[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/honda-nsx-overrated\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/honda-nsx-overrated\/","headline":"5 Reasons Why The Honda NSX Is Overrated","name":"5 Reasons Why The Honda NSX Is Overrated","description":"The first gen (1990-2005) Honda NSX is the people\u2019s champion to some. Argued to be a perfect blend of sports car and daily driver, this little two seater is highly praised by thousands of hardcore fans. However, does its reputation exceed what it actually is? Has the name of the NSX been over-inflated, over-hyped\u00a0and overrated? Let us discuss why we think it has. 1. It\u2019s boring to drive Sure it looks special enough to turn heads when you\u2019re driving down […]","datePublished":"2018-02-21","dateModified":"2018-02-21","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/matthew-collett\/#Person","name":"Matthew Collett","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/matthew-collett\/","identifier":5,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/64eca1152247aa111ace79ff1c03782b175df9dc21d2092364ff21e1cf5e38fa?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/64eca1152247aa111ace79ff1c03782b175df9dc21d2092364ff21e1cf5e38fa?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/classic-Honda-NSX-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/classic-Honda-NSX-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/honda-nsx-overrated\/","about":["BLOG","CLASSIC CARS","PERFORMANCE CARS","SUPERCARS"],"wordCount":833,"keywords":["Honda NSX","Honda S2000","Japanese car","Mazda MX-5","supercar"],"articleBody":"The first gen (1990-2005) Honda NSX is the people\u2019s champion to some. Argued to be a perfect blend of sports car and daily driver, this little two seater is highly praised by thousands of hardcore fans. However, does its reputation exceed what it actually is? Has the name of the NSX been over-inflated, over-hyped\u00a0and overrated? Let us discuss why we think it has.1. It\u2019s boring to driveSure it looks special enough to turn heads when you\u2019re driving down the street, but as for the experience of the actual driver, it\u2019s far from thrilling. One of the NSX\u2019s main strengths actually turns out to be a major weakness as well, which is the fact that it drives like an Accord.Sure, it\u2019s great that it handles well around town, but at the same time, when you buy an extravagant-looking car like the NSX, you want to feel the rush of adrenaline through your veins when you drive it, not yawn-inducing boredom. It\u2019s only when you really put your foot down that you realise you\u2019re driving a classic sports car, but surely it should feel like that all (or at least most) of the time?2. The \u201cunique\u201d design isn\u2019t really very uniqueA good number of NSX fans will list the innovative and inventive shape of the car as one of its great strengths. However, as you hear people praising it for taking on a very alternative style and celebrating the car\u2019s ingenious and original aesthetic, just remember that it borrowed a lot of the design from Ferrari. If you look to the Ferrari 348, we can quickly notice that the front is very similar, as is the back and the overall shape of the whole body.Add a spoiler and get rid of the arches connecting the roof to the back of the car and you end up with a red NSX with a ferrari badge on it. The F355 and the F40 (without a spoiler) also have the similar style of shape to the NSX and all of these cars were released before the Honda was\u2026But then again, it is a fraction of the price you\u2019d pay for a Ferrari.3. It was obsolete in 1999, but was produced until 2005The NSX production only came to a halt in 2005, which really wasn\u2019t that long ago in classic car terms. What\u2019s wrong about this is that the NSX barely changed during its excessive 15 years of production. As many cars were releasing new generations or completely new models with new names, Honda stuck with the NSX and kept most things untouched. While Honda stood still, competing cars like the Ferrari 348 or the Porsche 964 evolved into new, more powerful models, leaving the NSX in the dust. By the time the new millennium was upon us, the NSX was completely obsolete and irrelevant in terms of power, appearance, interior styling and technology. Does this damage the reputation and legacy of the \u201cclassic\u201d NSX?4. It\u2019s a lot smaller than you thinkLiterally, this car is tiny. Pocket sized. Concentrated. It looks great in photos and thanks to some sort of optical illusion science that was employed when the car was designed, it looks quite big in photos. But it\u2019s not until you see one in person with your own eyes that you realise it\u2019s a similar size to a Honda S2000 or Mazda MX-5. Of course this is not a problem for a lot of people, but some people can find small cars feminine or think that they look like toy cars. Also, with it being so small and low it\u2019s going to make vision very poor and also leave you feeling incredibly anxious when you\u2019re between two lorries on the motorway. Don\u2019t be deceived by the internet, this car is about the same width as a Mini Cooper and about two thirds as tall.5. It has only 270 bhpUnfortunately, numbers matter to sports car enthusiasts. What many people will overlook is the fact that horsepower isn\u2019t everything and although the number is underwhelming, the track performance is basically the same as some cars with 100 or 200 more horsepower. Even so, the number cannot be ignored and 270 just sounds very low for a car that\u2019s to be considered as a legendary sports classic. This is especially true when you can buy a car with 200 extra horsepower for the same price. Furthermore, if the NSX was as quick as lightning with only 270bhp, imagine what it could do with more power. What a sad thought.The Honda NSX was truly a great motor, but we have to acknowledge its many flaws. This car was by no means perfect and when fans try to argue that it changed the definition of sports cars at the time, or that nothing can compare to it, tell them that they\u2019re wildly exaggerating and hit them with the facts. Image source – automoblog"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"5 Reasons Why The Honda NSX Is Overrated","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/honda-nsx-overrated\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]