sure it was rare and unique. Plus I’m a lighting guy and I just think it was a cool touch.
Tommy Craft good point.
I think doug never heard about VTEC
I was about to say the same thing
Doug: You really have to get it up around 6k rpms for it to respond.
VTEC Doug, VTEC. Didn’t mention it once!
Vtec my friend....hint
@@Zeke933 & others you folks need to learn, Doug is a bit of an idiot.
@@Zeke933 He didn't even mention it is RWD. He doesn't really seem to know anything technical about cars.
That's it...we've gone old enough to think of a Honda S2000 as a midway car to classic...fuck, i'm old.
Get off my lawn!!!
Ya dam kids!
Yep, I remember test driving one when the AP1s were brand new. Where has the time gone?
No your not
Will them damn kids stop skateboarding on the sidewalk!
Air doesn't come from behind the seats. That dial on the climate control turns on the vents that are above the radio lol
*S2k owner 😎
Dammit man! I bought an S2K just for that feature, only to find no a/c or heat on my back :(
@@BobC59 I totally 2nd guessed myself after watching this video and commenting, went to my car and moved the seats and was shocked to see some kind of vent looking thing behind the seats.... I was like omg Doug knows my car better than me and he had it for 5mins... Sure enough nothing comes out of them lol
But I watched a video of a car he did recently (don't remember what car it was, definitely a roadster as well though) but he said it had some contraption that replicates a bass sound cause they couldn't put real speakers there.... I have a 2000 s2k with literally just 2 door speakers (thanks Honda) lmao and sometimes I feel like I hear bass from my trunk and was wondering if it's the same mechanisms... Clearly Doug does not know the answer to that though
@@christianwilliams6117 HAHAHA! Yeah, I did the same things when I saw this video!!! And no, nothing comes out of them - so what the heck are they there for?????????
I think we need to find out. Promise, whomever figures it out, please respond to this thread! 1, 2, 3... Go! :D
@@BobC59 lmao well it didn't take me too long to figure it out.... Thanks to Google of course (why didn't I search in the first place🙃)... www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-under-hood-22/duh-what-vents-behind-seats-708418/page2/
IDK if TH-cam let's you see links but basically it filters the are out of the cabin from what I'm reading. I guesssss🤷
Hearing Doug giggle in the same type of car I own made my day. Glad Honda can make you happy
yes he went over 6k, but was he even red lining to stay in vtec? thats probably why the car felt so slow, going in and out of vtec. obviously s2000 aint the fastest car around but i dont think he knew how to drive it
EspressoShot agreed
You have to know how to drive the s2000 to truly appreciate it. He should buy one and he will fall in love with it. My granddad owns an s2000 and I've never met someone who wasn't in love with theirs. It's really hard to explain why it's so amazing. It just engages with the driver better than anything I've ever driven.
@@avuci all I can say is you’re 100% correct.
15 year owner.
Honda hit it out of the park with the S2000. They made a great sports car that was well designed and engineered, speedy, and relatively affordable. It looks timeless.
Functionalist Imo the styling holds up so well that it still looks like something that could be new today
SecksyBoi AP2 S2000 will never age to be honest xD
And on top of that easy to customize
Idk about affordable. Where I live there’s not one in 300 miles under 20k
And now it is getting more and more expensive.
doug totally missed the "hidden" compartment.
OutofWORKoutdoors in the back there's a little lid
came here looking for this comment.....
pezjunki lol so did I, miss my old s2k
Posted basically the same comment. Loved my old s2000
I was just gonna comment this. Keep the hidden pocket hidden!
TH-camrs like Doug are among the greatest contributors to keep love for cars alive in the Uber era. Otherwise many wouldn't understand the role cars once played in people's dreams. This Honda video brings that passion back to viewers.
Great video Doug, but I do disagree with you on one point; significance. The S2000 had the highest output per liter of any naturally aspirated car until it was dethroned in 2010 by the Ferrari 458 Italia. Just a matter of opinion, but having the highest hp/liter for 10 years is no small feat in my eyes
It's also the follow-on so the Honda s600, a legendary car with incredible importance to Honda and Japanese sports car heritage.
