The 2005 Acura NSX Was the End of an Automotive Icon 

I don’t think the styling looked “old” in ‘05… this design is simple, sleek and timeless! It still looks great to this day!

when doug makes 4 videos on a single car, u know how good the car is

The first time I drove an NSX was on the German autobahn in 1998, it was a 1993 model that was in excellent condition. The speed was impressive, the engine sounded incredible, but what really stands out in my mind was it was dead stable at 140 mph and it was just smooth and easy to drive. No shakes, no rattles, it just had that solid “carved from one stone” feel that older Mercedes were famous for.

I drove my buddy's NSX in Canada many years ago and to this day, even as an E46 M3 owner, remains strong in my memory as an amazing experience. The view of the road ahead is almost panoramic/IMAX, the sound from the engine behind and the driving position and cabin quality. Amazing stuff.

When I worked at Honda as an engineer in the late 90's they had an employee suggestion points system, where you could cash in "points" for fun benefits. One was an NSX for a week. The only rules were you couldn't take it out of the state. My supervisor won it for a week and took me for a ride around the Ohio backroads. It was a lot of fun!

I'm surprised that Doug didn't mention the Honda badge on the back when the rest are Acura. Seems like a quirk that he'd normally talk about.

This is probably stylistically one of my all-time favorites. I adore this car, but I admit I'm heavily clouded by nostalgia. Truly an automotive icon.

Totally agree with most things said here. As an owner of a '94, one of the first things I did was convert to a HID setup (was on Xenon, now on LED) so that I could see the road at night, suspension to make it handle even tighter, upgraded break discs so that I could stop at 'fun speeds,' and making the engine sound a little more exciting with an intake and full exhaust. Now I can see the road, stop when I have too much fun, predictably rotate with enough gas, and makes all the right 'fun enthusiast noises' on par with any OEM V8 or whatever of that era. While it may not be a "supercar" by the sheer lack of horsepower, it IS exotic, though... it's designed by the same studio that designed that F348 Ferrari (Pininfarina) and was entirely hand-built. It also killed that Ferrari and the 911 Turbo on the track in the first few model years, but became less competitive as the years went by when both the Italians and Germans majorly redesigned their cars with new everything , while this one simply made minor improvements. There were also fewer NSX's made in the entire 15-year run than of some modern Ferrari models (i.e. there were just over 9K NSXs made over 15 years compared to 15K-ish F488 models in just 4 years). With Type-R gears and a few tiny other mods it surprises a lot of people (mostly me), but it is absolutely the most fun and enthusiast-recognized cars I have ever owned. Non-enthusiasts still think it's a very cool Corvette :D. Mine has about 122K miles with a full top end motor/gasket/seal rebuild, and it's also been cheaper to maintain than a lot of the other cars, too. Over a decade ago these could go for the price of a fully-loaded V6 Honda Accord. I'm glad I decided to go the NSX route... granted, was it ever really an option?.. I was shopping for a used Corvette. :)

I had an early NA1. I can not agree more. For me, this is the car that gives the driver the most amazing feedback and engagement experience possible. I will never forget it. I love it. It is an engineering masterpiece. If you look at the rear control arms as a passionate engineer you start crying because they are so beautiful. It is that special.

How perfect was this car in 1990? Barely tweaked for 15yrs. Added another gear, added 200cc of displacement, added fixed headlights, thats just about it. Perfect color combo on this one IMO. THE perfect interior layout IMO. Supremely balanced, with the reliability and drivability of a Honda Accord. Beautiful.

The mid 2000's was the golden era for a lot of things. I fix lawn mowers on the side and let me tell ya, my personal mower is a 2005 john deere zero turn. Since then they're literally built as cheap as possible to make it past the warranty.

This car isn't that special, but when you're sitting here (driver's seat) it is. That line is a great description of the NSX.

I think the "subdued" styling really helps this car. Even though the design was pretty much the same for 15 years, to me it showed that they got the design down because it really is timeless. There are few cars I would consider to look timeless, but the NSX is absolutely one of them, in fact a lot of Japanese cars from this era were just beautiful.

HI Doug! Another thing that make this car so special is the fact that Honda developed it with close help from McLaren - Honda F1 Champion Ayrton Senna. Probably thats why it is so well balanced. Keep On The Good Work

Timeless design. These have always been high on my wish list. I remember when you could get a decent one for $20k. Unfortunately I didn't have $20k back then. 😄

I’ve dreamed of owning a first gen NSX or R34 but man, the prices have skyrocketed. I was fortunate enough to buy a stock ‘94 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, with less than 100K miles, which I absolutely love. Japanese sports cars from the 90s have aged so gracefully (when taken care of)

Awesome that it has 129K miles. That means the owners actually drove it and whoever buys it won’t worry about putting miles on it. This will always be an iconic car. Such a beautiful car.

