Evo comparison with S2000 (my test drive today)
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,202
Likes: 20
From: Orlando, FL
Evo comparison with S2000 (my test drive today)
This is sparked mainly by my past desire for an S2000, and because of the "lies on S2000 forum" thread.
So I finally came back to the dealership that wouldn't let me test drive the S2000 when I wanted to buy a while back (the closest dealership). This time, I drove an Evo to back me up and went to the used lot to make things easier. My only mod is a boost controller set at 19.5psi, so it's not too different from stock. Sitting in the display patio was an 03' S2000 with almost similar mileage as mine, lil more than 17k. I went in and sat in it to feel out the shifter. The shifter was solid. Better than my Evo's. I think the throws felt shorter too, but that might have been cuz the shifter wasn't as tall. But it felt metal solid. The evo's is like tough plastic and feels like it bends with hard jamming of shifts (I know, it's bad to do that, but I'm trying to use the analogy). The fit and feel of the whole S2000 was so clean and tight. Like the car was made just for sitting in and driving. No playing with radios, no looking at maps, basically, no moving at all, heh. Just look at the road and drive. It was a good feeling, and perfect for my height, since I'm not tall. The evo's sit-in feel is just like the sedan it is. Lots of room to do stuff. The evo's recaro's grab me better, but the S2000's cushioned me more (again, based on my frame). I had to ask, so I got the general manager to take me out on a ride. He used to own an S2000 so he knew how to drive it.
Upon firing up the engine, he revved it up a few times, and man, it sounded nice. Louder than our cars, stock. I know, the evo is heavily capped in the exhaust from factory. I'm not to weary of old men driving cars fast because of previous experiences, but this guy knew how to drive it. There was a wide bend on the road we were on, so he floored it through, kicking out the cold rear end tires and correcting it smoothly. I'm used to autocrossing, so I didn't **** my pants or anything, like he thought. In this aspect, I'm sure if the tires were heated up, it woulda gripped more, but I know if I were in the evo on a bend like that, it would have stuck to the ground like glue with no tire squeal. I'm always challenging myself to push corners harder when I go to and from school (1hr drive each way), so that's how I get a feel for things. Autocrossing doesn't give you the real feel and danger of the streets. Then we entered a small road, where he demonstrated the hard turning of the car. I'll admit, it had less body roll than the evo. Like the springs are stiffer on it, but the shocks aren't. I feel the bumps in the road more in the Evo. But then again, I air my evo's tires up 36/33 psi.
Then he stopped and it was my turn to drive. Sitting in it was like sitting in the cockpit of my friend's Rx7, or my friend's C4 vette. More tunnel-like, with pedals ahead of you, rather than the sedan upright of the evo with its pedals underneath and ahead of you. I didn't get to drive it much, but I got to rip it a few times, and test the steering feel. I hate to say it and I know it strikes a cord in you S2000 owners, but the acceleration is like a glorified civic. The sound was incredibly nice and mean, esp. the change in note at vtec. It felt like my friend's SI, but I knew in my head I was going faster--mainly due to the torque. There's no doubt, I know in the hands of a good driver, it is fast, cuz I see the guys at the tracks racing it. But compared to the evo, it didn't put a dent in the seat at all. The evo (stock), even at 3500rpms, will send your head back, and a nice tickle up your stomach. 3500rpms is a sweet spot that you can spring to the next lane and charge ahead of the guy in front of you, without having to worry about shifting so soon. In the S2000, its limited powerband is a big drawback (this is very subjective, I know, but we gotta talk 'usability').
I did a few swerving manuevers to test out the steering feel. It was crisp, but not as responsive as the evos. Again, less body roll here. I didn't want to push the car as hard as I would have in the Evo, cuz I'd never owned RWD before.
The shifting was better in the S2000 too, cuz it doesn't have that damn clutch-line restrictor that my Evo still has.
Handling-wise, I can't comment on that, cuz I've developed pretty good skills with the Evo that scares the bowels out of my friends. Plus, we didn't really drive the S2000. The evo has a better grip on the ground around arcing turns though, even on cold tires, like it's got claws that grind and pull the road, so I gotta give it to the AWD.
Overall, the S2000 is a very nice driver's car. If I could sum the comparison up in one sentence, it's like the two cars went to the same point, by taking totally different paths. The moment you sit in it, you become one with it. It doesn't seem as "point and go" as the Evo, but it handles in its own way. Two very different cars. If I would have remembered, I would have tested the brakes with some 50mph stops. I'm going to stand by the Evo though, seeing how I value practicality and potential, 2 things the S2000 doesn't have. If I had the money to buy another car, it would definitely be a weekend, lightweight, tight-feeling car, and the S2000 is a good contender (looking at the all-out elise, more).