Anthony Ghadieh besides no one breaking that for 10 years, to have a company as big as ferrari have to make a several hundred thousand car just to beat it is insane
i aggree "..but having the highest hp/liter for 10 years is no small feat in my eyes" ...
I don't believe that. What about the RX8? It had a 1.3 liter rotary
@@LongWalker730 rx-7?
When you hit the VTEC transition at about 6k, it really starts to breathe. Under that RPM, it becomes an "economy" car
Gotta love ULEV. Honda and Tesla are saving the planet. Unlike trucktards
Isn't it 5600 when the cam profile changes?
That's literaly why VTEC was created. To be able the be fun and efficent
I wish Honda had tuned the VTEC cams for power at low AND high rpm. But they didn’t so this car SUCKS around town. I still love mine though.
Boring....who wants to rev a car out all the time to get power...I much prefer low down torque engines.
A friend and coworker of mine owned an S2000 and he used to let me drive it. Doug is spot on. The handling is pure fun, and the engine is gutless at low revs. But driving with the top down was amazing fun, and once it hit that 6000rpm you get shoved back in your seat and very quickly find yourself above the speed limit!
The gear shifter was great, short and notchy, but even in 6th gear, cruising at 100kph was a buzzy noisy affair! My girlfriend and I borrowed it and did 1000km in a weekend, driving along twisting swooping country roads and it was the best driving fun I've ever had.
But when we needed to stop for petrol, I couldn't find the damned fuel door release!!! :-D I had to look up the owner's manual to find it in the door sill as I'd never seen it filled before.
Such a fun car. Great fun going through tunnels with the top down, slowing down and then revving it high. Good times :-)
Nice short review mate, thanks for that!
You got it perfectly! It was an orgasm on wheels!
My grandparents have a blue 2004 model like this one (without the spoiler), and I have very fond memories growing up and getting to go for a ride in it. I’m almost 18 and have had my license for about two years now, but have never learned how to drive stick. But my grandpa says he’s gonna teach me this summer in the S2000 and I’m really excited to finally get behind the wheel after all of these years. It’s just a really fun car
Everyone is saying “miata is always the answer”, but to me the S2000 seems better in every way
TheCokecinelles except for the price lol
I think so too, but not for the difference in price. A Miata is 90% an S2000 and for a fraction of the price. It's up to you if it's worth it though.
Because "Miata Is Always The Answer" literally spells MIATA, but I own an s2000 and it most definitely is superior in every way except weight
DoritosDoor If you factor in crash ratings, its weight doesn't seem so bad.
Miatas are hella ugly
My first dream car
As kid I wanted to buy New one And care for it
And then they stopped making them
Still i wish one day I can afford used one
Krzysztof Dolecki same
Krzysztof Dolecki just get an frs
Krzysztof Dolecki Buy a tesla
Krzysztof Dolecki in my area they go for like 20K, but this used to be my dream car too
I felt the same way. Bought one. After a while it gets really annoying to drive as a daily. Such a lack of torque forces you to rev it out a bit, and sometimes you just don't feel like driving it aggressively. My suggestion is don't buy one unless you have another car.
1:20 That mud dobber/yellow jacket was coming for blood
I was going to ask what that monstrosity was 😂
That was quite a massive fucker too, I'd love to see Doug's reaction when playing back the tape
this is honestly a extremely beautiful car
The best shifter ever, by far. The snick-snick of the stick is PERFECT.
@Turbo knight No Ford gear box will ever beat even a Honda economy gearbox, sorry. The 94-01 generations of the Honda Prelude were the same, shift out the shift bushings to aluminum and you quite literally had one of the best feeling gearboxes in the industry.
“It comes alive at around 6k rpm” FRIKKEN VTEK MY DUDES!
Throttle rc4 vtec kicked in yooooo
Doug is constantly being pushed when the vtec was kicking in
Vtec kicked in yo
Doug... The trick to having maximum fun and performance in one of these cars, is to drive the S2000 like you stole it. Honda's F1 racing engineers had a hand in design and the engine dynamics are the result. This is the closest car from Japan that compares to the high-revving Italian Super-cars. I had a 2001 and it was always in the 6500 to 9000 RPM range. It was one of the most fun cars to drive. Now, this video has inspired me to start looking for a 2000 or 2001 S2000. That engine when it revs to 9000 RPM.... is like a F1 Race Car!
