The Greatest Hondas of All Time

What Makes It Special

In 1990, Honda’s groundbreaking sports car, the NSX, redefined the supercar concept by combining beauty, power, and innovation.

Underneath its sleek and aerodynamic exterior lies a 3.0 liter V6 engine with 270 horsepower sent to the rear wheels. Its lightweight aluminum body construction and advanced suspension system provided exceptional handling and agility.

The NSX pioneered variable valve timing, titanium connecting rods, and a drive-by-wire throttle system. However, what truly set the NSX apart was its outstanding balance and driving experience.

Honda achieved near-perfect weight distribution through meticulous engineering. At the same time, their innovative aluminum monocoque chassis delivered unmatched rigidity, creating a car that responded effortlessly to every input from the driver for an exhilarating and precise driving experience.

The NSX also excelled in driver comfort, with an ergonomic cockpit design, advanced climate control features, and excellent visibility, making it practical for everyday use while providing an enjoyable driving experience. Even today, the NSX remains an icon in automotive engineering - symbolizing Honda's dedication to pushing boundaries and redefining what is possible.

What Makes It Special

Honda introduced the CRX Si in 1985, incorporating fuel injection into the standard CRX's carbureted engines (1.5 liters, four cylinders). With this update, horsepower increased from 76 to 91 horses. However, Honda continued making advancements, leading to impressive results that helped establish the regular CRX and its hotter variant, the Si, as truly exalted standards.

One notable upgrade occurred a few years later, in 1988, when Honda completely replaced the previous torsion bar front/semi-independent rear suspensions found on earlier versions - opting for fully independent double wishbones on all four wheels.

This change brought better ride quality while enhancing the feeling of athleticism and agility among drivers. Furthermore, these changes more than satisfied customer expectations with a newly improved 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with multi-port fuel injection (that pumped out a whopping 105 horsepower and torque of 98 lb-ft). As if this wasn't enough, the '88 Si, paired with its five-speed manual transmission, reached up to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds.

What Makes It Special

Among the most popular sports cars from Honda, the Prelude may not be the first model to come to mind. However, the Prelude’s range-topper, the Type SH (Super Handling), which featured a refined design and chassis, has consistently gained popularity among Honda enthusiasts thanks to its agile handling and solid powertrain.

The Prelude Type SH featured a new Active Torque Transfer System (ATTS), a small automatic gearbox mated to the car's differential that sends torque to the wheel that needs the most power to optimize traction.

The Honda Prelude SH offers fun driving dynamics due to its tight chassis and naturally aspirated 2.2L DOHC VTEC inline-four engine with 200 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque. Its engine configuration offered five extra horses compared to earlier versions from 1997 or 1998. However, the overall rev limit is lower than other VTEC engines.

The Prelude Type SH equips a proficient five-speed manual gearbox with excellent spacing between the ratios, bringing ease of use for those who value smooth, sporty pleasure versus aggressive, sporty driving.

What Makes It Special

Sold in the U.S. under Honda's luxury and performance division, Acura, the new Honda NSX Type S generation features striking styling and top-class performance thanks to its hybrid powertrain and sharper handling. In addition, the new NSX is packed with advanced technology, including a torque vectoring system, adaptive suspension, and a carbon fiber monocoque chassis. The result is a truly exhilarating driving experience.

The new generation NSX achieves this performance through technological improvements such as Sport Hybrid Super Handling All Wheel Drive (Sport Hybrid SH AWD). Additionally, hybrid electric motors enhance acceleration, braking, and cornering abilities and ensure energy efficiency.

A rear-mid-mounted 3.5-liter 24-valve twin-turbocharged V6 DOHC engine powers this supercar, perfectly harmonizing with the nine-speed dual-clutch transmission. The engine is mated to two AC motors on each axle, producing a whopping 600 hp and 492 lb-ft of torque together, making the NSX one of the market's most powerful hybrid sports cars. The new NSX can go from 0 to 60 in a blistering 2.9 seconds. The quarter-mile is within 11.0 seconds, reaching a top speed of 191 mph.