So I finally came back to the dealership that wouldn't let me test drive the S2000 when I wanted to buy a while back (the closest dealership). This time, I drove an Evo to back me up and went to the used lot to make things easier. My only mod is a boost controller set at 19.5psi, so it's not too different from stock. Sitting in the display patio was an 03' S2000 with almost similar mileage as mine, lil more than 17k. I went in and sat in it to feel out the shifter. The shifter was solid. Better than my Evo's. I think the throws felt shorter too, but that might have been cuz the shifter wasn't as tall. But it felt metal solid. The evo's is like tough plastic and feels like it bends with hard jamming of shifts (I know, it's bad to do that, but I'm trying to use the analogy). The fit and feel of the whole S2000 was so clean and tight. Like the car was made just for sitting in and driving. No playing with radios, no looking at maps, basically, no moving at all, heh. Just look at the road and drive. It was a good feeling, and perfect for my height, since I'm not tall. The evo's sit-in feel is just like the sedan it is. Lots of room to do stuff. The evo's recaro's grab me better, but the S2000's cushioned me more (again, based on my frame). I had to ask, so I got the general manager to take me out on a ride. He used to own an S2000 so he knew how to drive it.
Upon firing up the engine, he revved it up a few times, and man, it sounded nice. Louder than our cars, stock. I know, the evo is heavily capped in the exhaust from factory. I'm not to weary of old men driving cars fast because of previous experiences, but this guy knew how to drive it. There was a wide bend on the road we were on, so he floored it through, kicking out the cold rear end tires and correcting it smoothly. I'm used to autocrossing, so I didn't **** my pants or anything, like he thought. In this aspect, I'm sure if the tires were heated up, it woulda gripped more, but I know if I were in the evo on a bend like that, it would have stuck to the ground like glue with no tire squeal. I'm always challenging myself to push corners harder when I go to and from school (1hr drive each way), so that's how I get a feel for things. Autocrossing doesn't give you the real feel and danger of the streets. Then we entered a small road, where he demonstrated the hard turning of the car. I'll admit, it had less body roll than the evo. Like the springs are stiffer on it, but the shocks aren't. I feel the bumps in the road more in the Evo. But then again, I air my evo's tires up 36/33 psi.
Then he stopped and it was my turn to drive. Sitting in it was like sitting in the cockpit of my friend's Rx7, or my friend's C4 vette. More tunnel-like, with pedals ahead of you, rather than the sedan upright of the evo with its pedals underneath and ahead of you. I didn't get to drive it much, but I got to rip it a few times, and test the steering feel. I hate to say it and I know it strikes a cord in you S2000 owners, but the acceleration is like a glorified civic. The sound was incredibly nice and mean, esp. the change in note at vtec. It felt like my friend's SI, but I knew in my head I was going faster--mainly due to the torque. There's no doubt, I know in the hands of a good driver, it is fast, cuz I see the guys at the tracks racing it. But compared to the evo, it didn't put a dent in the seat at all. The evo (stock), even at 3500rpms, will send your head back, and a nice tickle up your stomach. 3500rpms is a sweet spot that you can spring to the next lane and charge ahead of the guy in front of you, without having to worry about shifting so soon. In the S2000, its limited powerband is a big drawback (this is very subjective, I know, but we gotta talk 'usability').
I did a few swerving manuevers to test out the steering feel. It was crisp, but not as responsive as the evos. Again, less body roll here. I didn't want to push the car as hard as I would have in the Evo, cuz I'd never owned RWD before.
The shifting was better in the S2000 too, cuz it doesn't have that damn clutch-line restrictor that my Evo still has.
Handling-wise, I can't comment on that, cuz I've developed pretty good skills with the Evo that scares the bowels out of my friends. Plus, we didn't really drive the S2000. The evo has a better grip on the ground around arcing turns though, even on cold tires, like it's got claws that grind and pull the road, so I gotta give it to the AWD.
Overall, the S2000 is a very nice driver's car. If I could sum the comparison up in one sentence, it's like the two cars went to the same point, by taking totally different paths. The moment you sit in it, you become one with it. It doesn't seem as "point and go" as the Evo, but it handles in its own way. Two very different cars. If I would have remembered, I would have tested the brakes with some 50mph stops. I'm going to stand by the Evo though, seeing how I value practicality and potential, 2 things the S2000 doesn't have. If I had the money to buy another car, it would definitely be a weekend, lightweight, tight-feeling car, and the S2000 is a good contender (looking at the all-out elise, more).
Last edited by Thoe99; Jan 4, 2005 at 02:15 PM.
Good post, way to take an objective view on both cars. I love the S2K as well but they are completely different cars. I've always thought a great garage would be the Evo for daily and S2k for the summers.
S2K are really setup more for autox, twisty running instead of straightline driving. S2Ks are damn sexy, the only problem is that modding is significantly more expensive and you really can't get a big power gain without going F1 and dropping a S/C into it.
S2K are really setup more for autox, twisty running instead of straightline driving. S2Ks are damn sexy, the only problem is that modding is significantly more expensive and you really can't get a big power gain without going F1 and dropping a S/C into it.
'sup Chris... long time no hear!
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,202
Likes: 20
From: Orlando, FL
I really wanna see how the S2000 is on an autocross. It's pretty hard to find an skilled owner who will let me ride along, cuz they always have their own passengers, or they're highly competitive and won't ever take passengers. I really enjoy the Evo on the twisties though, but the stock body roll leaves more to be desire. My car will stay close to stock for still for a while, til I master it.
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Originally Posted by tlclee
Can't wait till I can afford an 04 s2k. I love my evo but its nice to have a convertiable during warm summer nights.
can't wait to move out of this frozen hole, here I come Cali!!!