RIght there with you bud. I did my research in 2006 when I bought mine (used) and if you want to enjoy all the perks of the AP1 (00-2003) without all the issues of the earlier years, buy a 2003.
They took care of the differential issue, they put a stronger pressure plate on the clutch, and some engi9nes were dropping valves due to valve springs retainers cracking and in some cases FAILING. They also got rid of that crappy/hazy plastic rear window from the 00-02 for a glass one with rear defrost (which does reduce the width of visability... but its still way better than a plastic window that has hazed over. They even changed the shift knob from the ALL stainless LAVA ROCK to one that had a leather strip in it so if the sun was on it all day.. it didn't burn off your finger prints when you touched it like the earlier 00-01 unit.
The '04-on is the "AP2" and although they made it look better with a slight facelift, they kind of "pussified" it so you have to do a few things to it to make it more like the AP1 again -
the updated wheel size saw the front wheel width increase with the diameter, that .2 bore/stroke upgrade they made to net some low end tq set the redline back to 8500. They also installed a little cushion between the clutch fork and slave cylinder to soften clutch engagement (cause lets face it.. if you owned an s2k and didn't do a full on VTEC clutchdump from a stand still.. you weren't living life right! LOL)
They even changed the seats to have less bolstering for "comfort".
THey attempted to "upgrade" the stereo but it STILL wasnt loud enough to hear at highway speeds with the top down. Unless you upgraded the player OR had a killer intake/exhaust setup.. long rides at speed would get boring.
the interior did get nicer material on the dash and seats in the AP2.. but thats small potatoes.
Good luck on your hunt and I hope you get another one duder! I myself AND the wife want another one but financially - Im going to have to pull a trade up game until Ican afford one. Ive started with a 2003 Explorer I got for free and have worked my way up to a 2007 Wolfsberg Ed Jetta so Im getting closer financially. a few thousand more in value and I'll have what I need to own one again!
Quite a few Hondas are fun to drive once you start driving them like you stole em. And I've always heard the AP1s tend to get loose above 80-90 mi/hr.
MacPro8CoreMan sorry if i seem ignorant/dumb, im a young and new car enthusiast and am only starting to learn more about cars. is it harmful for the car if i rev it high? im referring to cars in general, not just the s2000. even normal cars like the honda civic or some normal toyota. and of course i dont mean revving it until redline, maybe until around the 6k rpm mark. sometimes i try to rev it high in my mom's toyota that has vvt and the sound of the engine when it reaches 4k rpm makes me uncomfortable so i just stop. i apologise again for probably sounding like an idiot to you guys
@LAD Teknologies you'll be cookin with that setup
@LAD Teknologies yeah Ohlins is definitely top of the line in terms of suspension. Wouldn't a staggered setup with the rear tires being wider help alleviate the loose feeling at higher speeds? I agree with your point about the shorter wheelbase.
My wife and I decided to look for an S2000 back in 2010. We went to a dealership to "Look" and "Drive" the car. It was a Laguna Blue with 24000 miles on it. Asking price was around $25K. Bare in mind we lived in MN so convertible only gets 6 months of use out of the year. I had to show the "Sales lady" how to start the car. After we both drove it, I drove home. My wife decided to stay to "Look at numbers" with her friend, who drove her there. Later that evening, I was having dinner, when I saw this gorgeous blue thing drove up to my driveway. All I can think of is, "She didn't". Yes. She did. This was a present for each other when we got married in 2010. Unfortunately, 5 years later, we had a baby and this had to go. I miss it dearly. It was a great car. I miss washing and waxing it on sunny days and taking it for a spin. You cannot be mad/angry/sad/depressed when you're driving this thing. It's smiles all the way. I vow that someday after our daughter grows up, I will rebuy the car. This one here is great as well. I also hope Honda brings it back.
There's also a cubby that flips up on top of the center storage unit. You lift a little lever and pop up the flap.
Honda Vlogs shhh it's a secret
I was disappointed he missed that. Thought for sure he’d find it. Especially since he knocked on it for not having a glove box. It sure as shit does 😆
Yes,that is the best secret of the car. took my two years before i found out about it. haha
Ssshhh we never speak of the secret compartment
Everyone demand a second review but this time in an AP1 to see if he notices any difference .
