About the Honda Civic del SolThe two-seater Honda Del Sol was the successor to the popular, but aging, CRX. The first Honda to have a semi-convertible targa top, the Del Sol became the first of the brand to really look and feel like a sportscar. Nimble, zippy, and fun to drive, Honda enthusiasts loved the Del Sol. It was mildly popular in its first year of production, but sales dropped off in subsequent years because of its lack of cargo space when the targa was stowed, its lack of anti-lock brakes, and limited rear visibility.The Del Sol was originally powered by a 1.5-liter, 102-horsepower, single overhead-cam, 12-valve, 4-cylinder engine capable of propelling this automotive bullet in its first Civic Si iteration. By 1994, a more efficient VTEC double overhead-cam became available. In later years, this became standard. Fuel economy was quite good for the Del Sol, average in the mid-30s mpg range. Its good power-to-weight ration combined with stiffer swaybars and anti-lock brakes on later models made the Del Sol a sweetheart among grassroots motorsports enthusiasts. The... View more Honda Del Sol premiered in the U.S. in 1993 in two trims and remained relatively unchanged until 1995. In that year, the double overhead-cam engine, dual airbags, anti-lock brakes on the VTEC edition, and wheel alloy refinements were incorporated. The year 1996 saw the introduction of larger engines and the dropping of a few of the first-generation power plants. Other reworked features were limited and mostly cosmetic. Production of the Del Sol ended in the U.S. in 1997 and elsewhere in 1998. The interior of the Del Sol received demerits from the very start because of its lack of cargo stowage and passenger room at both trim levels, the base S and the VTEC. Moreover, the noise level was unacceptable. Reclining bucket seats, a central armrest with a beverage holder a small amount of storage, cruise control, and an adjustable steering wheel were some features that added a bit to passenger and driver comfort. Exterior features varied by trim level. The most notable change came during the mid-1996 production run with a small front airdam and bumper. Overall, the Del Sol looked good and handled well after a sturdier front swaybar was included. The first version of the targa top tended to leak, a deficiency that was corrected in the 1995 model. While the power plant tinkering resulted in much better power and the ABS made a lot of sense, the Del Sol just never captured much attention after its debut year. The ride quality, lack of cargo space, controls, and materials used were all black marks Honda didn't overcome View less Honda Civic del Sol Model Years | |||
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