Should You Buy a Honda S2000 Over a New BRZ or GR86?

Just got my 2023 GR86! Couldn’t be happier, after owning 4 S2000’s in my lifetime, and being a bit older now the GR86 was the perfect choice for me.

You should buy a legendary Honda S2000 if and only if it is at a used price reasonable for a 20+ year old car launched in 1999. Two decades of rust, disrepair, torture, and abuse from negligent owners that are disgusting 20 year old boys/“men” don’t just magically disappear and needs to be factored in. If the prices are unreasonable, then you should have little hesitation buying a brand new Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, or Mazda MX-5 Miata at MSRP instead. Greedy Dealerships that charge customers mark ups over MSRP deserve to go bankrupt and fail.

I'm an older guy who loves the S2000. My S2K serves as a 2nd car to be enjoyed top-down during nice weather on the backroads. I can live with the car's faults, but I'm used to riding motorcycles (the S2K is fairly comfortable and quiet by comparison). Essentially, I love roadsters and the S2k is a doozy (I'd never put a hard top on mine). All that said, those who can only swing one car are inevitably going to need to make some compromises, especially if that car is going to serve as their commuter. I personally wouldn't choose a S2000 for this task. While the GR86/BRZ makes a lot of sense , I don't know that I'd buy one of these cars until they have managed to truly prove themselves over a longer period of time. The sort of problems that you mentioned with the GR86/BRZ are surprising, but not as surprising as the way they were handled (or not handled as the case may be). That the S2000 remains a benchmark all these years later says a lot about not only how well the car drives, but how well it has lasted. In reality, the S2000 is a pretty straightforward and simple car when compared to the cars of today, or even when compared to a number of its contemporaries for that matter.

There will never be another car like a S2000. It checks every box. The reliability is unmatched in any car produced nowadays. Now is it a good daily, probably not. There is a reason they are appreciating so rapidly. Finding a clean example is getting harder everyday. Oh and the looks are timeless.

I think for those wanting a S2k, they will find that you can't really get the one you want because they are older and becoming more rare. So naturally the gr86 would be the next choice in terms of affordability, practicality, and availability

Excellent review! Thank you. Will hold onto my AP1 until I cannot get out of it. Owner since May 2000.

yea, there is no amount of mods you can do to an 86 to make struts handle like double wishbone suspension... also s2k are designed to live at redline for as long as you want 86 is not.

Agree! As the only car and all around daily, GR86 for sure. Although I would wait until the next model year when hopefully the bad batch with excessive RTVs have been identified and isolated. For a second weekend/track car for the most thrills, superb engine and arguably the best manual transmission in the world, S2000 all day! Looking forward to more S2000 videos Fenton. There is always a reason to compare a new car to, or bring up, the S2000!

Good to see you driving around my home town of Pleasanton. Agreed, the S2000 is not something I enjoy daily driving, however, if go for more than a few days without driving it, I start to miss it a lot.

Man, that diff really does go bang bang! Awesome content!

More and more I see people comparing the legendary s2000 which is now over 20 years old, and it STILL outperforms even today’s cars in terms of power, reliability, handling, aesthetics, balance, and pure raw driving experience. Mr. Spoon said it himself in his type One video: the Type R and S2000 are TRUE sports cars, while the FRS/BRZ cars are “sporty” type cars, but not real sports cars. It would take ten times the amount of money to get a FRS to perform at the same high level performance as the s2000. With that being said, I have reconditioned my own s2000, and is a wonderful daily driver. It has all the creature comforts- power windows, air conditioning, power steering (one of the best steering systems ever) and that shifter! I love commuting and driving my s2000 every day I get behind the wheel. To me, it just would seem like a downgrade for me to get a GR86/FRS in almost every aspect of the driving experience. A worse handling less powerful and not as good looking car. I guess you could say I’m spoiled by owning the most gorgeous looking Honda roadster ever made. You know the s2000 is a legend when everything is compared to it. Still. 20 years later and it still outperforms new cars. Long live the legend, the King: Honda S2000 👑

I just bought an s2k and I honestly didn't even consider the other options, nothing matches the s2k engine-wise!

Can’t wait for your next comparison with the E36 and RX8! Those are hands down two of my all-time favorite driver’s car 🤩

Would love to see the S2000 ranking system video! That's a great idea

Completely nailed the comparison! After owning both platforms I couldn’t agree more. Currently on my third S2K as a track/weekend car and a new Frontier as my daily/S2K tow vehicle

Great comparison video

I'm excited for the s2k series it would be amazing to watch

I’m honestly just astounded how fast I click on this video even though it’s like the 2nd or 3rd time you’ve done it. LOL I always love the true open minded perspective you give though!

Love this comparison, one of my dream cars is to own a yellow S2k! noticed that you drove around the Pleasanton area? haha looks like it!

Brilliant comparison. I have been cross shopping the GR86 against the S2000 and am 6'1". Happy New Year.