The Honda Beat Is the Baby S2000 You’ve Never Heard Of 

Another fact, this is the last car that was personally approved by the Honda founder, Mr. Soichiro Honda before he died. Just like the F40 to Enzo's Ferrari.

The cars Doug's been reviewing recently are so much more interesting than brand new supercars and hypercars.

Can we just appreciate the sheer fact that Doug was able to review not one, or two, but all three of the ABC's (AZ1, Beat and Capuccino). That's a feat in itself.

We have a Honda Beat here in Japan. Very fun car to drive, like a big go cart

Anyone who's played a Gran Turismo game knows what the Honda Beat is. Such a cool and iconic car!

I work at a Honda store near West Palm Beach, FL and we have a red beat in our showroom. Every customer that comes in has questions about the car that most of us cannot answer, so this provided some good info to share to them- Thank you. The real question is- Are we getting an Acty review?👀

It’s pretty much a street legal go kart. I neeeeeeed

As a Japanese fan I'm happy that Doug has completed the reviews of the legendary ABC trio. Probably the first non-Japanese RU-vidr to do so

MTREC = individual throttle body on each of the 3 cylinders. Honda played around with individual air-fuel ratios and was able to squeeze an extra 16hp out of the engine if you revved it all the way out.

I bought a Honda Beat 2 years ago after falling in love with it from Regularcars vid. This car is so so fun and slow! The false sensation of being fast by being tiny while hearing that engine screaming behind your ears, going through 1st 2nd 3rd 4th gear reving up past 5000 rpm to hit 50 mph traffic is such a blast! To be able to put the car to its fullest just commuting day to day to the store and to work with a 5 speed stick and a screaming engine is leagues more fun than having something like a 700 hp Hellcat Challenger that you can only tickle the gas when commuting on public roads without breaking the speed limit or risking lives and only take the car to its fullest in so few runs on a Drag strip. PS. Wheels in the FRONT are 13 inch and 14 inch in rear not all wheels are 13 inch. The Passenger Dome light is an OPTION. Mine doesn't have it The stock radio is so bloody cool looking and is a shame that it was removed from the car in the video but only gets Japanese radio bandwidth range instead of Europe / America range. Japan is 76-90 Mhz USA/EU is 88 to 108 Mhz Thankfully a prior owner added an AUX IN jack to mine :P Front bumper of the one in the video looked to have been for the Fog Light option but this one doesn't have fog lights so that bumper probably came from a different Beat, then again there is a aftermarket toggle switch I saw in the vid so perhaps there used to be an aftermarket set of fog lights?

Fun fact: the S660 , successor of the Beat, has even less trunk space.

Doug is still the quirkiest thing in the video and i love it.

I have a 1991 Honda Beat in Yellow that I imported from Japan. It took 93 days to get here to the port of Tacoma from Yokohama and the battery was dead. Had it jumped and it ran great for three weeks, then the timing chain jumped and some teeth got bent. It's out of commission now in my garage but those three weeks of driving it here in the Seattle area were the most fun times. The endless questions tho at every gas station and it only takes 20 bucks to fill the tank.

Not many people know this but the S2000 was also designed by Pininfarina. Also the HPX concept that was mentioned is what Honda turned into the NSX. So essentially every RWD Honda (aside from the 60s ones) is designed by Pininfarina.

One of these came through the drive through when I worked at McDonalds. They're so cool, had a great little chat with the owner while he waited!

Doug also mentioned the Honda S660... "Honda announced it will end production of the S660, a nimble two-seater convertible powered by a mid-mounted engine, in early 2022. It will send off the roadster with a limited-edition model named Modulo X Version Z. Released in April 2015 as a follow-up to the Beat, the S660 was developed primarily for the Japanese market, and it was designed to comply with the kei car regulations that give motorists several tax advantages. Honda has sold over 30,000 units of the S660 during the past six years, and it will make the last example in March 2022. Honda didn't shed light on why it's putting the S660 out to pasture, but the Japanese website Response unsurprisingly blamed the decision on ever-tighter regulations. Government officials in Japan are forcing carmakers towards electrification by enforcing strict fuel economy, emissions, and noise regulations. Adding automatic emergency braking to a car like the S660 is easier said than done, too. It's simpler for Honda to give the roadster the axe. This is a prime example of a phenomenon we've written about in the past: Electrification could mean the end of the kei car tradition." - Autoblog

Doug has finally reviewed the ABC of kei cars, congrats, a truly amazing feat

Doug also missed the fact the wheels are factory staggered: 13” front but 14” rear.