Doug, you forgot the Hidden storage compartment! The handle is inside the glove box between the seats. The door that the wind deflector sits on flips up!
okay then, the cubby hole between the seats
These engines were never meant to be for drag races so pure acceleration off the mark is nothing special but on a proper track where you can manipulate your RPM to always be in VTEC these cars will smash any other NA four cylinder and even most turbocharged four cylinders. Honda don't make drag cars, they make race cars, there is a reason they have Type R not Type D.
The fact that all your power lies in the high RPM makes it stupid fun to drive fast as driving it properly means that the engine is always incredibly loud and is probably a great way for people to learn to use the right gears for the best possible times.
Ow the edge! Racing isn't just about who has the bigger engine, only a child thinks that.
Type R does not stand for 'racing', so the "Type D" argument is just stupid.
All rally cars are 4 cyllinders
From stock, these cars can make 400+hp on 14 lbs of boost with a clutch and some fresh brakes... How the fuck is that a shitty car?
Anonymous226 muh v8 uhh
“But as the passenger, you don’t matter in an S2000” that shit cracked me up
Doug,
The s2k was made to be driven through the curves, and it does so perfectly. It was not designed for straight line speed. Perfect pedal set up; braking is phenomenal; there is no better short-throw shifter; steering wheel is very communicative. I am 6' 4" tall and I fit in it comfortably. The car is a true driver's car. It was meant to be driven, not to be practical. If you want additional cargo space, then you get an Accord or Civic. One additional quirk that you failed to mention is that above the glove box between the seats, lies another storage area, which is very deep. I leased one from 2004-2008 and owned one from 2008 through 2017, when it was unfortunately stolen. In a word, the car is frenetic above 6500 rpm, and it is meant to be, to have fun. Regarding the bump, it is across member, shaped like an X, that gives the car substantial torsional rigidity, and allows it to handle so well. The car does not rise during cornering or acceleration, and it does not squat during braking, due to the stiff suspension. What's more, it has no driver's aids other than traction control (added in 2006) and abs. This car is perfect for driving enthusiasts.
Top up it will do about 152, top down about 135..
@@dundonrl personally saw 152 in my 2004.
@@dundonrl top down - much faster - I used to do 250 km/h with top down which is approx 150 mph
@@KrissowskiM Not from my experience. Even holding it at WOT for miles not going to be that fast, there's just too much drag with it down.
@@dundonrl well - I used to have 2001 version and 2004 euro specs - both of them used to do it on a highway... 245 - easy! Later - a bit slower (with top down)
You missed the secret storage compartment, I accidentally found it after 2 years of owning mine. I've owned mine for almost 11 years and never had anything major go out. I love the s2000
basshead972 where is it
Kyro Raj Right over middle one that Doug shown that housed trunk release. There is a hidden latch inside to lift the lid above
This guy is jay leno's son right?
it was a joke i love doug, chill dude hahahaha
David G Sorry. You sound like those typical haters Doug gets. My apologies. It's hard to identify jokes to actual haters these days.
Just because he's heavily into cars and looks like a younger version of him? Nah.
no
Mich Sato r/wooosh
I owned one myself and it’s awesome to see someone experience the VTEC “kick” for the first time
Too soon junior
eurosonly go fetch my car
Go fetch your car? We're not on your block any more. You better watch who you talk to like that.
burningknuckle26 , swat invaded my home man, and you know what? It was YOU!
Verruckter Schakal I never narced on no body
Ahhh! Shit!!!!!! Oh god.....
Ha! Secret compartment is secret!
was just thinking that. Brotherhood thinks the same.
I was happy that he missed that too!
He got close, thought he was going to expose it. It's where I found my drivers manual (3rd owner). I wonder how many years it sat in there.
Shhhhh thats an S2000 owners secret ;)
Haha I was sure he was going to expose it!
push start was a game changer back in 2004
oplix it's not push start
Evin Herzberg it literally says push to start to the left of the steering wheel
It was an even bigger game changer back in 1999. But its a shame its not push to stop.
