Pretty, pricey and pacey

The new Honda NSX is an out-and-out sports car and has the looks to match. Jack Evans found out more

The NSX has been in the works for some time but has only recently been pushed through. Underneath, it’s a hi-tech car. Mated to a twin-turbo V6 engine are not one but three electric motors. They provide almost instantaneous acceleration on a par with the Porsche 911 and Audi R8. Not only that, but there’s all manner of scoops and vents that make the NSX as stable at high speeds as possible. Add in four separate driving modes (we’ll come to those later) and you’ve got a package that seems, on the face of it at least, to be at the very cutting edge of sports car technology.

Ducts and air intakes certainly make it stand out from the crowd, while heavy creases on both the bonnet and boot break up the car’s panels. There are two deeply padded bucket seats that sit down low in the car. Thanks to the low-slung seating position, it’s a comfortable place to be. Dominating the centre of the car is a large rotary dial for selecting driving modes, located just above the pushbutton gear selector.

Of course, a two-seater sports car is never going to be a strong choice when it comes to practicality. That said, the boot is large enough for a set of golf clubs or two mediumsized weekend bags, but that’s about it. In the main cabin, a glovebox compartment can store about four small water bottles – but there aren’t any cupholders to put them in once There’s no doubting that the NSX carries a considerable price tag. However, given how well it drives, as well as how it looks, it certainly seems worth the money.

opened. On the plus side, both doors are wide and allow easy entry to the cabin.

Here’s where the NSX really shines. Firstly, there are four driving modes to choose from: Quiet, Sports, Sports+ and Track. The first of those four modes is just that – quiet. It means that when pulling away, the car stays in all-electric mode, with the petrol engine chirping into play soon after. Jump to Sport and the car begins to tighten up. Throttle response is improved and the entire car firms up. Sport+ is an extension of that, while Track puts the NSX into full attack mode and allows the traction control a certain degree of slip, meaning it will happily go into an oversteer situation, should it arise. In every mode, the NSX rides impressively. At £130,000 without options, the NSX certainly isn’t cheap. That said, it’s no more or less expensive than rivals such as the Audi R8 V10 and Porsche 911 Turbo. However, for that money you do get quite an array of technology, from the trio of electric motors to the torque vectoring drive system.