LOVE all the recent videos featuring weird / older cars. Stuff like this is what I care about the most on this channel so please keep doing the classics and quirky cars of yesteryear!

6:40 that red thing in the footwell is either a fire extinguisher or one of the standard issue flares that come on all JDM cars. Yes, OEM fitted flares and flare holders.

7:15 Doug is slick at mentioning the inoperable AC 👍

I own the successor to the Beat here in Japan: the S660. It's so impractical, and I absolutely love it. I hope Doug reviews it once Lane Motor Museum's own example returns from the EU.

I really appreciate videos like this Doug. Great job, thanks for posting! (:

Doug! Your videos have been so good lately, I’m really liking the latest choice of vehicles 🙂

The contribution of Japan to automotive advancements is insanely huge, even when it comes to quirky cars xD

I LOVE my Honda Beat! I was very lucky to have found #183 still in excellent condition and with just about every special option that Honda offered including the 20th Anniversary Gathers Sound System, optional map lights, center subwoofer and frunk storage case. These cars have a very strong following in Japan to this day! You are absolutely right Doug this does turn heads! Even at Cars and Coffee surrounded by millions of dollars of Ferraris and Lambos this baby NSX can still draw in a crowd! Thanks for doing this review and bringing the Beat to the US!

Beats are great. Depending on if the tops are on or down/stored, they're either the most or second-most practical of the ABCC group as far as storage goes. You can almost get a fridge pack of soda in the tiny trunk (unless you had the CD changer option which took up some of your space). I usually prefer to unlatch the roof before unzipping the window to reduce tension on the zipper and make it easier to zip. Overlooked here are the facts that the front wheels are an inch smaller than the rears (because that's "sporty") and that the fuel filler lid is opened by pulling a knob inside the driver's door sill. Most engine maintenance other than air filters and oil changes involve removing a large panel behind the passenger seat. Being Hondas they're pretty reliable but they do have some common issues, mostly the distributor bearing failing (common to other '80s and '90s Hondas) and cam belt breakage (both usually due to age and/or neglect). ECU capacitor leakage is also a mid-'90s Honda issue that the Beats tend to suffer from, so be sure to check for it before it gets bad. The OE radiators also tend to degrade and should be inspected and/or replaced but there are good aftermarket aluminum ones that you may want to upgrade to anyway. The model displayed here looks pretty rough: its optional fog lights have been removed, the passenger area light looks broken, the Beat-specific radio is gone, the rear bumper's missing some inner trim, the driver's seat is missing the seatbelt guide, and I'm sure there's other stuff. Unless there's a service history with receipts I'd probably factor in at least $3k in mandatory service (including timing belt). But hey at least it has the alloy wheels. If you're in the States you can wait another couple years and instead get a version F or version Z model (the special variants of the Beat, including special paint and other features such as LSD).

Based on the naming, I imagine the MTREC system refers to individual throttle bodies, which does make an engine more responsive.

The beat is the very last car designed/approved by Soichiro Honda, the founder of Honda, before his death

Doug doesnt skip a beat with amazing reviews.

Doug DeMuro, the kind of guy who has "always wanted to drive one of these!" since he was a newborn, for every car he's ever seen.

Yet another cool quirky car review Doug - thank you so much for doing these style of videos!

MTREC is their marketing jargon for the system of individual throttle bodies

It’s only a matter of time before Doug reviews a Peel P50

Saw one of these for sale for 9k with 52k miles. I would definitely slap a turbo on that thing, and upgrade the engine and transmission as much as possible. Get it at 250 or 300 hp psh that's perfect for that little thing.

Just what I’ve been waiting for!! Great review Doug

0:01 intro 1:00 quirks and features 3:39 Interior 9:26 boot and engine 14:04 exterior 17:17 driving 21:48 conclusion

What “I-am-gonna-talk-about-it-without-researching-it Doug” missed is that MTREC means the Beat has individual throttle bodies for each cylinder. It was Honda’s solution to not turbocharging it. In any event,Kei regulations meant it could not make more than 63 hp.