Awesome how it now required 2 hands to start your car and not just one.
Well for those of us who *don't* store our left pinkie up a nostril, not really a hardship.
The interior is simply timeless classic.
So early, Doug is the type of guy comments aren't even here yet
They are probably in school right now, must be 11am in Freedomland
The only time Ill read the comments on a Doug video
Doug!! You missed the "secret" storage compartment! Most owners don't even know about it.
and the cup holder in the center console
Came here to mention that.
Christopher Craft were is it that's why I love Honda's they all have one
It's right above the compartment with the trunk button, where the wind deflector is attached. I have a 2008 Chicane Silver S2000 w/ 46k miles.
I didn't know about the secret compartment until literally like 7 months of ownership when another s2000 owner showed me after my little rant about lack of storage
I miss the S2K! It seems impossible to find a used CR edition now.
Lil Shrimp club racer
Sarah -n- Tuned I think it's better to take a normal one and modify it like the cr
K Lin shots clean!!:)
Sarah -n- Tuned k Lin is selling his CR s2000! Shit is clean and sweet! Go for it!
I've seen a couple for sale in my area out here in SoCal. They are priced in the prices 20s though. But to be fair they are low miled
Wow, watching this years later just shows how much more polished Doug has become. Big growth & it shows.
Yeah but he really needs to actually drive these performance cars.
Fair review, you forgot the secret compartment above the center console, no mention of the 50/50 weight distribution or how the S2000 had the most HP per liter (120) until being surpassed by the Ferrari 458 I think 9 years later.
El Fuerte its a Honda... Talking about a Honda with horsepower is like a woman with dong
Evin Herzberg -_-
its a fact though.
He also didn't mention the insane speed of the retractable power top. I was told by an S2000 owner, that later showed me how fast the top can go up and down, that it was one of the fastest power tops put into a production car when it came out. We timed it and it took about 12 seconds, which is really fast.
@@josephsummers2427 it was half the time.
"Too soon, junior!" - A line every S2k fan should be familiar with.
Actually it is, "Too soon, boy!" -Johnny Tran in his snowflake body decal...
Why did Jesse (an engineering genius) think his Jetta could beat an s2000 with $100 grand under the hood?
Lucky889 S it’s took soon junior
*Toretto! Swat came in, disrespected my whole family, and you know what, it was you!*
Bryan Young maybe he thought the 100 grand was a just a briefcase full of cash
All controls should allow an elbow to the head of passengers who try to touch them. And....
"As a passenger, you don't matter in an S2000"
The perfect driver's car :D
exactly . it's not about the passenger
Shark do
This video has been out for over 2 years now and I'm just finally getting around to watching it. If your a car guy I agree that this is one of many cars you should get a chance to drive.
6/10 for importance? This car has a 9000 rpm red line and 50/50 weight distribution and highest hp per liter until the Ferrari came out.
he has no clue. he talks about how slow the car is below 5k. when a car redlines at 9k, who in their right mind would get on it at such a low RPM. the full reason behind the vtec engine is for it to be slow and eco then turn into a beast when the vtec kicks in.
Exactly.Knocked the sr20de ( nissan silvia, Nissan SSS pulsar, Nissan 200sx) off its purch as the highest specific outout per litre.
Aussie Guy that's got a turbo does it not? Because this engine got it's record at the time for a n/a engine
No it was also n/a.SR20det was turbo.
John Miller i
I think you made a mistake on the importance factor. It was the first easily accessible car to rev to 9k, and that's a big deal considering almost no road car could do that before it came along.
Not only that, but these days you have to look at Lotus (and their price range and problematic build quality) to find a car more pure, analog and less computer controlled. These will become more and more important.
It also held the record for the highest normally aspirated specific output (hp/liter) for a number of years. And it was Honda's first RWD car in something like 40 years.
Patrick94GSR rwd "honda" in America. However, the NSX preceded the S2000 by about a decade, was rwd, and sold as a Honda globally. In the US it was sold as the flagship Acura...which are just leather upgraded Hondas.
oops duh I forgot about the NSX... THE HORROR! lol Also I forgot about the JDM Beat from the 80's.
Patrick94GSR yes, the little 3 cylinder hero!
