2009 Honda S2000

Hondas are generally affordable, reliable, and fuel-efficient, with intuitive controls and good driving characteristics. Its SUVs and sedans are usually near the top of Consumer Reports’ ratings for road tests and predicted reliability. Many Hondas have earned Consumer Reports recommendations. Used Hondas also score near the top of our reliability rankings for 5- and 10-year-old vehicles, making it a brand worth considering for options under $20,000. Honda’s SUVs include sub-compact models like the HR-V and compact CR-V, one of the best-selling SUVs in North America. The two-row Passport and three-row Pilot are larger options. Honda’s sedans include the compact Civic and the midsized Accord. Honda also makes the Odyssey minivan and the Ridgeline, a midsized pickup truck. For buyers seeking fuel efficiency, several of the most popular models are available with hybrid powertrains that get competitive mpg figures and are pleasant to drive.

An uncompromising roadster, the rear-drive S2000 debuted for the 2000 model year. It's quick and agile, but noisy when revved vigorously and rides harshly. Brisk driving brings out the car's fun, but as a commuter car it's cramped and frenetically noisy. While the S2000's 2.0-liter four-cylinder zooms easily to 9,000 RPM and develops 240 hp, stirring performance is only available between 6,000 rpm and the screaming redline. Otherwise, power delivery feels just ordinary. The six-speed transmission is crisp and precise. A glass rear window arrived in 2002, replacing the plastic one. The engine grew to 2.2-liters and gained flexibility in 2004, and the ride was softened somewhat; these changes made the S2000 marginally easier to live with, but also eroded some of the car's live-wire feel. Model year 2006 brought standard electronic stability control and 2009 was its last year.