Hey All,

I've been lurking here for a little while now, casually reading the posts. Very good information, I'm glad this site exists because it is such a great resource for car enthusiasts.

I've been driving the same car for the last 3 years and I'm getting the itch for something new. When I mentioned that I might want an S2000, my girlfriend's eyes lit up with excitement. She doesn't get very excited by cars so this was a pretty big deal.

I do have a question about the driving dynamics of the car. I've read about the 0-60 times, the rolling starts, the romps down the freeway ramps... but what I really want to know is how the car feels when riding around town.

I used to own a 2000 Civic Si. That car was a blast, and in some ways I preferred it to my current ride and wished I hadn't sold it. However, while it had decent top end power (160 HP), it didn't have ANY torque (1.6 liter engine). This was okay for a while, but after a few months I got tired of needing to rev the engine past 5k all the time. Driving around town became sort of tedious because I was constantly making sure I was at or near the powerband.

Does the S2000 suffer from the same driving dynamics? It does have a larger engine than my old Si, so I expect it should have a decent amount of torque down low. I don't expect it to really kick me back in the seat until after 6k RPM, but I do want it to be adequate between 2k and 4k. I don't plan to race the engine every shift like I did in the Si.

I've got an S2000 reserved for a day next week so I guess I'll find out firsthand before I buy. Just wanted to hear what you guys thought of it in everyday normal driving.

 

I find it perfectly tractable around town. Whilst it's not a torque monster at low revs there's plenty there for general driving.

 

Are you looking at a <MY04 or 04? I've never driven a <04, but I don't think this car lacks adequate torque for everyday driving at all. I'm always reading complaints about the S2000 being somewhat of a "struggle" to drive around town, but I think it's This comes from people that have only driven one once for 15 minutes and have no real experience in the car, but the car didn't meet their expectations so it lacks torque.

I think my '04 has pretty decent acceleration out of VTEC. No, it doesn't have the torque of a 350Z, but it does get about 24 mpg around town. I've never been in a situation where this car couldn't get out of it's own way. You will have to downshift sometimes though, but mainly for fun.

Kris

 

Though the S2k isn't a torquey, I do find myself zipping from the line faster than most of the traffic around me without trying at all. Overall, I'm a pretty conservative driver, but although the S doesn't feel as torquey as my old car, I still find that in practice it is more than enough to drive around town.

 

I test drove an 04 a couple of weeks ago. It had a surprising amount of torque down low. I'd say you do have to rev it to really get it moving but the engine revs is so quick and is so smooth you don't feel like you're revving it. Essentially I drove it like I would any other car. The motor may have been at higher RPM but it didn't feel like it.

I don't know if you have any motorcycle experience but it is the same thing. You ride around on a bike at 6-7k all day and don't really notice it because the engine is made to (and is happy to) rev. It's definitely not like winding out my Audi.

Again, this is my impression after only one test drive so YMMV.

 

This stuff never ceases to amaze me. Let me offer a couple of real world examples.

Back in the early 90s, I owned an E30 BMW. A 325es. That car was considered one of the best sports sedans of its day. Powerful, quick, and could cruise at 100mph all day if you wanted. Inline 6. Car made 121hp and 170lbft. Also weighed more than the S2000.

In 1984, Nissan introduced the 300zx to great fanfare. Car made 160hp and 173 lbft of torque. People raved about it. Car weighed about 3,050 and did an 8.8 0-60.

The Ford Taurus (circa 2003) has 155hp and about 183 lbft or torque. This is a 5 passenger sedan that likely weighs 800 more pounds than our car, and yet people seem to find it perfectly driveable every day.

The S2000 has 153lb ft and 240hp. It would absoultely OWN any of these cars from a standstill or a roll. The difference is perception. We expect more from a car these days.

The average vehicle on the road cannot outperform our car from a standstill, much less a rolling start. I tend to cruise around town in 4th or 5th gear and still have plenty of power to pass anyone I want. The torque thing is WAY overrated for daily driving duties.

 

The S has plenty of bloody torque for around town. I don't drive my S around town as it is not my daily driver. The small handfull of times I have driven it around town, it had plenty of torque. It's not like your going to race it around town anyhow.

I used to own a Del Sol VTEC with the B16A3. It had a simular engine as the one you had in your SI. I put 100,000 miles on that car. I drove it everywhere. It had plenty of power and torque for any type of driving. If I reved it past 5,400 rpm, well then I would be speeding now wouldn't I The F20C is everything and more compared to the B16A3.

 

Mine is a daily driver to and from work in the city.
The main factor is not the torque but that it is a manual transmission. I find creeping up inch by inch would be easier in an auto.

 

The car is fine and driveble in all conditions. When people ask me how I like the car, I say, "What's not to like?" and that pretty much sums it up.

If you want a sports car and a convertible, you can't go wrong.

 

2001e46,

From your user name, I'm guessing you drive an M3. You'll definitely notice a torque difference in the S2000, but the gearing in our cars makes up for any perceived lack of grunt down low. I really enjoy the ratios Honda has chosen for this car. It just shoots forward, especially in third.

This car really comes alive on the open road, but it's not at all underpowered for stop-and-go.