The Base RSX - A Review for the Young (at Heart)

First of all, I am a huge Toyotaphile. I normally hate Honda and consider them "the enemy". About a year ago, my girlfriend got an RSX despite my numerous objections. What can I say? This car blew me away. The RSX is beautifully sleek, unbelievably agile, and an absolute blast to drive.

I am reviewing the base model RSX for those people who are interested in possibly modifying it in some way. Or even for anyone who wants to just floor it at a green light once in a while. Put simply, the RSX is the best bang-for-your-buck available right now. Now if you're looking to seriously race your RSX, first of all, do it at a sanctioned race track. Second, avoid the base model and go straight to the Type-S. You will not only get 40 more ponies under that hood, but you'll get a six-speed tranny, a body kit, and nicer exhaust pipe. If you're planning to go aftermarket for the body kit and exhaust anyways, then sure, consider the base model. Put in a decent turbo and intercooler and you'll be smoking those Type-S's anyways.

The base model comes with a 160-HP engine also found in the current Honda Civic Si. Top speed is not it's strong suit. When it comes to acceleration, that's another story. This thing bones out. The VTEC kicks in smoothly around 4000 RPM, and you really feel an extra little push as you approach redline. Where this car truly shines is in its handling. I have driven all sorts of cars from fixed-up Hachi Rokus to supremely fixed-up G35 coupes. Never ever had I had more of a glued-to-the-road feeling than in the RSX. Since purchase, I've replaced the stock springs with Teins, but kept the factory shocks. It is almost impossible to make this car skid on a turn anymore. In fact, the RSX's used in the SCCA race competitions have absolutely no modifications done to the suspension. The handling is that good.

Looks-wise this car is beautiful. The headlights (the windows to the soul of a car) are sleek and angular and give a nasty glare to anyone looking in their rear-view. The overall shape is nice. My girlfriend calls it her "White Bullet". Others have mentioned that the back looks a little chopped off, but hey, it's a hatchback. Personally, I didn't like the look of the rear lights too much at first, but I've grown to like them more now. There are DIY projects to blackout the headlights and redout the taillights to give it that JDM look. If you're going to modify the looks of this car, there are so many options available. You have your choice of wheels, since so many fit the RSX. Carbon fiber hoods, spoilers, body kits, and JDM details are available all over the internet and eBay.

The looks of the interior are second-to-none. Have you ever seen the outside of a WRX STi or Lancer Evolution and dreamed of owning one? Have you ever looked at the interior of those cars and almost puked? Unlike those $30k+ monsters, Acura put a lot of careful detail into the interior. The guages glow black-on-silver in the day time and breathtaking red-on-black at night. Every light from the cupholder light to the CD player matches this red theme. Honestly, it is the first thing people notice when they get in at night. "OHHH, that looks awesome". The stereo and climate controls are angled slightly toward the driver, reminiscent of the last-model Supra, though not as extreme and confining. Plus, this car has AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL! That is unheard of in a $20k car. Just set the dial to auto and it adjusts the temperature and fan speed according to the interior temperature. The dashboard has this cool "punctured leather" look, and the ceiling is a durable, burlap-like material which is resistant to cigarette burns (if you care). The seats and steering wheel really sell the interior. The seats are deep and bolstered and support you in any hard cornering situation. I couldn't imagine Recaros working any better. The steering wheel is ultra small and has thicker areas for gripping at the appropriate 10 and 2 positions, very much like a MOMO or similar aftermarket steering wheel.

The potential for incredible power and unrivaled looks is there. I've seen RSX's on the street with full body kits and wheels, and they look great. But if you're ever lucky enough to see one with a fat intercooler peeking from behind the grille... oh my gawd. You're likely to lose it right there. Looks absolutely amazing. I've seen full JDM conversions, and they also look awesome. Take a look online. I doubt there is any new car out right now with more aftermarket product available for it. The RSX is just made to be modified, I guess.

Which kind of leads me to maybe the biggest downside of this car. I see this car everywhere. This may be fine if you're in the market for "owner loyalty" and stuff, but if you're looking to modify a car to your personality, you usually want to start with a unique car. And though I see the RSX modified all different ways... cmon, its still an RSX.

WORD OF WARNING! The RSX has the ABSOLUTE WORST turning radius of any car I've ever driven. It's unbelievable. You'll be making 3-point turns at normally routine U-turns. You may think that's not a big deal, but just wait until a long line of cars starts screaming at you because you tried to make a U on a yellow and had to do a 3-pointer.

Safety-wise, it has driver/passenger airbags, and even standard side-impact airbags. ABS is standard. Gas mileage is great. Blah-de-blah. Sell that to your parents if you have to. But we both know what this car promises to those young enough to hear. Trust me. It delivers.