Before we review this Japanese car, we are going to talk about an Italian car, namely, the Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato. Not familiar with this little gem? Here’s a photo. The resemblance to the CRX should jump off the page, and that’s because Honda’s designers were impressed by Italian carrozzerie – one even owned a Junior Z. Italian influence aside, there were other reasons to make a car like the CRX: Honda perceived that its competitive position needed enhancement, especially in America. “Hot hatches” were sprouting all over the place, from the VW Golf to the Ford Fiesta. While the Civic was a wildly successful offering, it wasn’t capturing its share of sporty-car lovers. So when the third generation of the Civic entered development, the CRX body style was added to the line-up; it quickly gained acclaim from buyers and the automotive press alike. Here on eBay is this 1987 CRX Si – the “big block” – with an asking price of $17,500. It’s located in Elyria, Ohio. While the price seems high for an old car, let’s find out why it still might be a good buy.

The base CRX was equipped with a 1.3 liter four cylinder when it launched in 1983; later the engine’s displacement rose to 1.5 liters. The Si was introduced in 1985, and while the displacement was identical to the base model at the time, combustion was controlled by Honda’s digitally-managed programmed fuel injection unit, boosting horsepower to about 90. Though unimpressive today, 90 hp was enough to make the CRX pleasingly quick. It weighed less than 2000 lbs and was nicely balanced over a short wheelbase. The fun factor is also supported by a five-speed manual gearbox. This car has a claimed 57,658 original miles, and it comes with plenty of documentation and its factory manual. The clutch was replaced about 12k miles ago, and the seller notes that the fuel injection light remains on. Otherwise, it runs and drives well.

The interior is a bit time-worn, but no cracks, tears, stains, or substantial fading mar the cosmetics. Bucket seats offer lateral support just like a real sports car, and it has an electric sunroof. The cargo area is clean and generously-sized. If there’s any portion of this car that attests to its low mileage, it’s the trunk, which literally looks new. Several photos of the underside are provided – other than dirt, nothing nefarious is lurking there, either.

The car was repainted in the original color “recently” and the seller notes a few areas of paint loss near the lower door edge/rocker area. The CarFax notes one minor accident. The asking price of this car exceeds the average sales price of the comps we found, but its mileage is also substantially below others on the market. This well-kept, 61k mile CRX Si failed to find a new home at $16k, but this 200k-mile example sold for $9600. In today’s terms, spending shy of $20k on basic but sporty transportation from a company known for reliability is an attractive proposition. And when you’re tired of commuting in it, you can track it!