Item: Used Honda S2000 1999 - 2009
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Sports

Honda is a company that doesn’t like to follow the crowd. So, while it competes in most of the traditional sectors of the car market, in each case it does something a little bit different.

The Jazz, for example, might look like just another rival to Britain’s best-selling car, the Ford Fiesta, but it’s actually much more practical than its rivals, with a flexible boot and Tardis-like interior.

The bigger Civic is also a practical choice, but it’s mainly distinguished by having eye-catching, love-it-or-hate-it styling, despite competing in a sector of the market that’s usually more conservative than a blue rosette.

And while it may not seem so radical now, Honda’s large SUV, the CR-V, was one of the first to forego any pretence of being an off-roader and instead focus on on-road driving dynamics.

HONDA

S2000

Explosive performance. Good quality, but pricey

Used Honda S2000 1999 - 2009

Insurance is expensive. Depending on which company you contact, the S2000 is rated in group 19 or 20, putting it into the same bracket as Ferraris and Porsches.

Depreciation is something of a double-edged sword. The S2000 loses value slowly from new, so a three-year-old S2000 is still worth almost two-thirds of what it originally cost - and that's as good as it gets. Honda's excellent reputation for building cars that last means older ones still fetch good prices. However, that means your car won't have lost much value when you come to sell it on.

Servicing and spares are reasonable for such a high-performance car, although fuel economy of 28mpg overall is disappointing for a 2.0-litre engine. Use its full performance, though, and that figure will drop even further.

Tyres will also wear quickly. It's worth paying for quality tyres with the correct speed rating - and they won't be cheap. Several makes offer suitable rubber, though, so prices should stay competitive.

Explosive performance. Good quality, but pricey

Opt for the GT over the standard model and you should get a hard top, in addition to the standard electric hood. That apart, there's no other choice of models, nor of transmission - all come with an excellent six-speed manual gearbox. The standard specification for the car is excellent and you get a starter button and racing-style drilled pedals.

In other words, all you have to worry about is finding one in the right colour and in the right condition.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Ride comfort shouldn’t be sacrificed at the altar of handling sharpness</li> <li>Plenty of power from a melodic engine</li> <li>Handling that doesn’t come at the expense of a back-breaking ride​​​​​</li> <li> Practicality is not essential but nice to have </li></ul>

Driving fun is right at the top of any sports car buyer's priority list, and every one of our award candidates has backroad entertainment coded into its DNA.

The Mazda MX-5 embodies sports-car spirit without wearing an exotic price tag, and has deservedly gained a strong following over the years. Much newer to the scene is the mid-engined Alpine A110. It may carry a name from the past, but this potent, mid-engined sports car was designed with the very latest lightweight thinking.&nbsp;

Rounding off our shortlist, though, is a name that'll be familiar to even those to whom sports cars hold little interest. The Porsche 911 was born an icon in 1964, and the latest generation bridges the gap between sports car and supercar. Yet, somehow, it manages to preserve a distinctly civilised character.

It's a Honda which means it'll prove more reliable than most others. That said, repairs won't come cheap.

If you're looking at an S2000, first check it has had a service at least once a year and that high-quality semi- or fully synthetic oil is used. Be prepared also to check levels weekly and top up frequently because oil consumption of up to a litre per 1000 miles is normal.

Next, check that the hood raises and lowers as it should and that its fabric is free of rips or scuffs - a replacement will cost over a grand. Cars made before 2002 have plastic rear windows (later ones have glass) and these become milky white with age and eventually need replacing.

Finally, a pre-purchase inspection by an expert is advised to check the car hasn't been crashed and badly repaired.

It's a beautifully crafted two-seat roadster, but the 2.0-litre 237bhp engine is the real star of the show. Rev it past 8000rpm and it'll pull to 60mph in under 6sec. However, you need to work it very hard to get at the power - at low revs it feels relatively tame - and that reduces the opportunities you'll get to tap its full potential.

The S2000 is well made and looks every inch the performance roadster. But drive one and you'll find it less supple to ride in than a BMW Z4, while the Honda's steering is also second best.

The cabin is snug, strictly for two and not all that great for the tall and broad. There's no height adjustment on the steering or the driver's seat. Otherwise, it's well equipped: alloy wheels, an electrically operated hood, air-con and leather seats all come as standard, as do anti-lock brakes and twin front airbags.

Used Honda S2000 1999 - 2009 review

Every 2021 Electric and Hybrid Car Awards winner

Our recommendations

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