The moment Honda's S2000 hit the market as a 2000 model it was clearly one of the most uncompromised sports cars made available to U.S. buyers in decades. It only sat two and those two could only be so wide. It's famed VTEC variable valve timing technology, a super-lightweight reciprocating assembly, a dizzying 9,000-rpm redline and the sacrifice of virtually all usable low-end torque. It was an easy car to love, and a tough car with which to live. Its cockpit isn't built for transcontinental cruising; it's built for attacking the road in bursts, thrusts and parries. And by that standard it's dang near excellent. Snugged down into the driver seat, the S2000's controls all fall readily to hand. It is a high-performance, 2-seat, open-topped roadster with an advanced front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car configuration. Introduced in 2000.

2004 Honda S2000 features minor appearance changes on the front and rear, and on the inside. Mechanically, the engine displacement has increased to 2.2-liters, providing a different performance characteristic with the same peak output of 240hp. The suspension settings and the gear ratios on the standard six-speed have also been updated. Its DOHC VTEC 4 cylinder design engine producing 240 horsepower and 153 lb ft of torque. The new 2004 engine meets California's strict Low Emission Vehicle standards. It is comfortable to sit in, offering contoured seats in leather. The seat back's side bolsters extend all the way up to the shoulder for good lateral support when cornering. Seat adjustment is manual and includes adjustments for fore and aft position and seatback angle. Legroom is ample and the textured-metal foot pedals complete the feel of sitting in a race car.

Compare this S2000 with the new 2004 MR2.

2004 MR2

At the heart of these 2-seat convertible roadsters is a lightweight, all-aluminum, 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder power plant. With the aid of two cams, 16 valves and Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, this engine produces 138 horses - more than enough power, given the car's curb weight of a mere 2,195 lbs. The Toyota MR2 Spyder also comes with a choice of a 5-speed manual transmission or an available 6-speed sequential manual transmission, for even greater responsiveness on the road. What's more, the car's MacPherson struts and ventilated disc brakes with ABS at all four corners contribute to the car's stability in turns. With all of these performance features, it's no wonder every MR2 Spyder review is so positive.

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