Driving Impressions

In motion, the del Sol runs true to the family traits: light, nimble, almost race-carlike. honda's signature double-wishbone suspension is standard, and contributes to the characteristic responsiveness. Some torsional rigidity is lost, of course, because of the targa top, but the car still feels solid and under control. The del Sol's nimble platform is a shortened version of the Civic's (a 93.3 in. wheelbase vs. 103.2 in. for the Civic coupe). The S model, with its softer suspension, 13-in. wheels and disc/drum brakes, is less sporting than the Si and VTEC versions, which have 14-in. alloy wheels, 4-wheel disc brakes and front stabilizer bars. The VTEC has even larger, speed-rated tires, stiffer suspension settings and a rear stabilizer bar in addition to ABS. Consequently, the Si and VTEC have a firmer ride and flatter cornering than the S models to go with their sizeable horsepower advantage. The VTEC engines are interesting pieces of technology that require some adjustment by American tastes and sensibilities. These babies develop remarkable amounts of power; at 160 hp, the 1.6-liter VTEC engine produces more horsepower per liter than any other normally aspirated engine, which made our test car one very hot little number. And it boasted a surprisingly high level of fuel efficiency: The VTEC gets 26 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. But maximum power is developed at high engine speeds. The VTEC peak power comes at 7600 rpm; the Si's 125 hp at 6600 rpm. This creates a very busy-sounding engine that you may or may not find satisfying. Cruising in fifth gear at 65 mph, for example, the engine was turning at 3500 rpm and we felt a constant urge to upshift. Running through the gears, our tolerance for the noise level faded at about 5500 rpm, while the red-line still loitered at a distant 8200 rpm. Befitting its sports-car nature, a 5-speed manual transmission is standard on all del Sols, with a 4-speed electronic automatic available as an option on all models except the VTEC.

Final Word

As a package, the Honda del Sol offers some unique characteristics. Its hard targa top provides top-down motoring without a winter penalty. The front-drive layout also offers a bad-weather advantage over the rear-drive Mazda Miata, the del Sol's primary competitor. The del Sol has all the Honda virtues of intelligent design, high quality and advanced technology - witness the spunky VTEC engine. The interior is relatively livable for a sports car, although there are some ergonomic problems. The mid- to high-teens price is reasonable, too, for such an entertaining car.