Honda classics you need to own | Six of the Best
From CRZ to NSX, and everything in between
Integra Type R (DC5), 2006, 121k, PH Auction
The prospect of the Honda Prelude returning to the UK, even in a mechanical spec not as extreme as the Civic Type R, is good news. There aren’t enough reasonably sized, reasonably interesting coupes around. And Honda has a rich history of them, too, with the previous generations of Prelude - plus, of course, the Integra. It’s another coupe badge that’s returned of late to some acclaim in the US, and the old versions were superb driver’s cars - some of Honda’s finest, in fact. The DC5 era was never officially sold in the UK, but such was its reputation (as well as BTCC exposure in the mid-2000s) that plenty have come over from Japan in the past couple of decades. This one is being auctioned on PH from tomorrow, having arrived in the UK just last year. Its spec is modest by the standards of these cars, in silver with black seats, but the driving experience should be anything but: an 8,500rpm K20 2.0-litre should see to that.
Civic Type R (FK8), 2018, 26k, £26,490
The FK8 Civic was the class of the field at launch in 2017, taking all that was good about the wild child FK2 (the first turbo one) while adding a few useful refinements. Now it looks like an even greater hot hatch achievement, with its FL5 successor (we’ll stop with the model codes at some point, promise) improving upon it very little - but at a significant premium. What had been a £33k car had become a £46k one, and it wasn’t that much better. Might explain why the older model has been clinging onto its value pretty well, with more than £20k still needed for an FK8. Precious little so skilfully combines performance, practicality, involvement and durability. This Rallye Red GT looks a corker, with just 26,000 miles recorded since 2018 and those 20-inch wheels somehow free from kerbing. It’s priced at £26,490 - expect to love it.
S2000 (AP2), 2005, 38k, £23,995
While cars like the Civic Type R have a long and mostly unbroken history, the S2000 was the first Honda roadster in decades; its star then shone brightly for a decade, only to disappear in 2009 never to be replaced. Nothing like it is surely coming back now, either. That one-of-of-a-kind status, alongside one of the greatest four-cylinder engines ever made, has seen S2000 values soar over the past few years. If still not the best front-engined, rear-drive two seater to drive, there’s little arguing with the allure of 9,000rpm and a sublime six-speed manual. Small, light and stylish only help its cause. This S2000 is a facelifted model and has covered just 38,000 miles in almost 20 years. It was treated to a new hood last year. It’d be a surprise to see S2000s climb much further, but one this good will likely always be prized.
NSX (NC1), 2017, 2k, £105,995
Perhaps one day, a little like the original car that wasn’t all that popular when new, the hybrid NSX will seem pioneering. Because before there was a Ferrari SF90 or a Lamborghini Revuelto, the NSX combined a combustion engine with three electric motors and a DCT, meaning proper torque vectoring across the front, drastically reduced CO2, the thrill of revs, useful torque fill, and some silent electric running. Sounds familiar, right? But in a sector jam packed with conventional alternatives the NSX, with ‘just’ a V6 and a sub-par interior, didn’t find favour with new buyers. Apparently just 218 were sold across five years in all of Europe - yikes. On the other hand, it now makes the NSX extremely rare and seemingly depreciation proof, as they’ve hung around £100,000 for a little while now. This one isn’t far off brand new, with just 2,000 miles, and the forged HRE wheels bring a bit of drama perhaps missing from the standard design. Who wants a 911 anyway?
Accord Euro R (CL7), 2005, 85k, £13,985
Having blown all expectations out of the water with the original Accord Type R, Honda decided against bringing its successor to the UK. A pity, not just because it left buyers over here without rear doors on a Type R for more than a decade, but also as the CL7 Euro R of the early 2000s was another cracker. Consider it like a four-door Integra, with the same 220hp 2.0-litre, same limited-slip diff and similar driver-focused attitude. Only now in a more family friendly, unassuming shape. Indeed, following the big spoiler, touring car attitude of the Accord Type R, this one was incredibly restrained. Only the keenest will see it as anything other than a 20-year-old Accord. This 2005 car has just been imported, and looks pretty damn great for its 85,000 miles, Pearl White paint gleaming and green Recaros well preserved. Whoever buys it will be the first UK owner. We’re not jealous one little bit.
CR-Z Mugen RZ, 2013, 9k, £31,750
Yes, a CR-Z - but not just any CR-Z. While the standard 130hp car, despite its pert good looks and typically-Honda manual gearbox, wouldn’t really qualify for ‘hot’ status, this is not a standard CR-Z. It’s a Mugen RZ, a special edition model of which just 300 were made. And while they all benefitted from a coilover suspension plus a cosmetic makeover, including the bodykit, spoilers, and wheels, the most interesting Mugen modification was under the bonnet: the RZ got a supercharger. That meant almost 180hp for the compact coupe, a much more exciting figure from the 1.5-litre four-cylinder. All of them were Azure Blue, and all of the RZs were sold new in Japan, so finding one here is a real turn up. This one has covered just 9,000 miles since 2013, so looks almost brand new. A very special hot Honda, though one that might take some explaining to passers-by…
No idea how they are still in business.
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