Yes, it's a pricey car for a Honda. But, if you like speed and performance, this is THE car according to its enthusiasts.
The 2004 Honda S2000 introduces a number of changes including a slightly larger engine, a re-designed drive train for even greater response, and a bit of a smoother ride thanks to a new suspension design. Many people wanted larger tires, now they have 17-inch wheels in place of the old 16-inchers.
Consumer enthusiasm is higher than ever as this car is being called the best drive in its class. No one would ever expect this much performance for around $25,000 - especially from Honda. On top of it all, Honda provides all this excitement with a 4-cylinder engine that has excellent fuel economy. Imagine that!
It does requie premium gas, a bit of a drawback with today's gas woes. And it's still noisy.
While we highlight specific author bylines where possible, sometimes our content results from the combined efforts of several members of the CarGurus editorial team. As with all our editorial content, you can expect high levels of automotive insight and expertise delivered in a style that is approachable and free from jargon.
Great car, would love to have one. Has great history.
Jul 07, 2023
by Michael B
Nov 04, 2022
After searching for many years for the right sports car, the Honda S2000 is the hands down winner. Very fast, agile, and a reliable Honda engine make this the complete deal.Nov 04, 2022
by INCAR4D2 R
Oct 12, 2022
Fun Fun Fun to drive!!! You cant go wrong and Honda dependability!!!Oct 12, 2022
User rating:
by Ncholas O
Jul 07, 2023
Great car, would love to have one. Has great history.
Jul 07, 2023
by Michael B
Nov 04, 2022
After searching for many years for the right sports car, the Honda S2000 is the hands down winner. Very fast, agile, and a reliable Honda engine make this the complete deal.Nov 04, 2022
by INCAR4D2 R
Oct 12, 2022
Fun Fun Fun to drive!!! You cant go wrong and Honda dependability!!!Oct 12, 2022
by Steve S
Jun 21, 2022
These are great cars. Quick, fun to drive and with a minimal amount of attention to maintenance reliable. They are also appreciating so if you take good care of this car it should be worth more than you pay today.Jun 21, 2022
by Charles B
Mar 30, 2021
Great vehicle. There is not a more fun car to drive for this price point.Mar 30, 2021
by John L
Mar 27, 2020
overpriced,but iconic and holds its value well made and a fun carMar 27, 2020
by Brandon D
May 25, 2014
Driving the Honda S2000 is like a dream, when getting into the car you fit perfectly comfortable in well crafted leather seats with the option of cool wind in your hair. The S2000 moves the way you want it to by handling every turn with ease, there is no obstacle an S2000 can't conquer that is of course unless you're driving through a foot of snow but in any case you want to drive that car when you can put the top down and no other car does it any better. May 25, 2014
by Astra C
Mar 16, 2014
I love this car. It is sporty and handles extremely well. Having the option to take the top down is super fun. Feel very cool driving this car. Highly recommended. Probably the best engineering Honda has ever come up with.Mar 16, 2014
by Suzi A
Jun 17, 2013
This car is fun to drive and handles like a dream; gets decent gas mileage (18 to 20 in town and 28 to 30 on the highway). Great perfromance/accerlation. It is a beautiful car and you will have heads turning everywhere you go. The top is so easy to put down and up, only takes a few minutes. I have done it many times at stop lights. Plenty of leg room even if you are tall and have long legs; very comfortable seating. Visibility is great with this car, maybe because it is small. Car has been very low maitenance; in 6.5 years other than regular oil changes (Synthetic Oil) and new tires, have had no maintenance expense. Replaced the front brake pads this past year. Air conditioning and heat both work great. Do not use the AC much, normally if it is nice out, just put the top down. If I did not have grandkids to run around, I would not sell this car. Of all the cars I have owned and driven, this one is by far my favorite.Jun 17, 2013
by Johnny K
May 18, 2013
Looks great, transmission is smooth, great gas mileage very low maintenance , good city car, not good for long trips.stereo needs more power, you have to rev the motor to get the power out of the motor. Convertible top goes up or down in only 6 sec.May 18, 2013
by Brandon B
Nov 27, 2012
If only I could afford this car I would be buried in it. The shifter/transmission mechanism is silky smooth and the seats fit you like a glove. Awesome agility and confident lines highlight this car as one of the most desirable automobiles in its class.Nov 27, 2012
by Thomas E
Dec 14, 2011
Comment dire : c'est un engin juste incroyable !!!
