If you were a fan of the original CRX, you undoubtedly got excited at the prospect of Honda producing its spiritual successor. Unfortunately, the original CRX set the bar quite high, and its eventual replacement – the targa-roofed Del Sol – fell short of enthusiast expectations. Today, they are rare to find in any condition, particularly when they’re free from rust and modifications like this example here on eBay. There’s no reserve and bidding is over $4K at the moment, and the Del Sol is located in New Jersey.
The Del Sol is a bit forgotten about these days, and that likely has something to do with the car not being a huge sales hit when introduced. It certainly had the trappings of being a sports car, from its compact shape to the removable targa roof. Later cars even got a robust 160 b.h.p. VTEC-charged engine, giving the Del Sol some serious performance credibility – but it may have been a case of too little, too late. Quality control issues, particularly with the targa roof, gave the Del Sol a bad rap and didn’t do much to help enthusiasts forget their love for the CRX.
The interiors were very 90s-errific, and depending on your love for nostalgia, you either love this look or you don’t. I fall into the former category, as I can still remember thinking this upholstery was super daring compared to other two-seaters of the era (“Oooh! A red stripe! Let me order one!”) The cabins weren’t particularly sexy otherwise, with acres of gray plastic and cheap-feeling switchgear. Regardless, with just 70,786 miles, this one is holding up much better than almost any other Del Sol still in existence.
Under hood is particularly clean, far better than the mileage would suggest. Someone spent some time under the hood, and it shows. The listing notes the Del Sol had one elderly owner, whom I doubt spent the kind of time necessary to get the four-cylinder mill looking this good, but you never know. While it has a clean Carfax and the seller says it is in excellent condition, no information is provided about maintenance history, and I have to believe an example this nice would come with records. While it’s not terribly valuable yet, I suspect its slot-car like driving dynamics and targa roof will find plenty of fans in the future.
During that time period, an MR-2 was a much more interesting choice and for many reasons. But as we know, Honda more than made up for the tepid Del Sol with their next 2 seater entry, the S2000; Two hundred forty horsepower, normally aspirated, high revving in a car smaller than a Miata. Often aptly described as a 4 wheeled crotch rocket, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. I could barely fit in it, but no regrets.
The del Sol has been criticized (both at the time it was new and since then) for not being as much of a ‘sports car’ as the CRX it replaced. I owned both a 1988 CRX Si (my first new car) and afterwards a 1993 del Sol S, used each one as my primary car and daily driver.
It’s true that the del Sol wasn’t as much of a performance car as the CRX (which I missed very much after I sold it; should have kept it despite the accumulating mileage). But I don’t think that’s what the del Sol was about (though in 1994 Honda did introduce the del Sol Si VTEC with a very sweet 160 hp engine, that’s the one to get if you want more performance)(can’t tell if this one is the base 102 hp version, or 125 hp S).
The del Sol was more about just having fun driving in the real world, on the street, not trying to carve a tighter apex in turns at Lime Rock or seeing how many seconds you could shave off times at a weekend autocross. The top on the del Sol is absolutely brilliant. It’s a very simple, straightforward design, which can be removed literally in seconds. Honda’s design and engineering cleverness also shows in the way the top stows – on a hinged rack in the trunk, which keeps most of the space and allows access underneath. Combine that with the rear window that can be electrically lowered, and it’s a near-convertible topless experience with the security and practicality of a hardtop (with a surprising amount of luggage capacity). It wasn’t as ‘fast’ or ‘pure’ of a car to drive as the CRX, but it was even more fun in some ways.
Honda was aware of the body flex and loss of structural integrity that comes with cutting the roof off of a unibody car. Mine had water leaks uncharacteristic of a Honda, and I complained to the company about it. In 1994 they implemented a minor attempt at a fix, a metal wedge attached to each door that slotted in to a hard rubber U-shaped receiver in the door jamb (can’t see them in any of the eBay photos). This was an attempt to turn the door into a sort of structural member to stiffen the body. I took a 1994 del Sol Si for a long test drive to see if the body flex was noticeably improved with this change compared with my 1993, and found that it wasn’t. Putting one front wheel up on a curb with either car resulted in scary amount of body twisting.
That’s a moot point with this car. No one is likely to use a now 27 year old car as a daily driver. This one should be appreciated for being one of the last remaining examples in original, stock, and seemingly good condition, and used as an occasional weekend toy. del Sols went through that unfortunate period most cars do of not being worth much as used cars, and most were subjected to ghastly JC Whitney backyard modifications. del Sols in stock and nice condition are very hard to find these days.
