The second generation Acura/Honda NSX has been on sale since 2016, and while the car is great, it’s not selling as well as it should. Last year in the US, Acura only sold 170 units of the NSX in 2018. Compare those 736 units of the Audi R8 and 8901 units of the Porsche 911, both sold in the same year. Let’s see why the NSX isn’t selling as well as expected.
Cute… but is it cute enough?
There is no doubt that the NSX is a superb vehicle. It’s futuristic like the original concept and sits right between a Ferrari and Lamborghini garage. LED headlights, subtle chrome accents and large exhaust add to the car’s aggressive style. Gullwing doors add to the presence of the car, but are not necessary. However, the McLaren 570S Coupé seems to be attracting more attention thanks to its sleeker profile and wider color palette.
A functional interior
The cabin is great, but you could say it’s more functional than pretty. The colored leather is attractive, the seats are supposed to be comfortable and it’s more “normal” to live with a 570S or a Lamborghini Huracan. That might be the problem, though, at this price, as buyers don’t want an interior that shares switches with a base-model Civic. The digital gauge cluster is great, but it’s a shame there’s so much plastic in the cabin.
a new beating heart
The NSX produces 573 hp from a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged hybrid V6, allowing the car to accelerate to 100 km/h in just 2.9 seconds for a top speed of 307 km/h. All of these numbers are pretty impressive for a simple V6 – well-made Honda! The car returns to the Nurburgring at 7:36:00, which is respectable, but slower than a Porsche 911 Turbo, an Audi R8 V10 and even the Nissan GT-R, the latter being almost 10 seconds faster.
Price and comparison
NSX starts from $157,500. The slightly cooler 570S starts at $188,600. The Porsche 911 Turbo costs $161,800 and is more luxurious. The Audi R8 starts at $164,900 and is a brilliant all-rounder. Ultimately, the Nissan GT-R costs “only” $99,990 and outperforms the NSX in nearly every performance-related area.
Conclusion
Looks like the NSX is a great car, but the price is a bit too high. It meets the criteria of supercars on paper: it is fast, rich in heritage and unique. Unfortunately for Honda, competitors also meet these criteria and offer a little more performance and design. Unless Honda fixes a new lap time or makes it more exciting inside and out, the price should be reduced.