What Makes It Special

The 2002 Honda NSX Type R portrays a daring and forceful demeanor compared to the standard model, embodying the spirit of a formidable racer. Thanks to its power, handling, speed, and precise steering, the NSX-Type R is an all-rounder that could sprint from 0 to 60 in a mere 5.7 seconds.

Although engineers made compromises to balance raw performance and daily drivability for the NSX released in 1991, the 1992 debut of the NSX-Type R was tailored for drivers searching for an uncompromising racing experience. The revised 2002 version featured a 3.2-liter mid-engine V6 with 290 horsepower. Its high-revving engine contains innovative production technologies, including titanium connecting rods, forged pistons, and the VTEC valve train.

Honda also reduced weight on an already light aluminum-bodied NSX. The seats were carbon-kevlar Recaro, with relatively light and straightforward steering and a shift knob made of titanium, plus all the windows, the rear glass, and the windshield were thinner.

But that was not all; Honda nixed the AC and made the stereo an optional commodity, which wasn't available in standard versions. This reduced the car's weight by about 265 pounds from the standard NSX.

What Makes It Special

The 2023 Honda Civic Type R is the most powerful Honda production vehicle ever sold in the U.S. and its release coincides with the Civic Type R and the Civic's 25th and 50th anniversaries, respectively.

One of the notable features of the new Civic Type R is its exterior design, which emphasizes unity and integration. Elements such as the front and rear bumpers, rear doors, and wheel arches have been exclusively developed for this model.

The more prominent and lower grille is attached to the hood to optimize airflow to the engine. Its side spoilers have been incorporated behind the front wheels, while a more prominent rear diffuser is integrated into the underbody.

The new rear wing generates more downforce than its predecessor, and its placement at an angle helps minimize air resistance. Underneath the hood lies an evolved version of the previous generation's 2.0-liter turbo engine delivering an impressive output of 329 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque.

The new Civic Type R can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, with a top speed of 170 mph.

What Makes It Special

In 1995, Honda introduced the Integra Type R to the Japanese domestic market. The Japanese specification Type R came standard with a 147 kW (200 PS; 197 hp) factory-tuned variant of the B18C engine. Power figures varied slightly between markets, with USDM cars putting out 145 kW (198 PS; 195 hp) and UK-spec cars making 139 kW (190 PS; 187 hp). Equipped with a close-ratio 5-speed manual transmission and a helical-type limited-slip differential, the Integra Type R had significantly improved performance and handling relative to the GS-R/Si/SiR-G Integra.

These were the result of extensive changes, including a strengthened chassis with extra spot welds and thicker metal around the rear shock towers and lower subframe, weight reduction (reduced sound insulation, 10 percent thinner windscreen, lighter wheels), more power, rev limiter set at 8,600 rpm JDM (8,500 rpm USDM, 8,700 rpm UKDM), hand-built engine featuring hand-polished and ported intake ports, high-compression pistons, undercut valves and revised intake and exhaust systems, and suspension upgrades.

The result was a capable sports liftback which was acclaimed by motoring journalists worldwide. The JDM version was significantly lighter than the SiR Integra (The 96–97 spec model could delete the air bags, air conditioning, rear wiper, radio, center console, clock, power steering and anti-lock brakes). However, there is only a 33 lb net weight difference between the USDM Integra Type R and the Integra GS-R because the extra metal and cross bracing in the Type R negate much of the 98 lb of weight reductions.

What Makes It Special

The S2000 could fit in any of the three categories on this page. This car is notable and desirable thanks to its chassis, which has an ideal 50/50 weight distribution and a solid powertrain, exemplifying Honda's significant breakthroughs in engineering innovation. Still, it also delivers incredible performance and has gorgeous styling.