He forgot the secret compartment in the cabin... I only found it like 3 months after owning mine!
You gotta be an owner to know that one!
Came here to make the same comment.
MikeV@GPT Same.
You're right. I once got a chance to talk to Shigeru Uehara and he told me that's what it was designed for when I asked him about it.
I had mine for several months before a friend of mine told me about it!
Owned my Honda S2000 for four years now and Doug just taught me about getting air from behind you. Thanks, Doug.
Doesn't happen. Much of his info is wrong.
Some one with an s2000 should take this guy for a real spin lol
I'll do it ... ;)
With the 2 liter..
I agree!
You F'd up Doug, you forgot about the secret storage compartment that opens up on top of the main one.
"It just not that fast till.... VTEC KICKED IN YO"
soap38
Yup. When vtec kicks in, in my odyssey, I feel like I can beat anything
I was looking for this comment. Here have my upvote, sir.
Cumye West But it bore the fortunate fruits of being a part time race car. I love Hondas to bits.
9:10 V-tec just kicked in!
Why every1 loves the Honda S2K ???
VTec Yo
Mr. Spaghetti has a supra, so its only right Doug reviews s2000
Is this joke still funny?
3:25, If I don't like the whoever is going to be the passenger, I WOULD JUST NOT GIVE HIM/HER A RIDE!!! instead of letting him/her seat at the passenger seat and DON'T TELL them about it.
lawnmower s2k
FORE$KIN GANG!
You missed the secret compartment, I can't tell you where it is because, well, it's a secret.
Also, below the flat trunk bottom carpet panel is a tray that holds the scissor jack/tool kit, if you remove the tray you'll see the bottom is curved, that's there so if you get a flat tire you can remove the tray and carry your removed wheel/tire home inside the trunk.
Yes, the secret compartement...oh but where could it be? Did you say biggest compartement? Hidden? whaaaaat?
i laughed and i looked through the comments to see if anyone had mentioned the secret compartment.....i'm glad i'm not the only one who noticed.
beans301 +1😉
Doug missing quirks... It's like his signature thing! Damnit Doug! I love you but damnit! Lol.
You can definitely tell who is/was a S2K owner by talking about the secret compartment....its like our own special handshake.
It does 0-60 in 5.5 seconds , that's not even slow . Maybe in today standards v8 doing it in 3.4 seconds . This is an almost 20 year old 4 cylinder rwd mini beast
Prodigious 909 hell yeah pull that vtec engine 😎 !!!
ORANGE BOY 714 lol yeah he makes it seem so much slower... he literally took off in 2nd and expected to be Impressed drive it like it's meant to be driven
chukob5 he drove it like a granny
He is renting these cars and if he drove them like he stole them these rental places wouldn't keep cutting him deals.
Alvin Brinson you're supposed to drive the s2000 hard tho that's why 9krpm it's not meant to be driven like an elderly man . The s2k loves high revvs
Honda has a history of digital dashes like the S2K's, just not here in the US. Going way back to 1984, in Japan, you could get the CRX with a digital dash and it looked freaking AMAZING. It's one of the most desirable 1st gen CRX JDM parts.
I think it deserves a 7 or 8 in importance, just because od the fact that this car is still sought after 20 years later, and it also held the record for highest HP output per liter until Ferrari came out with the 458 Italia.
starchmed it's sought after by honda fanboys people looking for a roadster would discard this from their list
This dude prolly got smoked by one
S2000s are much better than miatas and i love miatas.
The hump in the passenger footwell is where the catalytic converter is located next to the gearbox
Should remove the cat and bang in the hump.
Wow never knew that no wonder why it gets so fucking hot lol
I have owned my 2005 for over 10 years now. Has been a daily driver for most of those years earning 138k miles of pure pleasure so far. I will never get rid of it. And yes it's been very reliable.
Oh reliable minus the wear points on the soft top, those are just arrrhhh!!
Cool.
I just recently had to put reinforcement in an soft top area that was looking thin (not worn through). 60,000 on my 05. I have two sets of 05 rims since they where the nicest designs. One set of rims wears cold weather tires and one set has summer weather tires.
Dont let it go. I let go of mine and it was a mistake. I miss it a lot.
same here , i have owned my 03 since 2010... never gonna part with it... only real downside is the Timing chain tension er that quite often.