I love my 1993 NSX way more after I had the engine built to handle the 450~500rwhp (Flex Fuel). It just feels so perfect now.

I was the ‘NSX Manager’ at a Honda dealership here in Australia in 1992. I sold one to a 348 owner, who left his Ferrari with me during a week-long test drive. When he returned, he said, “Keep the Ferrari! It’s crap compared to the NSX!” Having driven hundreds of cars in the preceding years working for a car magazine, the NSX was my all time favourite sports car. It remains so to this day.

I never saw the early ones as a kid, but I vividly remember the later ones all through high school. I perfered the exposed headlights, and I loved the understated purposefullness of the styling. The vehicular "walk softly and carry a big stick" I looked it up, and I personally liked the early "baseball" shifter knobs.

Another dream car of mine. Thank you Doug. You have reviewed: a late 90s Supra, 90s Skyline GTR, your Ferrari 360 Modena, and the older Acura NSX. Now I can sleep at nights and dream sweet dreams about these legends. Thank you, Doug. You are my absolute favorite car journalist/enthusiast. Next to Papa Jay Leno. ❤️❤️💯

One single thing Doug didn't mention - they STILL look current.

22:26 i’ve seen Doug display joy, giddy excitement, and disappointment, but this is the first time I think I’ve ever seen utter contentment.

As a young Acura dealer tech in the early 2000's, I was fortunate to drive a few of them. One of the best days was when a customer brought in a used 1992 (that he had just bought) as his only complaint was that he thought it " wasn't as fast as some of the others". I ended up putting 35 miles on it and it was certainly fast enough to get my heart racing.

I love that this car has the mileage it does. A driver!

I prefer the earlier version with the pop-up headlights. I've never liked the fixed headlights. It spoils the look of the front. I do like that they put a larger 3.2L V6 in it later on though over the earlier 3.0L V6. The NSX has been one of my dream cars since my childhood in the 90s. Still a beautiful and interesting car.

Great video Doug!....Thanks for doing reviews by yourself. Don't bring anyone else on for reviews. Garage talk, sure. But your reviews are something of a work of art. When you bring on random new people into your car reviews, it's like spitting on a Van Gogh or a Picasso. Thanks Doug. Cheers!

Ayrton Senna was closely involved with the development of the NSX, and after seeing him drive one rather quickly around Suzuka, that was all the convincing I needed, and bought a 1992, used. I found it somewhat under powered, but the balance was perfect, and was the most neutral-handling car I'd ever driven. My car was black, and one of the quirks of this particular car was because the car was entirely aluminum, it tended to absorb & retain heat, becoming a big, rolling heat sink, so it was always stiflingly hot inside. Beyond that it was pure automotive perfection, and a dream to drive.

I had an NSX in the late 90's, it was a 1995, white, NSX with the removable top. Despite going through tires every few thousand miles, I absolutely adored that car. It was unfortunately stolen right out in front of my apartment a few years after I had purchased it. Although the police told me that they expected the car was already half way to South America by the time I realized the theft and reported it, they ended up finding it a year later chopped to pieces in a chop shop a few counties north of where I lived. What a waste of a car, and at that point it was owned by the insurance company. Shame. By far one of my favorite cars I had ever owned, and is a major reason why I got into the Audi R8, because it reminds me of that NSX - even more so than the next gen NSX that was released several years ago. I had the 1995 model, which was a year before they bored the engine a few tenths of a liter adding another 20 horse power and scrapped the five speed for a six speed. Notwithstanding, the shifter was absolutely amazing, and 1st gear was seriously tall. If I recall correctly, I could easily hit 45mph in 1st gear. You could also change gears with your wrist the gears were so close together. Absolutely an amazing car, especially in the high rpm where it shines! Great review on the car! Best of luck to whoever ends up purchasing this very rare specimen.

It's not the same without the pop up headlight, I prefer the design of the pre facelift version.

Design wise, I think the NA2 deserved a higher rating. It managed to update a late 80’s design sold throughout the 90’s, and turned it into a design that aged almost perfectly as a 2000’s design.

Doug smokin crack by by saying it's not drop dead gorgeous or crazy head turning! I know Doug was never fond of Hondas and didn't like all the love they get but come on bro, the NSX is one of the best looking cars of all time and that's a fact.

I loved that car! Look at that design! Unless you're paying exotic money, you're not getting that kind of design. And then to come with Honda's reliability. C'mon that's a win for anyone!

Classic NSX’s are my favorite car ever! Saw one the other day and I just get the chills.

I loved selling the NSX. When they came out, we had one that the new owner wanted it tricked out. Gold plated wheels tinted windows, extra leather, all the accessories. It added over $15k to the car. Before it went out to be upgraded, I got to drive it fast. But as I'm 6'2" I hit my head on the ceiling, but it was so much fun. It scared a older couple when we pulled up very quickly.

