TerenceT

are they comparable?

similar Hp/torque (hi HP / low torque)

high reving/high compression

i wanted to throw the z into the mix but it has 50 more hp and 100lb more torque...

anyone had driven all three can comment?

let just stick to drivability/streetability
no need to pull all 1/4 mile/0-60 from C&D

i've only driven the 8, not he s2k

just want to have a fair review from you guys before taking the dive

wizardrummer

I have a colleague that just bought an S2000 and he is already bragging about what a better car it is than the RX8. I'm not sure how he has arrived at this conclusion, except by the reviews that he's read.

He obviously has never driven a rotary :D

Wizard

elusiv

sorry, but the s2000 excels in all aspects of performance, it has a faster 0-60, and handles a tad better.

the s2000 is hands down the better performance car, however take comfort that an rx8 is in fact a sedan that is quite comparable to the s2 -which is a pure-bred sports car. its also lacking in almost all the luxuries that rx8 provides.

IMHO ... if the rx8 was a two seater, and stripped to the bare minimum and was equipped with the same kind of rubber that the s2 has, it should be on equal grounds if not better.

someone please correct me if im wrong.

RomanoM

The S2000 is more "pure" sportscar than the RX-8 with quicker steering, better turn-in, less body roll and it's easier to swing the tail.

However, it's loud (even with the top up) and quite stiff riding. The engine is not as smooth and the torque curve is even more peaky. With the RX you can drive it quickly with 4000RPM on the clock. The S2000 comes alive only at 6000RPM and then it makes a hell of a racket (a nice sounding racket) but it will wear on you eventually.

"Creature comforts" are practically nil.

Personally, the S2000 is a great weekend toy. Driving it year round, everyday would not be desireable.

BillK

Just to be fair, there are many who would disagree. I have long been considering an S2000 as a daily driver as I want my daily driver to be fun and I have never seen what the problem is with the S2K in daily life. So it's loud, big deal; if I wanted sedate I'd buy a Lexus.

Oh, and I fit in an S2000; still waiting to see on the RX-8 as my dealer's cars didn't come in yesterday as they were supposed to...

Racer X-8

As far as appearance goes (anybody care about that?) it is my opinion that the RX-8 and the S2000 have equally reached the summit of excellence. Beautiful! Both of them!

Technically, they are both at the forefront of automotive perfection.

OK, now, what do you want?
Can you tolerate just two seats? Will you be willing to replace the rag top every two or three years? Will the athletic zest of a true sportscar grow tiresome after the honeymoon is over?

The S2000 is my next car of choice by the way. Just wish I could buy both at the same time. The RX-8 is just more in-line for me and my wife. Sure would like to have that chioce on a daily basis though. :D

ChrisW

I know this is subjective but does anyone actually like the sound of an S2000 above 6000 rpm? Yes, sports cars are allowed to be noisy but surely the quality of the noise is important.

The S2000's engine is an inline four with no balancer shafts (according to the brochure they took them out to reduce friction losses) and it can't begin to compare in terms of sound quality and smoothness with the straight sixes and V6's of competing cars, never mind the rotary.

One trip into the VTEC zone in this car was enough to convince me I didn't want it, because of the terrible racket it made.

MarkW

Chris,

I guess everyone has a different opinion, but I absolutely bl00dy loved hitting the VTEC zone. Closest you can get to an F1 car noise this side of a Ferrari. :D

Cheers
Mark

RodsterinFL

Hmm. I drove the Honda S2000, the G35, and looked at the 350Z.
Although this encompasses all three here is my 2 cents.
My notes?

Honda S2000 4th place
space - little with top up (most of the time)
headroom 34.6 vs. RX8 36.7
front leg 44.3 vs RX8 42.7
shoulder 50.2 vs. RX8 54.9 really noticed this!
hiproom 49.8 vs. RX8 53.4 skinny people seats!
cargo 5.0 vs. RX8 7.75 WELL!
Fast car great response slow takeoff in 1st. Noisy with top up - road and engine. Felt like I was face to face with salesman - narrow cockpit. 2 seats.

G35 3rd place
luxury interior. Big bulky seats, nice power seat entry to rear, fantastic pickup, back seat unusable for adults, head in rear glass - hot in sun, due to a review I read I noted the interior plastic spraypainted silver dash(the article mentioned longevity issue with silver) -understood. Most expensive.

350 2nd place
Cool interior gauges and design ques. Love floating gauge design! Nice seats, Spaceship look. Small - 2 seater
much more space than S2000 though

1st place RX8 for rear seat, driveability, engine, exotic racer look, price.

dreamgetter1

I had a deposit down on a RX-8 MT GT, got tired of waiting so I decided to take a look at some convertibles (originally what i wanted all along till I saw the 8). I test drove a miata, nice but too small and underpowered, test drove a S2000 2002 Suzuka Blue, I was sold right away. It was just so much damn fun to drive, I felt like I was in a car that was an extension of me.
Have since bought it, got my deposit back on the 8, have added an AEM CAI and a RSR Invidia Exhaust.

