When production of the original Honda NSX ceased in the mid-2000s, it marked the end of the brand’s most desirable performance vehicle.
Despite recently being replaced by a hybrid supercar bearing the same name, it is the original NSX that gets the hearts of Honda enthusiasts beating at a million miles an hour. But, thirteen years on, can the two-door keep pace with Honda’s latest high-strung model, the 2018 Civic Type R?
CarWow recently pitted the duo together to find out and, surprisingly, discovered that they are very evenly matched.
The performance comparisons start with an old-fashioned drag race. Off the line, the lighter NSX has the edge over the Type R and is initially able to pull out a few car lengths with its naturally-aspirated six-cylinder engine. However, at higher speeds, the additional grunt of the turbo-four in the Type R allows the hot hatch to close the gap and make for an incredibly tight result.
Next up was a rolling drag race. Unsurprisingly, the turbocharged torque of the Type R allows it to comfortably outpace the NSX. Last but not least, a braking test shows the two models stopping in almost exactly the same distance.
A pristine 2005 Honda NSX can cost up to $130,000 in the United States. By comparison, the Civic Type R can be purchased for as little as $33,900. No point in asking which one you’d buy if money was no object. That been said, the Type R does look like a bargain, doesn’t it?