I have been waiting for Doug's review on this 🙏

@Doug Demuro: Great work, keep it up. Thank you for this rare vehicle review Doug.

I imagine basically every viewer here knows the Beat. After all, it's part of the famous ABC: Autozam AZ-1, Honda Beat, Suzuki Cappucino. A car dealer I know has a Suzuki Cappucino in his showroom. Not to sell, but just because he likes it so much. Mind you, this is in the Netherlands, where everyone is very tall. Apparently most customers who saw the Cappucino over the years thought it was actually one of those pedal powered kids cars, not an actual vehicle :D

SWEEET! Next I want to see a Honda City turbo but you have to review and drive the moped too. 😂

Doug has never changed..... His every video starts with "this" with a perfect hand gesture.... His a True legend

19:12 Ayo Doug, we haven’t forgotten about it and we’re still waiting for the Renault Sport Clio V6 review that you filmed last year, when the hell is it coming??? We got the C6, Multipla and XL1 reviews that you filmed at the same time in that museum, so where’s the little murder hatchback???

I am amazed yet again that Doug has folded himself into a car, that can fit in some Cereal Boxes. Doug - do you have a body-sized trim tool remover, that you use to get yourself in and out of these things?? 🤣

Been waiting for this video!

Thanks for this video! Perfect quirks!

As a Beat owner I recognize Doug is just trying to get the basic knowledge out there that this car exists and its cool. I don’t expect him to have time to research every single fact about it like an owner or enthusiast would. Good overall review. I will say the Beat is basically a baby NSX and not a baby 2000. Mid engine, rear wheel drive two seater. Nuff said. Lol. 👍

I love these unique car videos!! Keep doing these type of cars!

Thanks for the honest driving review.

I do enjoy Doug's videos - getting a really enthusiastic, gigantic man, to review a tiny car, is always going to be funny! :-D

Let’s be honest, we all knew this thing was gonna be up for sale as soon as Doug mentioned it

Doug I wish you still have your Hummer. I would've loved to see a side by side comparison of a full size American SUV and a kei car

I love car reviews like this!!

Apparently the MTREC system was something related to the throttle bodies on the engine, presumably each cylinder adjusted its air/fuel mix intake. Honda claimed that this tech was used in their winning Formula One cars back then and they seemed so proud of it. Only this and the Honda Today had it.

A Widebody Honda Beat with a reinforced chassis, coilovers, brake kit, more rubber, and at least 180HP (maybe a B16 or B18 if it would fit) is my dream build. Would absolutely love one, over most exotics even

I've always loved these, wish i could have bought one. Playing with them in gran Turismo 4 was a treat

I've been waiting for this one!!!

I work at Honda building the accords,TLX,ILX,CR-V. I would love to own this thing. Hahahaha. Thing is hilariously odd and funky. Idk if I would really want to modify it to try and make it go quick. Or leave it alone just because of the oddity and cool factor of it. Hahahaha. Amazing.

Would love to try one on some of my favorite narrow, twisty roads were maximum speed doesn't matter!

That's sick. Can't wait for the Miura review!

Thank you ! Had never seen one of these but in movies. Its an MGF convertible of the 90s from behind.

Top Dead Centre just bought one of these to mod. Looks amazing and I now want one.

Doug the type of guy who play his RU-vid videos at his wedding。

I imagine "Deja Vu" playing all the time when you drive this thing to it's limits in normal traffic :-D

"Like a sporty...sporty...sports-car" Doug, your way with words is phenomenal!

Tying reviews with the auction site is a stroke of genius. Doug gonna be rich AF! Deservedly.

Now we want him to review that honda accord from 90's

Growing up in Japan, my dad wanted this so bad that we went to take a look at the dealer and he would study the catalogue for days. It wasnt ideal for a family so he didnt buy it but its somewhat my childhood car

Great video, Doug, as always. "Gilmore Girls" fan? It's cool, most car guys are LOL I rock the Luke's Diner shirt too. 👍

Would love to see Doug review a Honda CRX. Possibly an si. Probably next to impossible to find one still road worthy.