Honda was winning with these 90s and 2000s designs. The S2K and 5th gen Preludes look like something they could push out as a new model and I’d still buy it
I think this car's significance score should be higher. I'm from Timmins Ontario Canada, and when this car hit the street, they made sure to have one on display in the mall with all the specs listed, too. The good old boys were shocked at the horsepower rating and performance figures. Next thing you know, there were more Civics and Accords next to their pickups, instead of Cavaliers and Malibus. It made some of the hardcore domestic owners realize that Honda built good cars with small engines that put out good horsepower figures, great gas mileage and high reliability, not to mention higher resale value. Hell, my neighbor who used to hate on Hondas is on his third Civic. Food for thought.
Jean Fresco It was also the first Honda badged vehicle sold in North America with rear drive and a convertible.
mehftv - True. While the S800 did receive modifications for the North American market, it was never officially imported for our side. You can count the grey market, but let's stick with the official record. Thanks for that tidbit of information.
Wow, this car has aged extremely well. I can't believe it is 13-17 years old.
Nash Davis I'm 17, man I'm old
Yeah the car look is extreme!
That sounded weird.
Oscar Tobar
How many grandkids do you have?
Agent. K. 700
Who thinks Doug should review a Fiat Panda?
Wrench '90 one would be great
3:25, If I don't like the whoever is going to be the passenger, I WOULD JUST NOT GIVE HIM/HER A RIDE!!! instead of letting him/her seat at the passenger seat and DON'T TELL them about it.
04' panda 1.3 diesel
Better a Multipla
Wrench "Bubber" a fiat multipla would be hilarious.
I had an '03 in Grand Prix White! Man o man I miss it! Thanks Doug for bringing back good memories!
I use to have this car and loved it! haha you missed the hidden glove box in the center. Just pull up on the center piece where the glass wind reflector is. Its very clever.
It would be cool to see Doug review that little red Porsche at 0:33! (Assuming it's the real deal, and not a kit car)
3:25, If I don't like the whoever is going to be the passenger, I WOULD JUST NOT GIVE HIM/HER A RIDE!!! instead of letting him/her seat at the passenger seat and DON'T TELL them about it.
Jeffrey JeffreyFLF What does this have to do with the comment?
Actually, would be interesting to do a kit car version as well... to see if a replica can give you the same feel as a real one, if it worth it or not just for the experience.
Its a kit. So is the Cobra. I work for morries....but you can rent them for cheap!
Fozzie84 thank you for letting us know!
I love how he presses the fuel door release when its a pull knob.
😂👌🏼
I bought mine 2 years ago, drove it today. Not sure if I liked it the first time I test drove it, or driving it this evening.
It just feels right. Possibly more right driving it tonight than the day I got it.
He missed the "secret" compartment teehee
Paul Solver yep lol
I was about to say the same thing haha
Same. How do you miss one off the biggest "quirks" of the whole car? lol
Yeah, was waiting for it but he completely missed it. It's the biggest compartment in the interior too.
Was looking for this. Seems it is super secret....
pause at 1:20 / 1:21 wtf is that bug a wasp? looks deformed af
ya I saw it weird
I think that might be a mud dauber?
It seems to be this one www.factzoo.com/sites/all/img/insects/wasps/black-wasp.jpg
Lmao
League is Life lemayo
8:58 when a fly gets in your mouth but you haven't had breakfast so fuck it.
Borat. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 nice one
Borat. I'm dead
brooooooo
BROOOOOOOOOOOOO
Good one lol 👊🏼
Borat. Hahahhaha
i worked at an oil change shop when I was 19, when a blue s2000 pulled up I was so excited because we drove the cars into the bay. I changed the oil, the filter, washed the windows and aired up the tires. Then i talked to the owner, after about 10 minutes of talking he handed me the keys again and said "lets go for a drive". my boss let me leave and I got to drive it for a whole hour, that sealed my need for the s2000. I'm 21 now and I've been saving ever since then to buy one and I'm so close. This is my dream car and I'm happy I got to drive one. The owner was about my dads age, (mid 50"s) and he was super nice, he even let me red line it for a few seconds. I'll never forget that day.
