Miguel Sánchez
A few months ago we recommended the Honda CR-X Del Sol as an excellent entry point into the classics. Born around the idea of a clear whim, this two-seater with a targa body represents a commitment to recreational driving thanks to a compact size combined with variable distribution mechanics capable of delivering up to 160 HP depending on the version.
Regarding its availability in the market, although it is not particularly wide, it is affordable, with an average price of about 9.500 Euros when we talk about units in good condition capable of giving much more satisfaction than problems to those who want to start in the hobby with this niche Japanese.
That said, after publishing that article, we were left with the idea of doing the same thing in relation to the closed model from which it is derived. One of the most interesting options not only when we talk about Japanese manufacturers, but also the entire spectrum of sports compacts from the eighties, whether turbocharged or multi-valve cylinder heads.
Furthermore, although on average we would choose the Golf GTI Mk2 as the most suitable sports compact - while in relation to the engine the prize would go to the Kadett GSi and in case we refer to the chassis the 309 GTI -, when speaking with pure whim, with pure personal taste, our choice would undoubtedly be a Honda CR-X Mk2 with 130 HP in scrupulous original condition.
A JAPANESE-STYLE ALFASUD
We're not going to deny it, on this side of the keyboard we're passionate about Alfa Romeo. And wow, maybe that's why we love the idea of driving a Honda CR-X, as it reminds us a lot of what the Alfasud Sprint could have been if its evolution hadn't ended in 1989 with the last units of the 1.7. Green Quadrifoglio with direct injection.
Incidentally, this is only a few months after the first Honda CR-X Mk2 models were assembled. A coincidence that, in the end, further establishes the Japanese model as a worthy successor - all this in our opinion - to the light and lively Italian with boxer engine and bodywork by Giorgetto Giugiaro.
HONDA CR-X, IF IT COULDN'T DO IT IN THE NINETY, NOW THE TIME HAS COME
However, in those years the Honda CR-X presented an obvious problem for Spanish buyers: the price.
The oversized price based on a few duty taxes on Japanese vehicles and not completely lifted until 1993, thus increasing our protagonist's bill to almost 3.000.000 of the old pesetas, also taking into account the availability castrated by import quotas.
However, this same thing raises him even more strongly among the current collectors, who can get a unit in good condition for around 6.000-10.500 euros, thus fulfilling their frustrated youthful desire three decades later.
All this - of course - if you find a copy saved from the many tuners of the nineties; the same tribe responsible for having fallen like a biblical plague on the interesting Opel Manta and Calibra.
A WHIM WITHOUT TOO MANY CONCESSIONS TO EVERYDAY LIFE
We have said it dozens of times: if there is something good about the classics, it is that, being in itself a whim, an object of leisure and collection, one can feel completely free when choosing according to personal preferences and not sober rational ideas.
That being the case, although the habitability of the Honda CR-X Mk2 is a disaster if it is to be used by a young family with one or two children - a very different case to that represented by the Golf GTI Mk2, which is totally practical for fulfilling the daily tasks of a middle-aged father/mother - this matters little when we are talking about what we are talking about: enjoy driving.
Having saved this aspect, the first thing to take into account when we defend the Honda CR-X as an interesting purchase option is its appearance, with a body that although at the time was not especially tolerated by extravagant Today it radiates an overwhelming charm thanks to that fantastic backside with a cut "kammback"and double rear window. Sensational.
However, the most interesting thing is its engine: a 1.590 cc block with four valves per cylinder - it belongs to the context of the battle between turbochargers and multi-valve technology - fed with electronic injection and variable distribution VTEC in the case of the last units of the second series before the Targa Del Sol arrives.
A marvel in terms of efficiency and performance, it is capable of regulating the valve opening in one direction or another depending on the engine speed. This way, while at low revs the engine VTEC The Honda CR-X behaves like a sober and economical 8v, as soon as we use the accelerator the behavior changes radically showing an evident joy when going up in revs.
HONDA CR-X, A RANGE THAT MUST BE GETTING RIGHT
Leaving aside the units with VTEC system - which require a separate article, being without a doubt the most desirable when talking about Honda -, the truth is that for those who want to look for a Honda CR-X Mk2 in the Iberian Peninsula or other European markets the question is reduced - in general terms - to choosing between the model prior to 1988 or the last and final range of the Mk2 offered until 1991.
In the case of the first, we are talking about a design with a rigid axle at the rear and a 1.5-liter engine with three valves per cylinder, 13" wheels and a power of only 100 hp. In the case of the second, things change quite a bit, with a 1.6-liter block to go up to the 130 CV at 6.890 rpm with 16v and double camshaft for its little more than 900 kilos.
FROM 100 HP TO 130 HP
Obviously -and as we already indicated at the beginning of this article- our choice clearly goes towards the Mk2, which also already incorporated disc brakes on both axles - the Mk1 still had drums at the rear - while completely renewing the suspension thanks to an effective but at the same time more or less comfortable multi-link system developed by Honda itself.
The only notable drawback is perhaps something that all the tests of the time, both national and foreign, agree on: the steer axle truck. Perhaps less precise and communicative than you'd expect from a sports car with a short wheelbase, easy cornering, astonishing energy when exceeding 6.000 rpm, and a dynamic character focused on enjoyment.
By the way, it goes without saying that the two rear seats are merely symbolic; for children or packages. But who cares when we're talking about one of the classics with just over three decades most original, attractive and fun of all the sports compacts available?