Les raisons sont multiples et pourtant simples : c'est rare, ça a une vraie gueule, radicale mais en restant presque utilisable au quotidien, en conditions optimales c'est un vrai rail... Mais le plus envoutant c'est forcément le moteur : 2.0l atmo de 240cv qui prend 9000 tours. Forcément en terme de perf, on a fait mieux depuis mais imaginez : 0 à 100 en 6.2s et plus de 260 en pointe (non vérifié par mes soins), tout ça les cheveux au vent !!! Forcément ça décoiffe... (elle était facile)
Ajouté à celà que l'entretien annuel est raisonnable (400€), la finition est sans reproche et que la fiabilité fait honneur à Honda.
Attention cependant : elle reste une propulsion puissance dépourvue de assistance ==> à ne pas mettre entre toutes les mains surtout si la route n'est pas un billard bien sec !!!Dec 14, 2011
by Nancy H
May 25, 2010
Extra fun car to drive, go-cart handling, great trasmission, reliable,beautifull design, good on mileage, very confortable seating, low cost of ownership, i certainly recommend this convertible to someone looking for good balance between power, performance and economy !! I just LOVE it!!! May 25, 2010
by Ahmed Z
Feb 26, 2010
with a supercharger and proper tuning..... you can run 450whp easily.... its an amazing car and man and machine feel one.... too bad i was forced to sell it......... looking forward now to getting my hands on a gt-r but it might be a while before that one comes along........
:(Feb 26, 2010
by Karlo P
Feb 02, 2010
I love it. Handles very well. Power with the supercharger is incredible. The build quality is true Honda reliability. Appearance well it's a two seater sports, convertible need I say more? Stock it's good on gas, boosted it's a fuel monster. Fun is an understatementFeb 02, 2010
by Rob M
Aug 16, 2009
She treats me right, it looks great, sounds amazing, moderately fast, handles like a dream, get about 250 miles to 12 gallons ... and lastly, its the most fun car I have ever driven and I have drove a lot of cars.Aug 16, 2009
by Matt R
Jul 15, 2009
Best car I will probably ever own, going purely on £for£ entertainment value. Looks the dogs, drives nicely enough in town before turning mental on the open roads, and has the kind of reliability you'd want on a spaceship. Slightly twitchy in the wet, though, and I've now sold it to the fiancee who is revelling in the fact she has 237 brake and RWD while I drive the Mondybus. Little does she know...Jul 15, 2009
by Mark C
Jul 12, 2009
it's a honda so it runs perfect . it's quick but a bit lairy in the wet ( ok a lot lairy ) mpg is good . the only problem is going to be how many points am i going to get ? the boot space is poor but thats what you expect , i can just get my golf clubs in it lol .Jul 12, 2009
by Rick T
Jul 01, 2009
Bought the car main because it's unique and there arent very many on the road. Hate when people think it's a Miata. Engine and trans are awesome. Handling is a little nervous. Strero sucks at highway speed. Seat is comfy. Jul 01, 2009
by Ronny M
Jun 15, 2009
It's quick, handles great, and ladies love it :D
The ability to rev out to 8300 RPM is uncommon for me, but it's quite euphoric. Cruising down the highway at 90MPH at midnight with the top down is also quite a religious experience. The expected Honda build quality makes the car feel solid and reliable. I feel like I'll be holding onto this bad boy for a good couple of years.Jun 15, 2009
by Mel L
Jun 13, 2009
-> The cost of ownershp factor is surprisingly decent. Coming from an AWD car, the maintenance factor is somehow close to average. This car may not be on the extreme levels of performance. It does not accelerate like the GT-R or grip like any Lotus' lineup. But all in all it delivers enough goods to make you smile, even driving at the posted speed limit, which means that this is a 'safe car' to drive; you don't have to go buck wild to have fun with it!Jun 13, 2009
by Karl S
Nov 29, 2008
I really feel that anyone who appreciates the "classic sports car" - convertible, two seats, rear wheel drive - owes it to themselves to drive, and likely buy, a Honda S2000.
I purchased my 2004 in January of 2007 with a little under 14K miles on it, having been interested in them since they were introduced in 2000. It has been a wonderful ownership experience. Zero problems, zero issues, zero annoyances.
Driving an S2000 is like driving two cars at once. Just driving around town, it will rather sedately return 27-28mpg. If you really cane it, however, it goes like heck. It's a different kind of fast than something like a Corvette though - all the power is up high.
My only complaint with the build quality is the leather seats - it's not the best leather in the world, and the seat bolsters can wear prematurely if not well cared for.
