2001 Honda Accord Type R 2.2 VTEC
Summary:
Very entertaining and utterly reliable
Faults:
No problems whatsoever during 3 year ownership.
Original Bridgestone Potenzas lasted around 30k km. Brakes pads replaced after 50k km. That's about it not taking into consideration regular oil& filters change.
General Comments:
An excellent car - quick, with perfect handling characteristics, spacious and reliable.
Interior is a bit dull (except awesome Recaro seats) but nevertheless ergonomical. Momo stearing wheel and the above mentioned Recaros are a real treat.
Suspension is rather stiff which is perfectly OK when driven on quality roads, however poorly maintained roads with occasional potholes would give TypeR a hard time. In general the car is more "track" than "rally" oriented. Turn in is very sharp and if pushed over the limit in the apex the car understeers and slides gently to the outside.
Excellent gearbox. Probably the best gearshift I've ever experienced (you can keep changing gears just for the sake of it to simply enjoy this precise mechanical "click").
Not the best car to cruise the autobahns though as the noise level doing over 85 mph becomes really annoying. The sound of the engine when pushed hard may not also suit everybody. It's not at all Porsche like growl, but rather Suzuki Hayabusa like scream.
Fuel consumption is very reasonable averaging 28 mpg, assuming you don't wonder into VTEC zone too often. Around 1L of oil needs to be added between regular oil changes/services.
In summary, it is one of the best front wheel drive sedans on the market to be enjoyed by the driving enthusiasts.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 28th December, 2004