In 1999, Honda introduced the head-turning S2000 convertible, an innovative masterpiece with an unassuming yet cutting-edge design and unmatched performance features. Sporting a superior heart that pushed out an impressive output of 234 horsepower across all markets except Japan (where customized configurations enabled ten extra horsepower), alongside a constant torque rating of between 153 and 160 lb-ft., powering up this ride entailed engaging six speeds within the manual transmission before finally transmitting the power down through the rear axle.

Inside this dream vehicle's hood lies supreme engineering expertise that reliably delivers maximum power-band output at RPM levels up to 8,300, redlining at astonishingly high limits of around 9,000 rpm.

Despite feeling sluggish at low-end (especially compared to high-end performance levels), the S2000 transforms into a high-performing beast when you hit the peak of the tachometer, thanks partly to Honda's VTEC technology.

What Makes It Special

From 1966 to 1970, Honda manufactured an exceptional sports car that inspired Honda’s VTEC engines, the S800, as this magnificent vehicle could rev at 9,500 rpm, making it the highest-revving Honda to date. The car had only two doors and seats for two; options were a coupe or a roadster/convertible body style.

Building on the success of its predecessor, the renowned S600 model famed for having a redline rate of knots at approximately 9500 RPMs, Honda engineers implemented their technical expertise alongside trendy British sports influences to bring forth a marvelously unique car that piqued interest worldwide toward Japanese-made vehicles that many European automakers then underrated.

Honda employed an impressive DOHC inline-four engine, tremendously compact yet potent enough to produce output reaching up to seventy horsepower through an all-synchromesh four-speed transmission delivering power exclusively to the rear wheels.

The S800 was Honda’s first production car to hit 100 mph and was coveted among muscle-car enthusiasts then. The S800 was a sensation; Honda produced 11,536 examples before ceasing manufacturing operations in 1970.

What Makes It Special

The Honda Civic is one of the most iconic and influential cars in automotive history, known for its reliability, affordability, and versatility. Introduced in 1972, the Civic quickly established itself as a compact car that offered exceptional fuel efficiency, practicality, and a fun-to-drive character. Over the years, it has evolved across multiple generations, adapting to changing market demands and technological advancements while maintaining its reputation as a dependable and accessible vehicle. This adaptability and consistency have made the Civic a staple in the automotive world and a best-seller in many global markets.

As the years progressed, the Civic continued to innovate, introducing advanced technologies, safety features, and more powerful engines, which allowed it to remain competitive and relevant across different market segments. The introduction of VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) in the late 1980s and 1990s, for example, showcased Honda's commitment to blending efficiency with performance, and the Civic became a favorite among enthusiasts.

This ability to cater to a diverse audience has made the Civic a beloved choice for first-time car buyers, families, and car enthusiasts alike. Its reputation for reliability, affordability, and a strong resale value has ensured that it remains one of the most popular compact cars in the world.

What Makes It Special

The Honda Accord is one of the most significant and enduring models in the automotive world, known for its reliability, innovation, and broad appeal across generations. Introduced in 1976, the Accord quickly established itself as a leader in the midsize sedan segment, offering a blend of fuel efficiency, practicality, and comfort that resonated with a wide range of drivers. Over the years, the Accord has evolved to meet changing consumer demands and technological advancements, consistently setting benchmarks for quality, safety, and performance in its class.

One of the Accord’s most notable achievements is its reputation for reliability and longevity, which has made it a favorite among families, commuters, and businesses alike. This dependability has helped the Accord maintain a loyal customer base, contributing to its status as one of the best-selling cars in the United States for decades. The Accord’s commitment to quality has been recognized through numerous awards, including frequent placements on Car and Driver’s "10Best" list, where it holds the record for the most appearances of any vehicle, demonstrating its consistent excellence.

Throughout its history, the Accord has introduced several technological and safety innovations that have set industry standards. It was the first Japanese car to be manufactured in the United States in 1982, reflecting Honda’s commitment to the American market. Over the years, the Accord has offered advanced features such as anti-lock brakes, traction control, hybrid powertrains, and Honda Sensing® safety technology, often making these technologies accessible to a broader audience ahead of many competitors.