Car & Driver did a comparison test of sports cars available in 1993, including the del Sol:
https://www.techcapri.com/TheMedia/Car%26Driver%20May1993.pdf
This one just sold on BaT, a potential benchmark for what this car might be worth:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1994-honda-del-sol-2/
I have a 1997 VTEC in my garage which I bought new. VIN 000717 out of somewhere just shy of 800 made that final year. Was my daily untill I bought an S2000 and it became my winter car for two years. Retired to the garage in 2002. Bone stock, 117k on it and is all original. Still a fun car. They’re becoming more rare by the day.
I agree and currently own both a JDM 1991 MR2 Turbo GTS RHD and a 1994 Del Sol SI (Type R in Japan) with the DOHC B series. Too few of the DOHC were made to have an impact and are very rare today. They were only offered two years. They are a different animal compared to the single cams which were both VTEC and non. The above featured is a non VTEC.
Both are awesome cars and to pick one over the other I can’t. The Mister 2 has it’s own mystic and feel as does the powerhouse under the hood of the DelSol. It is a monster. You haven’t experienced a Del Sol until you drive the SI DOHC
Yes a nice S2K is on my radar
My aunt had a red one then a black one it was a fun car! Also because its a targa top it is better off as a miata alternative than a crx replacement!
Girlie car!
This thing looks soooo dated. I remember not liking them much when they came out, and the design sure hasn’t aged well. It just screams 1990s. The CRX has managed to avoid seeming so dated, IMO.
We bought a new 1993 si Vtec from our Honda dealer in Burlington ON. It was Granny Apple Green, not my first choice but soon learned to love it. A great daily driver and tons of fun on weekend twisties. One summer day as I was getting into it there were a couple of teenage girls looking at the car and having fun with the colour. I told them I liked everything about the car but the best part that unlike them I wasn’t walking. Shut them up in a hurry.
That winter my wife and I split up and she insisted that everything was hers. She demanded the Del Sol and within six weeks had totalled it. She walked away and the Del Sol didn’t. What a shame, it was a fun car.
Nice Ride
Oh yeah, I remember these well. I’ve replaced several back glasses in these during my auto glass years (they go up and down ). I had to take all the inside trim off and do the entire installation from the inside. Quite crampy when you’re over 6 feet tall.
I bought a red one, Si VTEC for $600 in 2002, had some annoying dents and dings in the front, but I got it running good and used it as my DD for 2 years. Loved the removable top, and on the road would get almost 40mpg. Only drawback was no room. To take a trip all you could bring with was flip-flops and a credit card……………As a side note Rubbereyes, my ex thought everything was hers too, but I had a better lawyer!
As nice as this one is, I would take the time to restore the original seats using a professional upholsterer. The baggy seat surfaces detract from an otherwise excellent, fun little car. A coworker has this exact car but hopped up VTEC, great exhaust note, terrorizing the little hamlet of Spring Hill, Tennessee. Best to the new owner of this baby.
I think those are the original seat covers. At least they sure look exactly like the originals, charcoal grey with a red stripe down the middle.
I never said they weren’t original, those are the right seats. But they need to be looked at, after all this is being sold by a dealer judging by the photos. They budget money for detailing cars all the time. Go to a pro, get them restitched, stretched and/or padding added so they don’t look like floppy Recaro wannabes. Doesn’t matter anyway, the car has been sold…
Sold for $6900! Demand is out there for these CRX targas [or Del Sol in the US].
This is an Si, with 4 wheel disc brakes and the D-16 SOHC engine with ~125 HP.
First year was 93, along with 94’s had leak issues with targa top seals. You want them replaced to 95-97 seals.
Seats are neoprene, and will rub through or shift with lots of errand seat time. The carpets are also waterproof, as is anything which can get wet if you forget to reinstall the 24 pound targa top. Door cards will pop up along arm rest area; but entire door is padded vinyl. This example has an upgrade sound system behind the radio door, with additional tweeters on doors.
Despite reviewers at the time, these Del Sols had large usable trunk space even with the top off. I once dismantled a wooden table with three chairs and fit them in the trunk! Find another two-seater roadster with room to recline the seats and head/leg room for those above 6 feet. Mine is now 25 years old with 215K miles, looks nearly new, and is more fun to drive than any car around the world I have driven in the past 25 years. Upgrade performance parts are readily available, since componentry is shared with Civics from 1988-97.