Introduction

The Honda S2000 is a two-seat roadster with the size of the small Mazda Miata and speed of the Porsche Boxster. It's a technological statement from Honda, which has no equal when it comes to pumping big horsepower out of small engines. Witness Honda's domination in the Indy Racing League, including its victory in the Indy 500 with a 3.0-liter engine producing 650 horsepower at 10,300 rpm. The S2000 has earned a reputation as the sports car with an engine like a superbike motorcycle. Big horsepower from small displacement, with a narrow powerband and extremely high RPM. Nothing could match the original S2000 for exhilaration. With the 2005 S2000 that still might be true, although it's been tamed a bit. The '05 remains basically unchanged from the '04, which brought refinements to the engine and suspension. Those refinements make it quicker and easier to drive, although the unique and exceptional rush that comes from seeing the tachometer needle reach 9000 rpm has been tempered to seeing a mere 8200. Which is still more than any other car we can think of, except the Mazda RX-8 with its rotary engine. Other recent changes to the S2000 include 17-inch wheels, up from 16s; changed transmission gear ratios to improve acceleration; more shoulder and elbow room; and some body tweaks, most notably new headlights with a triple-beam design.

Walkaround

The way to be noticed in your S2000 is to rev to eight grand, of course; but people will still check the car out when it's standing still. For its basically small dimensions, it has the look of a bigger classic roadster. That's because of the long hood, which is a result of the engine being located behind the centerline of the front axle for better balance and handling. This design also leads to a striking short rear deck. Speaking of striking, Spa Yellow is the color to choose if you want your S2000 to be noticed. Our test model was Suzuka Blue, a fairly ordinary steel blue, and it didn't do justice to the identity of the car. The nose has been tweaked in the 2005 model with a softer bumper, and the new triple-beam HID headlights freshen it and make it look more contemporary. But the S2000's visual appeal still doesn't match its mechanical credentials. It looks a little slab-sided and plain compared to some other sports cars, in particular the radical BMW Z4, but the upside to that is more protection for the driver. The new 17-inch wheels are 10-spoke alloys, and they are gorgeous, framed nicely in the front by the flared fenders.

Interior Features

Air conditioning, power windows, power mirrors, cruise control, keyless remote entry, and tilt steering are all standard. There's a big red button for an ignition switch, and that's pretty cool. The digital tach is an attempt to be cool, with orange lines arcing across the top of the instrument panel, but it's hard to see and comes across as excessively gimmicky anyhow. The S2000 is all about revving, even if to a diminished 8200 rpm now, and everything should point there. Such as a needle on an analog gauge. Maybe the S2000 should have a big tach on the steering column, like the Mini Cooper. There's also a digital speedometer reading mph in fairly big numbers, flanked by small fuel and coolant temperature gauges. The AM/FM/CD stereo is located behind a flap-like rectangular door on the dash; we found ourselves leaving it open for convenience, which defeated its purpose of hiding the system, of course. The buttons are small, but there are redundant controls just to the left of the steering wheel. The power top moves up and down easily and latches over the windshield. There's a glass rear window with defroster, and also an aero windscreen behind the seats to reduce buffeting when the top is down. The leather bucket seats are beautifully comfortable, with one inch more shoulder room than before. The three-spoke leather steering wheel is perfect. There are mesh storage pockets in the doors but no glove box. There's a new small storage compartment between the seats, giving the cabin minimal storage, a slight improvement from virtually nonexistent.