1998 Acura 1.6 EL Sport review from North America

Switch to turn on the heated mirrors broke at around 110,000km. Replaced switch.

The two lowest fan speed would not work at around 120,000. My mechanic replaced parts.

Car is very noisy at high speeds, especially if there is wind or bad pavement. This is primarily a city car for one or two people. With more than two people, you can definitely feel the car weigh down - especially if you have the A/C on in the middle of a hot, muggy summer day!

Winter driving without snow tires can be disastrous and downright dangerous.

Frequent fill ups due to small tank. This can be a disadvantage if you drive long distances.

The body is flimsy like tin foil. Be prepared to get little stone chips as well as nicks and dents if you do a lot of city parking or drive on gravel.

Very fuel efficient if you cruise at 100-120km/hour.

My 1.6EL has been extremely reliable. Apart from the minor fixes, the car still runs smoothly. Note: I religiously perform every maintenance required (oil changes, spark plugs, transmission oil, etc.)

Breaks are VERY long wearing if you handle the car properly (i.e. brake properly). I do a lot of long-distance as well traffic stop-and-go driving. My mechanic told me that at 143,00km, my brakes still had another 10,000 km. To be on the safe side, I replaced the brake pads at 143,000km.

Timing belt change is coming up at 168,000km. Dealers suggest that you change it at 100,000km although the manual says 168,000km. My mechanic - knowing the history of my car - says the job can wait until 168,000km.

The car starts beautifully even in the middle of our cold Canadian winters. Hint: I always keep the tank half full when the weather dips below -5 degrees Celsius.

Control panel is not cluttered. You have all the basic functions intuitively laid out.

Car feels solid. Before purchasing this car, I also test drove a Honda Civic since everyone told me that the EL is basically a "dressed up Civic". This is only partly true. The EL drove a lot more smoothly and felt more solid, and this is due to some upgraded parts.