Love this car. Always have. I remember seeing one being delivered to a dealer for the first time. Took my lunch break and walked next door to dealership to watch them unload it from an enclosed trailer. Years later a buddy I worked with had one. Use to drive it a bunch. Such a fun car. And IMHO. Black over tan is the best combo.

I read somewhere that the F-16 "Fighting Falcon" fighter jet inspired the styling of the NSX.

My Dad took one of these for a test drive in 1996. I got to ride in it. That's something I'll never forget!

Love this so much!!!! Keep up the awesome video Doug, supporting you all da way from Hong Kong!!!!!!

This generation was a tough one to like for me as my childhood dream car was the 1st generation. The headlights were the main issue of content. Ironically, I now own a 996TT. The same car that many Porsche purists disown due to the headlights. Thanks for 5he cool video Doug. It’s a stroll through memory lane for me.

Such an unmistakable shape.

THANK YOU!! For reviewing this car you've teased me with the last few videos. I know you've done NSX's before, but damn the 2005 one is so sexy and special.

Love seeing a review where the car’s so good Doug just pauses and smiles at the camera.

Aw, I drive an MDX... lol. This is my top three favorite vehicles tho. The late models, especially in blue, or the R with the bigger wing (which we obviously didn't get but still) 300hp in a low mid engine, I'd really just wanna drive one lol. Thanks for showcasing the various versions, so cool, and beautiful! V6s 4lyfe ;)

Great video. I bought my dream NSX, a 2005 in Long Beach Blue back in 2016. I got lucky, prices were dirt cheap back then for my low mileage example. She is a keeper

Seeing 1st gen NSX is just as rare as some truly exotic cars, and it's always a special moment! So yes it IS exotic. At least now, IMO, when they have become rare(-er... Than when they were released)

When this car came out in the early 90s it changed culture immediately. It was beautiful and still is. We didn't know what to think about it we couldn't imagine that kind of car could cost less than $100,000 and be smoother than any Ferrari. Posters that were once only Ferraris and Lamborghinis now had the NSX.

I love that Doug made that "wind in your hair" reference on a picture with a bald man driving the topless car! :)

Damn...my favorite. I actually liked the late model NSX's without flip-up headlights. So nice. If I could've afforded it, I would've bought the blue version back in 2015. Man super nice

One drove by my house in Toronto the other day. Brought back great 90's memories. It was indeed old by 05 but still looked amazing. I love how quiet it was while passing by as I despise loud vehicles of any kind.

The Honda/Acura NSX was one of the most influentual cars in the last 30 years in terms of technology and overall performance. It was the first production car to bring six key technologies (all-aluminium alloy chassis construction, titanium connecting rods, variable valve timing and lift, electronic traction control, independant 4-channel ABS and electric power steering) into one production design, in 1990!, and forever changed what every other manufacturer had to shoot for.

Don’t forget Ayrton Senna drove the NSX like he drove his Formula One car. ' Senna's appreciation of the car he had helped to fine-tune was apparent in the exuberant way he drove it and the enthusiastic way in which he spoke about it.

Such a beautiful car, especially for something designed and built in Japan for the time. I would love to own and drive a 6-speed manual version of this car.

I just had the opportunity to drive a 1998 6 speed. Its been my standout favorite since they came out in the early 90's..........I wont ever forget it! Ultra smooth engine, perfect ergonomics, and very , very good suspension and handling. It just all seemed to be greater than the sum of it's parts.

We've been an Acura/Honda family for 22 years now. Oddly enough some of the NSX interior elements were also found in my 1989 Ford Probe. A/C vents on the doors, and turn signals, cruise and wiper controls on pods sprouting out from the steering column, with short levers. Turn signals especially are a carbon copy. I think 1980's Porsche 928s also had A/C vents on the door panel.

I never own one but drove it a few times. Balance is definitely the perfect word to describe this car. I think in a long run (like another 15 years) this NSX going to cost ridiculous amount of money

Doug has really unlocked the holy grail where he has an endless supply of quirky cars he can review from his auction business

I still own my 1997 NSX. Monte Carlo blue pearl/ black (onyx) interior. One of 34 made in this combo in the world. I love it. 62k miles. I will never sell it, and it’s even got antique tags on it now, that it’s over 25 years old. “97 NSX”

I had a 95:Acura Legend that had the 3.2 liter V6 and I would be doing 135 mph and floating down the highway so I know a NSX must be amazing. My favorite car, I want one so bad

Such a cool car. Game changer for reliability in low volume production.

This is without a doubt my favorite car of all time!

Great video Doug. I always loved the NSX.