Personally I love the sound of this car with the top down, I feel like I'm in a F1, the car handles like it's on rails. I don't have kids, I've got a Crew Cab Frontier for other none sports car stuff and as for amenities I almost never listen to the radio as the sound of the engine is my radio, never use the A/C and I appreciate the mininmalist race car aspects of this car.

Just my opinion, some day I'll drive the 8 to see if I've missed anything, but without the ragtop I doubt it.

delhi

the s2k is great for a second car.
so if you require daily driven car and is your primary vehicle, go for the rx8 since it will pretty much do anything an s2k can albeit lacking in terms of track performance but your daily commute will be much more enjoyble. The thought of revving the car all to 7k to get it out of harms way is no fun during rush hour traffic.
again if you're looking for a sport oriented second car to bomb around cones or track, the s2k is a great ginsu knife weapon.

dreamgetter1

mine's a daily driver and I have no problem being comfortable, revving to 7000rpm to avoid harm's way? This car reacts very well below 7000rpm and blasts off after that.

P.S. I still love the lines of the 8 as well as the interior, but I just knew I'd have more fun in the S.

Jimmylove

I'm SHOCKED nobody mentioned the biggest difference: roof/no roof.

Looks like we don't have any roadster fanatics here. IMO having the roof come down and feeling the wind in your hair on a Sunday morning drive up the mountains is automotive nirvana.

I'm starting to realize many people who purchase S2000's don't care for the convertable top which is quite shocking to me.

Given a choice, the fact the RX8 has a fixed roof automatically disqualifies it.

dreamgetter1

Have to quote myself?

f1 tech

Haven't you read the latest issue of Car and Driver and Road and Track? The S2000 got first in both reviews and smoked the 350Z in the Road and Track comparison.

PUR NRG

I've driven an S2000 for almost a year now, both road and autocross. I've driven an RX8 for almost a day now. Trying to compare them is apples and oranges.

Individual driving preferences and tolerances vary. I have no problems with the S2K's stiff suspension for daily driving.

The S2K is about pure driving with few creature comforts. The RX8 is about sporty driving with lots of creature comforts. There are pros and cons for each and which are more important vary with each person you ask. Remember G-Man who ditched the Lancer EVO's performance because it didn't have cruise control?
________
LovelyWendie

RodsterinFL

Well, the ragtop is great BUT I use my car daily and tested the S2000 with the top up and down. I would keep the top up going to work and during this part of the year (mostly) in FL due to the excessive heat and humidity. We have a Miata and the top stays up now but comes down imore often n the winter (FL) Oct - May. We don't care for the noise in the Miata with the top up either. We aren't older just don't like sweatting while driving. Like the one guy said. The S2000 is a great car but the RX8 is more versatile and lends itself to daily use better. I believe that will make it more marketable too. Statistically convertible sales are down this year but they are great fun when conditions allow.

TerenceT

any comment on truck space?

IRTMVEZ

Damn right I do! Pure exhileration.
As far as comparing the two, the RX-8 isn't really in the same league. It's a mass of compromises, and that's okay because the end result - a sports family car - is unique. Accept it for its virtues, and don't seriously compare it to a vehicle that makes no compromises.

ToRX-8orToZ

The 350Z roadster. The 350Z hard top smoked the S2000.

billdo

Word. Also, while the s2k was out losing to the mach 1 and 350z in that article, the rx8 was out taking care of the 390hp Cobra.

Racer X-8

Are you a pro wrestler? You sound like this dude I saw on Saturday morning TV. Was that you?

TJRX8

Obvious for me...I drove all three and bought the RX8. For many of the same reasons as stated above. It is an all around better car "FOR ME".
I was almost crippled after a short but exhilerating ride in the S2k, scratched it off the list. It isn't near as nice inside and is beginning to look dated, although I still do like it's look just not near as much as the 8.
The 350Z is well a 350Z. I thought the inside was cheap and crappy looking. It didn't seem near as nimble and fun to drive as the other 2 and personally it didn't seem to have that much more power or torque than the others (I know it does).

The 8 is close enough in all categories that it may lose in (for some testers) and the other 2 are far away in the categories that the 8 wins in. Make sense?

The RX8 for me Thank you very much!

akrx8

im not sure that this s 2000 is faster than the rx8,i have printed out 2 diffrent pages form s 2000 track tests and both say 0-60 is 6.2 sec(also comments in one the rsx type s is on its heels at 6.3) rx8 comes in at 5.9 sec.there was no 1/4 mile times on the s2000 that i could find but to say that the s2000 is not in the same league as the rx8(regarding performance) is got to be from jelous honda owners.to run 1/4 mile time in 14.5 @ 96 mph (road and track test)the rx8 wont be far off this hondas *** if any.

Quick_lude

Due to the nature of both engines, the driver that can utilize the wide powerband better will win. But all other things being equal the S is a little faster in the quarter. A few people actually broke into the very high 13's. No matter though, since both cars are about total performance and not just straight line acceleration.