Used Honda NSX Coupe 1995 - 2006 review

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.

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.

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.