I test drove a 1996 NSX the other day. I liked it, but was surprised at how much it disappointed me. Compared to my S2000, it felt big and less controlled. The shifting was inferior as was the steering. It felt like work to drive.

On the other hand, the look is phenomenal as is the driving position. The engine note is to die for. The car certainly feels exotic (with all the drawbacks that entails too).

My point is that the S2000 compares very favorably. I feel my car is much more predictable and razor sharp. Perhaps a newer NSX would have been more appealing...

 

real sports cars or super cars tend to be difficult to drive and takes quite a bit of effort just to drive normally. stiffer clutch engagement, less assist on the steering, mid-engine layout. so, it will drive different than the S which it should cause if our cars were built for a specific driver it would be more so for the nsx.

my experience with the nsx has been different. i drove a 5spd at streets of willow and a 6spd on public roads and i've always been very impressed. if both cars were identical in price new i'd choose the nsx over the S in a second.

 

I think you are probably more used to the handling characteristics of your own car. If I were to do it again, I'd own the NSX.

 

ALMOST

 

It's definitely a more stable car to drive, which can lend a bit of a less "responsive" feeling, I think.

I actually find the NSX steering better than the S2000 at anything other than low speeds. To me, it's a significantly easier car to drive as well since it's a little more predictable and controllable. It's definitely not as darty as the S2000, which can be good (safer) but bad (doesn't feel as alive).

 

1996 is an 11 year old car substantially similar to an 18 year old design.

The NSX is an old car, the S2000 is getting old as well but is still 10 years newer design than the NSX.

 

I test drove a 95. No power steering gave me great feedback. I loved the way it still looks and judging by all the stares, it's still a car people haven't seen all that often. When compared to my s2ki the NSX felt like an older car, but not in a bad way. It reminded me of a great car. Raw enough to remind you this isn't your average sports car, but easy enough to drive almost every day.

 

i agree with the OP. i think many people are wooed by the prestige and looks, as am i. like ive posted b4, if i could have a car that looked like the nsx but drove like the s2k, life would be just dandy. if you read on the NSX board, there is a strong but quiet opinion that s2k s are more fun to drive, but they they refuse to give up the exoticness in order to "downgrade."

 

Take BMI vids with a grain of salt, but all the built S2k's seem to outrun the built NSX's on Tsukuba. I don't know why, and I'm not saying it's the end all be all of comparisons, but it's something interesting to think about.

 

Cost, probably? It's a lot cheaper to buy an S2000 than an NSX, especially in a country that reveres the NSX. You don't really see that many built NSXs on BMI - they're mostly the Type-R or Type-S, as far as I remember, and stock.