This is the best looking Honda ever. Beautiful design. This last generation NSX looks the best.

Truly one of the best cars ever made! 😍

I like the pop up headlights better

Man, I've always loved the NSX! Black on tan is one of my favorite automotive color combos and I certainly wouldn't mind owning this particular example.

My first car (2008) was my grandpa’s 1994 Acura Legend 4dr with 180k miles. A lot of the switches/controls/gauges bring me right back. I even had wal-mart cup holders that stuck into the windows because there was only 1. Man I loved that car. I took care of the exterior, but I was 17 and my first car.. my friends and I put cigarette burns all over it. I put 50k miles on it, I want one back so bad. Great times

Bring the spirit of the NSX back Honda!

"so you can drive away with the wind in your hair."" Editor uses stock footage of a bald guy driving it.

Sadly I have never owned such a beautiful car...if you have, you are truly blessed!

The NSX and F355 have timeless styling.

Anyone else have their mind blown over the wood trim in the auto equipped NSX?

I really think the pop up headlights look alot better on this particular, they match the lines of the car better

I have a 2006 Acura TL with no trans nor engine light on. 2nd owner. I like to call it an NSX because it’s just really good balanced sedan. Car was truly ahead of its time.

great video. I have A silver 2004 23k miles, No mods all OEM! Its the best real driving experience you can have. I also own A 2019 NSX. I like that car as well... But is not the same driving experience as this era NSX

That roof storage compartment is pretty brilliant.

I have always loved the NSX. Timeless style and iconic car. Drove one years ago. What a car.

Doug, I think you missed the boat on the interior. When I test drove the NSX in September of 1990, the first thing I noticed was how much better the interior quality and design and fit and finish (and the visibility) was over its contemporaries - the 911, the 348 and especially the Lotus Esprit (a bunch of square panels) and the Corvette ZR1. The driving position, pedal/shifter placement was in another league. It's part of what made (still makes) the NSX a great driver's car, as you so rightly said. I bought a red '91 in 1997 and I still have it because that pure analog experience will likely never be replicated in a modern car.

This one really brings home the fact that we’re no longer watching car reviews, Doug is just literally doing a sales pitch a couple times a week.

My all time favorite car. The story of production is also incredible, and at launch it beat all other supercars. Ferrari is so good now because they had to step up their game after Honda destroyed them with the NSX.

One of the best ways to look at an Acura is to think of it as nothing more than a Honda in a much nicer suit. 😊 That 290hp 3.2L is the same engine they put in the 3rd generation TL Type S and it was, as you stated, silky smooth.... even when the VTEC changeover happened high in the rev range. I have a 2010 TSX with the venerable K24 four cylinder that has proven absolutely bulletproof over a 1/4 million miles now. Maintained regularly they can run durn near indefinitely.

I have always wanted to drive one. One of my favorite cars of all time. Fun fact. Those roof latches look exactly like the ones on a Del Sol.

This!!!!! As always excellent content 👌🏻👌🏻 thanks Doug👍🏻🙏🏻

You didn't mention that when they first came out the tires they put on them didn't last 8000 miles. They had to put the softest rubber on them to get the numbers in the handling department they wanted.

The NSX has aged great

Doug could review the same car 33 times and I would gladly watch over and over. Thank you Daddy Doug👏👍

Way back in the day, I was a waiter at a country club...somehow I became aware that a red NSX pulled in. I begged the valet to let give me the keys so I could drive it around the parking lot. The valet, to his credit, put up a good fight...but I was able to drive it around for 10 minutes. It was awesome.

An Icon car that most of us knew from Gran turismo, childhood was great!

A true Icon that was driven and promoted by a true Icon. We miss you Ayrton Senna

Timeless design! It holds up today against brand new sports cars. So ahead of it’s time! It’s so beautiful.

I seen one of these the other day and thought feel that lighting is the only thing that dates thus car, this car is smooth and beautiful.

The NA2 NSX was only offered in the Targa version in America, from 2002-5. That's why they were "all" targas by the end. You could still get a fixed-roof version in other markets until the end of production in 2005.

The 15" wheels fit the shape of the car better. It's so low and thin, like an airplane, and big wheels only spoil that look. I also like the "older" design with pop-up headlights more

Can't wait for your next NSX review, Doug.

I always loved the way this car looked. Exotic, yet tasteful and understated.

doug just keeps on reviewing the same cars again and again like we wouldn't notice 😂

They did a lot of upgrades, but one huge downgrade. The headlights.

The Lexus LFA and the first gen NSX are my all time fav cars. Only one of them comes equipped with a manual though. That NSX is a very nice example.

❤❤my all time dream car..I remember when I was a teenager , I was looking at its pictures for hours 😂..Thank you

Doug is the type of guy to review the same car twice just because it's from it's final production year.