Manual roof a bit heavy if you are slight of build
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full car review
The Honda CRX first hit the showrooms in the mid eighties in the form of a small and sporty 2 + 2 coupe. Think of it like a Ford Puma sent back in time and you can see how forward thinking our Japanese friends are. With its 1.5i 16 valve engine and low low weight it made for a sporty alternative to the mainstream hot hatches of the day, XR3i and Pug 205 GTi to name 2.
A school boy at the time, the CRX was right at the top of my wish list. Honda further developed the little coupe over the next few years increasing the engine size to 1.6 l and gradually increasing bhp from 125 to 150bhp. My desire for ownership continued and by 1992 I was finally in a position to own one. But Honda had made further plans for the by now cult status CRX and quite dramatic they were too.
Remove the rear seats and make the CRX a convertible!!!
So my ownership began - a gleaming Milano Red ESi with boot spoiler!! Making a £16k dent in my bank account oouch!!
In 1992 there were 2 models, the model I owned the 125bhp ESi and the 160bhp Vti. Both had the now well known VTEC valve lift system, the ESi having a single overhead cam and the VTi double. The VTEC system gave the benefits of and 8-valve engine i.e. high torque with the 16-valve benefits i.e. high power in one engine. The model I owned had a manual roof. That is if you wanted open air motoring, you stopped the car and carefully lifted the roof off and placed it in a cradle in the boot. The roof is fairly heavy so this is best done with two people if you’re slight of build. But once again Honda had an answer for this. The electric roof option, a £1000 option at launch, which later became standard fit, you didn’t have to move from your seat. Release a pair of levers press a button and watch in amazement as the whole boot lid rises like its about to shoot missiles at a James Bond enemy, Alas missiles were never on the options list this movement merely houses the cradle which slides out and "grabs" the roof panel and returns it to nestle in the boot. The whole mechanism to this day is still an amazing sight to watch.
The roof does come off but it also leaves a permanent roll over bar and a glass panel to the rear. The rear glass panel is electrically operated so you can have the true wind in the hair experience with the safety of the roll over bar.
The two sports seats are very comfortable and reassuringly supportive and gripping, I am 6'4" and have ample head and legroom. You sit low to the floor in a straight leg straight arm driving position. The steering wheel adjust for height but not reach. The controls are very simple and the dashboard is clear of any clutter. There are lots of storage areas with the two behind the seats being lockable. The gear stick is small and the action is one of a short throw and very swift and precise combined with a light clutch and power steering make driving a pleasure.
One thing I didn’t notice too much then but do now is that scuttle shake i.e. body flex is quite noticeable but less so when the roof panel is in place.
Refinement is good at low speeds but wind noise increases at higher speeds. Who cares though this is a fun car and who listens to wind noise when the VTEC engine is stirring up to 8000 rpm. Yes that’s right these engines red line at about 8000 rpm (the ESi a little less) and the noise the engines make after 5000 rpm (that when the VTEC does its job is simply amazing. Guaranteed to put a grin on anybody’s face I assure you.
The handling is very very good. Almost go cart like being very direct and instant. Grip is very good also.
To get the most out of this car you have to really push the engine but time proves the mechanicals are up to the job. Some people may find the need to change gears a lot, tiring however.
The boot without the electric roof option is very good indeed and can easily take a large suitcase and some small bags. The electric roof robs some of this space but is still good enough for a small case or even a set of golf clubs. I wont bore you with my ownership history save to say that since my first CRX I have owned a Japanese import Del Sol SiR , which is the equivalent of the UK VTi model and now currently a later ESi with electric roof which hopefully I will not be parting with for a very long time.
The Del Sol models are near identical to the UK models despite what the UK dealers might tell you with the only noticeable differences being Air Conditioning standard on the imports the rear number plate area is smaller and the rear fog light is not integrated into the bodywork. Some may have a speed limiter so you can’t exceed 112mph and later USA imports dropped the 2 extra lights from the nose of the car. Some del sols may not have a heater element in the rear window and may be fitted with a high level LED brake light.
By today’s standards wheel sizes on UK cars were small at 14” (15” Del sol SiR) and few retain the original size wheels. I have upgraded to 15” alloys which do not affect the handling or performance to any noticeable degree however I have driven CRX’s with 17” wheels and unless suspension changes are made this can ruin the handling of the car due to the increase weight and camber changes.
In all 3 of my CRX’s the only thing that has gone wrong is a faulty roof mechanism. But beware there are few places that seem to be clued up as how to fix the roof so it can be an expensive repair if it goes wrong.
The look of the car in its convertible guise has always been a subject of debate, and over the years I’ve heard everything from Sporty, Modern and Sexy to Toy town looks and Noddy Car, so I guess you will either love it or loathe it.
Whichever ever side of the fence you stand on no one can deny the design features and engineering excellence of this fun and practical all year round little roadster.
I'm not sure how many good examples will be left after the Max power guys have finished with them but in my opinion the CRX is destine to be a future classic.
Honda stopped making the CRX in 1996 but rumour has it the CRX is destined for a comeback watch this space.
More details
Purchase Price
Reliability
Excellent
Spaciousness
Good
Customer service
Satisfactory
Security
Satisfactory
Fuel consumption
Good
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