1990 Honda CRX Si review from North America
"Fantastic, fun car!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Having owned this car almost since new (16yrs), I've had to replace/upgraded most of the suspension parts, distributor, starter, alternator, water pump, timing belt, steering rack bushing, exhaust system, brake pads and rotors. Keep in mind all of these items were replaced due to normal wear and tear.
The engine and transmission has held up very well (replaced clutch once) to its current mileage of 264,000 kms. I do take care of my car with oil changes every 5000 kms so it's no surprise the engine is still good and it's a Honda so 'nuff' said.
General comments?
The CRX is one of the best cars I've ever owned. Its super reliable, great on gas, excellent performance from it's 1.6 litre engine AND it handles very nice, even stock. Of course, the CRX is a great platform for tuning so I've upgraded the suspension with Koni shocks and H&R Sport springs and it now handles like a go cart.
I've driven many different performance cars from many manufacturers and having owned other cars as well and, honestly, the CRX ranks up near the top (my opinion) in terms of the fun factor. Main reason being it very light (2100 lbs), has manual steering (yes, its heavy steering, but provides great road feel) and excellent gear box (light and precise).
My Crx has been with me and our family for such a long time and I just cannot bear to part with it. It's held up quite well over the years. It still has it's original paint, which is in excellent shape, due to the frequent washing & waxing that it receives.
Recently I was bitten by the need to modify and 'improve' the performance of the CRX. To the chagrin and perhaps a bit of disapproval from my wife, I swapped out the 1.6 litre D16a6 engine and transmission and dropped in the 1.8 liter vtec engine & tranmsission from a Japanese (JDM) Integra Type R (B18c r). It cost a pretty penny, but WOW, the CRX now can scoot. With over 200 (BHP) horse power, LSD and short gearing... anyways let's just say that this is my excuse (as if I needed one) of keeping my CRX for many more years.
Recommended reviews
| Sweet small car with a lot of bang |
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| Ultimate combination of economy and performance = FUN (relatively safe, also) |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1990 |
| Year of manufacture | 1990 |
| First year of ownership | 1991 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 10000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 264000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 8th July, 2007 |