http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMomZmMMw1g

Best Motoring hot hatch battle

 

[QUOTE=Saxo Boy,Sep 20 2006, 01:24 PM] Sorry Neil but that just reads a little like purchase justification

If you are being fair in what you say then the DC5 must be lightyears ahead of the Civic Type-R because my mate has one and we've swapped cars and agreed that on UK (scottish) roads the S2000 is faster, more planted, more fun, stops quicker, doesn't skip about, provides more feedback, etc, etc.

 

Erm, me.

Test-drove both, preferred the S2000.

Steering feel not great in either car - DC5 is 'heavier', but feels more artificial (it's not that good Bada...better than EP3, but that's saying bugger all. Anyone who rates it really needs to drive a Focus (hell, ANY Ford) or a DC2.). S is lighter but more natural. S has more scope for improvement due to fully-adj. double wishbones. DC2 clearly better than both.

Engines - in stock form, DC5 better as 'all-rounder', S2000 better for a blat. Not a massive amount between them.

Handling, dry - S2000 better. On smooth tarmac it's got as much grip and better traction out of corners. On bumpy tarmac it's UK-spec suspension copes much better than the DC5's JDM suspension, which does NOT inspire confidence. Also no torque-steer in S2000. And it's rwd which gives you more options.

Handling, wet - clear DC5 victory, as S2000 needs respect. But DC2 clearly better than both.

Looks - exterior. S2000 for me. Looks more purposeful and coherent. And is much lower.

And they, to me, are the key points. That the S2000 is a soft-top is another advantage - it gives it a whole different character, as it can be driven hard or just cruised in, depending on mood...'cruising' in a 'teg (either one) feels wrong...you just ache to find another NSL to abuse!!!


But if someone wants a moddable everyday car then I can see why the DC5 would appeal.

 

I think your scoring system should be revised with only 1/2 a point each for All Square, since Europe won the Ryder Cup.

I, like Havoc, would like to buy back a DC2 to complement my S2000. For those who haven't driven one and own an S2000 will feel instanely at home in this car and maybe even have their eyes opened by how exceptionally well it handles.

I totally agree with commets made by Baba about wet weather handling. In the ITR i never really considered the weather conditions, the car went were you pointed it as long as you didn't lift off mid corner (doing so soon becomes a bit of a game in the ITR )

The real frustraion is that i can't go and change my S2000 for a new Honda which costs around 30k, has more than 300bhp, rear wheel drive, fantasic gear box and a 9k rev limit with VTEC delivery....

I really can't understand this as there is defo a market for cars of this type, Nissan 350Z, Alfa Bera, BMW 330 and various other fairly average options.

I admit that I am a bit of a Honda fan, I'm on my third and would buy a fourth but they don't currently make a model for me to "progress" to! I can't afford an NSX and it wouldn't fit in my driveway.

So what do i do? Buy a new s2000 (in white possibly!) ? Supercharge my current car? Buy an ITR and have two cars (and pay insurance on both!) ? Buy a Tamora and a 1.4 Civic (and drive a civic most of the time)?

None of these options are really ideal, I know this thread is about the DC5 in comparison with the s2000 but i think that the fact we are even comparing these cars highlights the gap in the Honda range.

Oh and since i'm ranting the EP3 CTR was a markietng exerise while the DC2 ITR was an engineering one. I feel this is also true of the DC5 ITR highlighted by the fact tha Honda UK didn't bring it to the UK market, for fear of screwing up their Bye Bye GTI campaign.

 

I understand what you mean.

Then again, if a Brera's as good as it gets, I'd stick with the old Honda.

Fukui has promised us an "easy for people of average skills to drive" sports car, so hopefully it will be a lot less depressing than the Alfa.