The Honda Civic CRX was a great idea when it first appeared as a 1984 model. It was a travesty when, after two brilliant generations, Honda replaced it with the misbegotten Del Sol for 1992. And some may say that it’s exactly the car that Honda should be building right now.
Although the Honda CRX may never have grabbed the same headlines or been displayed in mass media like the likes of the Toyota AE86 or the Mazda MX-5, there is plenty of undeniable charm surrounding it.
It’s effortlessly styled, and came with an extremely well-made engine. Looking back at the handling that it offered, its low weight and sprightly engine meant that it could still bring some great performance, whilst also helping its drivers save on fuel.
You could say that this one comes right from the Lotus playbook. It’s simple, lightweight, and sports a very effective suspension. But this creation didn’t come from a small, bespoke manufacturer; it’s a Honda. Meet the CRX.
The Making Of A Brilliant Sports Car: The Honda CRX
The Honda CRX is considered by many as one of the greatest rides that the company has ever produced, and some may even say that there is a compelling case for it being the best sports car that Honda have ever made - it’s a truly legendary vehicle.
The sleek two-door CRX ran its production from 1984 until 1991: meaning it had a relatively short lifetime when comparing it to other Honda models. After it was replaced by the Honda Civic Del Sol for the 1992 model year, it was time to wave goodbye to the popular series - leaving many disappointed.
While the Honda CRX may not be the most aesthetically pleasing offering from that time in car history (despite some fans declaring that it is), there's still a great deal to love about this fun machine. Not only is it, in "Si" trim, fairly fast, but it handles swift turns very well, and it has awesome gas mileage.
The Honda CRX: Supreme Performance And A Pleasure To Drive
The Honda CRX came equipped with a 1.6 inline 4-liter engine. It had the capability of reaching 106-bhp at 6,000 rpm. When considering torque, it gets 100 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm. Although in today’s day and age this may not scream all that impressive, these were truly exceptional performance statistics for Honda back in the 1980s.
Now to take a look at the CR-Xs acceleration, as for many drivers, the suggested top speed is quite irrelevant if it takes forever to reach it. It’s fair to say that the CR-X had no problems in this department. It is able to reach 60 mph from a standstill in just 7.6 seconds. Meaning that to reach a full quarter-mile, it only takes 16.9 seconds at 92 mph.
This famous sports car from Honda has a top speed of 135 mph. While this doesn’t make the Honda CRX the fastest sports car released that year, it is still a true standout from the rest.
The Honda CR-X: Fuel Economy Was More Than Impressive
If we’re going to be honest with ourselves, whilst we all love sporty fast cars, their fuel economy is not usually one of their advantages. With the CR-X, Honda managed to shine in the efficiency department, which was massively sought-after in its day. In terms of fuel economy, the CR-X runs on regular unleaded fuel and would save its driver at the fuel pump.
It achieves 24-mpg when it’s driven through the city and an amazing 30-mpg when it’s used on the highway. This meant that Honda could display a combined 27-mpg. In other words, a full tank of gas, which is 11.9 gallons, would allow you to travel 285.6 miles in the city and 357 on the highway - pretty amazing!
The Honda CR-X Still Shines Today
Throughout its lifetime, Honda produced close to 400,000 CR-Xs, but they’re not really hard to find for adoring fans - many who have never seen one in person.
In today’s market, for a lucky buyer who is fortunate enough to track one of these specialties down, they’d pay around $70,000 for the honor of owning one.
Honda certainly found true success with the CR-X; a car that was not only speedy, but also helped to address the concerns of many motor owners during a difficult time in American history. The lasting and ongoing success of the CR-X proves that an attractive vehicle is not always at the top of everybody’s priority list. Sometimes what’s lurking under the hood can more than make up for a straight forward, ‘boring’ design.
The CR-X certainly does hold its place in the history of Honda and of sports cars in general, there have been sneaky talks of a reappearance. Although there has been no concrete information regarding the possible comeback of this iconic sports car, the company is said to have trademarked the name again back in 2020. Only time will tell if we will be lucky enough to see this now-classic motor hit the current market again, but it sure would be exciting if it was to.
Sources:
Auto Express, Parkers, Auto Evolution