I love doug's simple review

I've driven several cars when I was in Japan. Among them a Nissan Skyline R34 but also my friend's Beat. If I could've taken home any one of the cars I drove there it would've been the Beat. Most fun car I drove. Ever. And the best part is that you're having fun without even getting close to breaking any law.

Oh Doug, when you will post your review on the Clio V6!? Can't wait haha that must be a fun experience to review such brutal car

I’ve one here in the UK. Had it around 12 years. It’s fantastic! Not a sprinter for sure but cornering is amazing. I’ve 2 other Hondas and unaware of any Beat steering issues. The Beat’s wheels as standard have 1 inch smaller ones at the front. There was an option of a storage container fitting inside its spare wheel plus a rack on the boot. (trunk) Stereos could be upgraded adding 6 dash speakers and a CD auto changer in the boot. (I have these) Japanese radio frequencies are different to others so won’t function correctly without an extender. You could add a sub woofer option in the centre storage thing. Did you find its fuel filler release? I saw it in the vid. Speed is km/hr, dials etc in English and warning labels in Japanese. If I provided all the keys for friends etc to take, pretty sure the Beat would be the most popular.

I love this little car, what a wonderful, quirky beauty of a thing.

This is what fought the Suzuki Cappucino! I saw them in Tokyo zipping around in the 1990s... cute as a button!

63hp for that size of an engine is pretty impressive, it only 10hp shy of my old 1.4 4 cylinder ford fiesta which was my first car

6:30 The glove box will be that size because there'll be something behind the fascia next to it, probably part of the ventilation system. That's a map light, that'll double as illumination for the glove box, surprised if there wasn't also a light on the windscreen frame though.

Does this mean the honda beat uses a Door Fingle instead of a Door Handle?

Doug really kind of missed one of the best features of the Beat: you can wind the engine out to 9000 RPM. I do it all the time with my Beat. Yeah the redline is 8,500 (!) but the limiter does not cut in until after 9000. It sounds like a little Formula 1 engine screaming right behind your head.

This is my new favorite review

One of those little things I absolutely love is that he always gives the equivalent measurement in the metric system As a European I thank you doug demuro

Doug, please review the smart roadster, its a 790kg 62hp - 101hp lightweigt turbo 3 with unique styling and great handling

Honestly 60 odd hp is really impressive for an engine that tiny, the Chevy chevette couldn’t make that much with a much bigger motor

Finally! Ive been waiting in this.

Congratulations on becoming a dad, Doug! But I'm disappointed you missed a dad joke moment at 2:33 where you should've called the door opener a "fingerele" instead of a "handle". And thanks for reviewing this cute little car. Hopefully I'll get to test-drive the ABC kei-sportscars and the Daihatsu Copen someday. And you should've included the engine note-check part as well! 😭

Every time Doug says K car, I think of the Chrysler K cars from the 80's lol

Every car person when they see Doug claiming we didn't know about an odd car: "Yes, I do. Don't insult me."

I remember seeing a few of these on the roads in the UK in the early 90s. Not officially sold here, but 'grey imported'. Cool, but even back then they looked so vulnerable

Not a real car guy, but Doug's enthusiasm and info on these cars keep me coming back

That little Honda looks like something you would buy at Walmart for your kids to drive around in the front yard looks like it would be a blast on the curves my little '87 Mr2 would look like a land yacht right next to that one 😅

Great to have original wheels, but judging from the condition of the tires at 14:06, it almost looks like those are original too! I'm surprised that tires so deteriorated have so much tread on them. In fact, I wonder how much that affects Doug's subjective opinion of the handling characteristics versus the A and C.

Great video man !

I'm driving one is Sydney Australia, they are just so much FUN ! ! More people need to get amongst this amazing little car.

Hilarious to see 7’2” giant Doug driving a tiny car.

hey Doug, why was the s2000 placed lower than the beat while having a higher score? love your videos

Fun review! How did you not mention the icon on the hood release vs the hood operation?

As a Honda Guy this little car is cool and the fact that it's right hand drive is super cool, wouldn't mind buying one and Running it Honda shows . Great video thank you for creating it and sharing it on RU-vid.

I want to see the honda beat next to a Ford F650