Quality should be a 10. To me it had a "handmade" feel (in a good way). It was truly a special car in the way it drove and just the overall ambiance. Driving in the 6k-8k rpm range was an experience like none other. I wish I still had it.
J Fazzuoli You fanboy ricer.
"Handmade is just another word for the door will fall of"
should be a 3*
Bentley and rolls get 10s not hondas, btw i own 2 so im not hating but its the truth
It was ‘handmade’. They were producing only 12 k per year so it wasn’t cost effective to robotise the assembly line!
You may say its "not that fast" but what are you comparing it to? The fastest 100k Ferrari's and stuff like that you've driven?
IMO its better to have a fun reliable car that you can really open up and let the RPM's sing to play with without getting hurt. So while it may not be nascar, it's still plenty fast to have a lot of fun with and you don't have to be scared of it like some cars. Like the ones where if your turn off traction control, you'll end up in a ditch...
Personally though, I've never been much of a fan of convertibles. I'd rather have a hardtop with a sunroof. Still a very cool car.
It's actually pretty damn quick for its time period and it's category of vehicle. A stock S2000 in the early 2000s does 0-60 mph in 6 seconds, the quarter mile around 14.4, and I think a little over 140 mph? That's pretty great for nearly 20 years ago in a 2.0L, 4 cyl car.
Joseph Summers my 2003 s2000 did 13.9 quarter mile. They’re not fast but they’re quick.
That's good enough for me.
Joseph Summers same here. Fast enough to have fun. Worth it for one of the best cars to drive.
yeah, he actually is comparing it to supercars.
that it handles as well or better than many of them and is also as much fun means ridiculous value in a drivers' car for under $20k.
Had my '03 for three years now - the running cost in OEM state is seriously around a tenth of what it takes to run your 'average' exotic supercar...WIN :)
A true drivers car.
Had my 2003 for 4 yrs now. Previously drove my dad's e36 U.S.-spec M3 (light mods to wheels+tire and maybe +10hp via intake+exhaust) for a while before it, but the s2k is much better to drive in every way except for torque. When cruising the s2k gives me a similar vibe to, of all things, my aunt's '84 Alfa Spider,...but then when you're on it it growls and rips around like nothing else OEM; certainly not for the money.
Holy shit Doug talks so fast in his older videos
You missed the secret compartment above the compartment between the seats!
this car has aged EXTREMELY well
James Mun True. That's because they don't make it like they used to....
PhillyB if only honda pushes out vehicles more like this instead of those crappy cvt engines
9:00 it's called VTEC, hunny.
Alex W my VTEC kicks in at 4000 RPM
mine kicks in at right below 4k in my civic
my vtech phone rings at right at 4:00am
My vtec punches in 4rpm
DeOndré Anderson what do you have?
How did you get away with not putting the top up/down? You did a great job of showing us the top button.
You missed the best quirk Doug. The car is considered a mid engine drive since the motor sits behind the the front axle rather than on top
and the engine, the engine is pushed back behind the front wheels. *CLOSER TO ME!*
Behind the front "axle" sorry had to say it
Go check the video. He said wheels at 2:03
Doug the type of guy to wear a swimsuit while taking a bath so he doesn't see himself naked
Radwan Afiouni the shame!!!
Radwan Afiouni I'm weak
Doug the type of guy to spend a fucking minute talking about what he's going to do in the video....even though all his videos are the same
Wow Doug, everyone says you are a nice guy, but that giggle while saying that I, as a passenger, don’t matter sent chills down my spine, truly malevolent...
at 6000 rpm VTEC KICKS IN YO!!
Doug the reason you feel it kicking in at 6k rpm is because of VTEC... Aided both performance and fuel economy... look it up, it's actually quite interesting
Out of all the cars I've owned, the only cars that were better built and more reliable that my 2004 S2000, were 1998 LS400 and 2006 C2S. S2000 was truly an amazing car. And comparing it to Miatas just isn't fair. Miatas are waaayy softer in both steering and suspension.
I just bought an ap1 w/31k miles. Dougs review is spot on. People think im crazy for selling my S550 GT that cost almost the same price. But I have a feeling these cars will keep going in value. Hopefully anyways!