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Honda is a company that doesn’t like to follow the crowd. So, while it competes in most of the traditional sectors of the car market, in each case it does something a little bit different.

The Jazz, for example, might look like just another rival to Britain’s best-selling car, the Ford Fiesta, but it’s actually much more practical than its rivals, with a flexible boot and Tardis-like interior.

The bigger Civic is also a practical choice, but it’s mainly distinguished by having eye-catching, love-it-or-hate-it styling, despite competing in a sector of the market that’s usually more conservative than a blue rosette.

And while it may not seem so radical now, Honda’s large SUV, the CR-V, was one of the first to forego any pretence of being an off-roader and instead focus on on-road driving dynamics.

HONDA

A real supercar bargain - great fun and well priced

Used Honda NSX Coupe 1995 - 2006

Judge it against a regular sports car, and the NSX will look a bit pricey. But, judge it against the supercar competition that it deserves to be compared with and it starts to look like a bargain.

The NSX cost around £60,000 when new, so it was an affordable supercar even then. It didn't quite have the desirability of other supercars, either, so retained values weren't as strong. You'll pay around half of the original price tag for a three-year old example, and if you go for one of the earlier examples, you'll pay significantly less.

You'll pay the maximum group 20 premium for your insurance and you'll get an average fuel economy figure of around 23mpg. You shouldn't pay supercar prices to get it serviced, either, although don't expect servicing bills to be as cheap as your average Civic or Accord.

A real supercar bargain - great fun and well priced

There aren't many choices to be made with the NSX. There are two petrol engines, either a 252bhp 3.0-litre V6 or a 3.2-litre V6 that gives 276bhp.

Both are suitably fast. The smaller-engined NSX will cover the 0-60mph sprint in 7.5sec, but the more powerful 3.2-litre manages the same benchmark sprint in a rather more useful 5.7sec.

The 3.2 is definitely our pick and that isn't just because of the outright speed. The 3.0-litre engine comes only with an automatic gearbox, and although it isn't bad, you need the 3.2's standard manual 'box to get the proper supercar experience.

There's one more choice to be made, and that's whether you have a coupe or an open-top; the cabriolet will cost you a little bit more. Whichever you choose, your NSX will come with a good amount of kit. You'll get alloys, air-con, leather upholstery, traction control, electric windows and cruise control.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Ride comfort shouldn’t be sacrificed at the altar of handling sharpness</li> <li>Plenty of power from a melodic engine</li> <li>Handling that doesn’t come at the expense of a back-breaking ride​​​​​</li> <li> Practicality is not essential but nice to have </li></ul>

Driving fun is right at the top of any sports car buyer's priority list, and every one of our award candidates has backroad entertainment coded into its DNA.

Sports

As car manufacturers go, there aren't many more reliable than Honda. The Japanese firm has topped our regular reliability surveys a number of times in the past, and even when it doesn't win outright, it's never very far from the top of the table.

Although Honda's reputation for reliability is built on cars like the Civic and Accord, the NSX should prove to be no different if it's treated well and the 9000-mile service intervals are adhered to.

There are a couple of words of warning, however. The engine and gearbox are extremely complex, and if you're unlucky enough to buy a car that does have a problem, it could be a nightmare to fix - a very expensive nightmare.

Check the service history thoroughly for signs of past trouble, and a pre-purchase inspection would be a wise investment.

Supercar buyers can be a snobby lot. If there isn't a prancing horse or a raging bull on the badge, then some of them just don't want to know. For these people, a small 'H' on the front is never going to cut it.

They're wrong. The fact is that the Honda NSX is a proper supercar, and although it may be looking a bit old, the drive still impresses even now. Outright performance may not be quite up to Ferrari standards, but you'll have just as much fun.

The handling is absolutely superb, with terrific grip and excellent body control. Refinement is excellent, too, and there's even enough of a boot to carry a couple of sets of golf clubs.

Used Honda NSX Coupe 1995 - 2006 reliability

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Used Honda NSX Coupe 1995 - 2006 review

As car manufacturers go, there aren't many more reliable than Honda. The Japanese firm has topped our regular reliability surveys a number of times in the past, and even when it doesn't win outright, it's never very far from the top of the table.,Although Honda's reputation for reliability is built on cars like the Civic and Accord, the NSX should prove to be no different if it's treated well and the 9000-mile service intervals are adhered to.,There are a couple of words of warning, however. The engine and gearbox are extremely complex, and if you're unlucky enough to buy a car that does have a problem, it could be a nightmare to fix - a very expensive nightmare.Check the service history thoroughly for signs of past trouble, and a pre-purchase inspection would be a wise investment.

What to look for when buying a Honda NSX 1995 - 2006, covering common problems to check for and overall vehicle reliability.

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