Appearance is, of course, a personal matter, but I think the S2000 is a beautiful car that has stodd up well over time. It's beautiful in any color.
Of course, this is a sports car, so the trunk is on the small side. You won't be hauling around large bags of mulch in an S2000. But as sports cars go, the trunk is plenty big.
The best part? I'd have to say the power convertible top. Release the two latches at the top of the windshield header, then flip a switch, and in several seconds, that's it.
There really aren't any downsides, if you understand that this is a high performance sports car. It's got a small trunk, it runs on premium gas, it's louder than a luxury car, and it doesn't ride like a luxury car. But you don't buy a sports car for that stuff.
I would buy another one tomorrow. Best car I've ever owned, by a landslide.Nov 29, 2008
by Young S
Sep 17, 2008
Performance - It's the perfect car for the track. Corners really well, even on street tires. The NA engine is super-responsive, and revs really fast, and has plenty of horses. It has the best shifter I have ever rowed. It weighs 2850 pounds, which is very light for today's standards and makes it a rare, true sports car. Even with the convertible, the chassis is more stiff than many sports coupes.
Build Quality - It's a Honda, nuff said.
Appearance - It has kind of a timeless roadster look. Not the most flashy, but that's not a bad thing.
Cost of Ownership - Except for the fact that I race it, which eats tires and brake pads, it is extremely low maintenance.
Fun Factor - Light, tossable, revs to 8K, and will outcorner just about any street car out there.Sep 17, 2008
by Brad J
Sep 16, 2008
I must say for a rag top and a normally aspirated 2.0L engine, Wow what an awsome machine.50/50 weight balance,great power and lightweight construction make for an extremely exciting ride. I bought one almost as they where launched here in South Africa June 04, my model didnt have any traction control or any of those driver aids as the more recent models do. This was for me one of reasons i bought her, pure driving thrill and poooooo in you pants stuff if you where a little to clever.I often took on M3's, Scoobies etc without feeling like the underdog. That short range shifter and power band kept you in the running.Great little car,not when you start having kids though, she's not ideal for baby seats.Sep 16, 2008
by Jeremy C
Sep 02, 2008
I love this car! More power would be great.. mods are in the future.. Handles great, honda quality, catches everyone's eyes!! Half the price of a porsche, same crazy fun, what more do you want? Fast, reliable, convertible, decent gas mileage, its a fun car!! You should get one too! Sep 02, 2008
by Carol A
Aug 16, 2008
I love the responsiveness this car has. The sporty look balanced with the gas mileage and solid performance makes this the perfect car for me. I've kept up with scheduled maintenance and have yet to have it leave me stranded on the side of the road. At 58,000 miles and 4 years old, she's barely broken in!Aug 16, 2008
by John D
Jul 23, 2008
I loved this car. It was my 1st "real" car. I bought it myself when I was a senior in High School. It drove nice, the handling was awesome. There were 2 things I didn't like: one, it was a little too small for me and the top leaked constantly even after several trips to the dealership. Jul 23, 2008
by Clifton M
Jul 03, 2008
I love this car, it is not the fastest but it handles like a dreamJul 03, 2008
by John B
Apr 07, 2008
A car so inexpensive and can beat the Boxter with ease. 6 gear manual with an engine that roars up the on ramp.Apr 07, 2008
by Jen L
Mar 14, 2008
Speed, speed and more speed.Mar 14, 2008
by Anonymous
Mar 14, 2008
Breath taking performance and the ultimate car to have tha time of your life......it can be compared even with supercars....Mar 14, 2008
by Christopher M
Mar 02, 2008
will write later.Mar 02, 2008
by Brian B
Feb 16, 2008
Reliable, affordable, fast, & funFeb 16, 2008
by Robert M
Jan 31, 2008
We dont really like the kit design but the install was very clean and factory looking.Jan 31, 2008
by Jose J
Dec 29, 2007
Makes the most Hp per liter.Dec 29, 2007
by Anonymous
Nov 12, 2007
This would be one of the next cars that I want to get.Nov 12, 2007
I borrowed a 2004 S200K and the owner left the car with the key on my driveway without giving me a demo on how to run it. I have driven a stick shift car before but not this kind where there's a button to push to start the engine after turning on the ignition key and stepping on the clutch. My problem is that when I tried to get it to reverse gear, it will not go. Is there another button I'm missing, to get it to reverse? The owner is out of town and I can't reach on his cell phone. so please help. thanks, Willie