I have driven a '93 probe for five years, and was ready for a new ride. My probe was running fine, but the interior was falling apart around me - just about every plastic part had broken off at one point or another.

I decided to look for a nice, practical, used Honda. At the dealership, I saw a used '02 RSX, and fell in love. (I ended up buying new - for less than the asking price of the used, I got a brand new one.) I liked the specs on the car, but the interior is what sold it to me. The cloth seats have a suede-like feel, and are very comfortable. I take long road trips every other weekend, so comfort is an important factor for me.

The controls are easy to use and very visible. I like the sunroof control being near the steering wheel, so you don't have to take your eyes off the road to use it. I also like the way the entire panel lights up red, including the stereo. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is on the small side, which is great for this car. The wheel tilts, but you can't really tilt it down as much as I would like without blocking the view of the panel.

The level of window tint is nice, also. Just enough so the sun isn't blazing on you, but not so much that you look like you've tricked out your car (although some people want that look, it's just not for me).

The hatch provides plenty of cargo room, and the rear seats fold down perfectly flat. The hatch cover/shield easily comes off and stores in the back, which is preferable to the type that must be stored out of the car.

As for the ride; I love it. I have the base model, 5-speed manual transmission. The car shifts easily and smoothly, and the engine is remarkably quiet. The ride gets a little rough on pothole-ridden DC city streets, but what do you expect?

Pickup is exceptional and cornering good. I originally was slightly disappointed in the braking, but I was just getting used to the car. Brake dust is everywhere on my wheels, but that's to be expected.

I know many people love the type-S, but the base model has plenty of power. 160 horses on a small car like this is sufficient for everything but racing. I do wish the bose stereo with 6-cd changer was available in the base model. Oh well, can't have it all.

I love my RSX!

(I updated this in July 2005, but have had the car since August 2002)
Amount Paid (US$): 19000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: Base, manaul