The Honda Beat is three-quarters of a ton of fun! The Honda Beat is eleven feet of fun! Ok, those aren’t the best marketing slogans with gigantic SUVs barreling down the roads and drivers paying more attention to their phones than to the road and/or whatever else people do these days while they’re supposed to be driving. This 1991 Honda Beat can be found here on craigslist in Olympia, Washington and the seller is asking $10,250. Thanks to Rocco B. for sending in this tip!
Yes, they’re small; they’re tiny, in fact. And, they’re lightweight. Those are just two of the reasons that make the Honda Beat so much fun to drive. Despite lunkhead drivers not paying attention to other drivers around them, sometimes a person just has to play the odds and drive a fun car. This is a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive car, arguably the choice of discriminating drivers around the world, albeit in a smaller size than usual. It was also only available with a 5-speed manual transmission, adding to the fun-factor.
The Honda Beat was made from 1991 to 1996 and the design originated from the famed house of Pininfarina. Honda ended up purchasing the plans and went on to produce around 33,000 of them. Unfortunately, they were never exported to the US, and they’re right-hand-drive.
See, right-hand-drive, I wasn’t making that up. They also have zebra-like upholstery – that’s hard to beat, no? The gauges are a nod to Honda’s motorcycle gauge pods and there isn’t much more storage than you’d have with a motorcycle. The frunk/front trunk/boot doesn’t help too much, storage-wise.
I’m surprised to see an engine photo here, especially with this being a craigslist ad. Kudos to the seller for providing such a great variety of photos, including one of the hidden mid-engine. The Honda Beat is powered by the company’s E07A, a 656 cc inline-triple with 63 hp. This car has just under 16,000 miles on it, the timing belt was just replaced, it runs great, and has ice-cold AC. Have any of you owned or driven a Honda Beat?
I remember seeing one of these parked next to a Suzuki AZ1 at the SAE event in Detroit many years ago. I don’t have a clue what the vendor was trying to promote but pored over the little cars as they seemed like a good modern replacement for the bugeye sprite. At this point I learned about kei cars and also disappointingly that there were no plans to ship then to the US.
They are tiny but my young self was able to get behind the wheels without issues and they were reasonably comfortable, at least more than a bugeye.
Look like fun.
“Fun” is precisely what these are! Beats may not be ideal for cruisin’ the Interstates — Civics look like Ford Excursions from inside one — but given a good, winding road, they are right at home. I spent some time with one when they were new, and really didn’t want to return it. The DoT and EPA made sure I couldn’t have one at the time….
The small size does have advantages: the mental adjustment to RHD is far easier than in a larger car and parking is a breeze. But the real fun comes from winding that little engine up to redline and rowing through the Honda-slick transmission. Beats are typical Hondas in terms of finish and, despite the obviously lightweight materials, seem solid enough. A toy, yes, but a quality toy.
Now that these have passed the 25-year barrier, owning one doesn’t seem quite as crazy, even if I’d expect blank stares from the guy behind the local dealer’s parts counter. I wonder if anyone is stocking spares for these and other newly-imoprtable cars?
Like such delicacies as the Autozam AZ-1 (still my favorite kei car), these peg the Smile Meter. Seems like a fair price given the low miles, too. Others are selling for much less, but show a whole lot more mileage.
The Honda Beat is definitely on my bucket list of cars to drive. I’ve always thought these were very cool.
We have one and and have had almost every type of car you can imagine. It currently shares a driveway with a G63 and a Porsche 911. The Beat is the most fun to drive. It handles great and you can take it on the road at 9/10ths without fear of arrest. No you would not want to take it for long trips on the highway but for anything else it is a complete blast.
Awesome looking car. Although the Honda Beat was never offered here in the USA, I’ve seen pics of the car. I thought it looked like the Acura NSX had been placed in the washer and dryer and had shrunk as a result.
This one gets a big like from me. Very cool little cars. A racer built for winding roads and high rev’s. Bullet proof engineering and looks to boot. The Japanese know how to build little cars and the Italians know how to make them pretty.
I drove one of these, then spent a couple of years trying to buy one. I was never successful in finding one for sale. The pictures fail to show how really tiny this car is. I’m sure is is not much larger than the original Austin Mini. But you will be hard pressed to find a car more fun to drive. Darn it. now I want one again.
Though not many were made they are still available here anywhere from $4K to$15K depending on mileage.
Back then they competed with the AZ-1 and the Suzuki Cappuccino (front engine) but now the modern replacement has some competition in the Daihatsu Copen (front engine rear drive) which are a blast to drive like a miniature Miata.
Fun fun fun.
I was part of design support team that was developing the Beat and 92 Civic while working in Japan. A neat little machine that is fun to drive.
Here’s what the modern equivalent looks like its the Honda S600 or S660 depending on model
Here’s the new Copen from Daihatsu its a hard top convertible and a blast to throw around
I wish the seller had posed the car next to a ,25 cent piece or Peter Dinklage so I could get some perspective. Hard to see their true size from the pictures.
Here is a Beat next to my mid engine favorite – MR2 Spyder.
That is small!
To answer a question that no one here has asked:
No, these cannot be easily converted to left hand drive.
http://www.u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?1215-Left-Hand-Drive-Beat-!
I would love to grab that and swap out the engine for a later and bigger Honda engine.
like Oz crz the RHD are a tease (wanna have’em, not a good idea). Easy enuff to convert drving style back’n forth or perminantly, not so good on the driving itself. Urban I’d need some 1 in the pass. seat as even this small I’m thinkin it would B hard to reach across all the time. Suburban, the same. Rural – all the trucks (passing is a challange) but this might be the ownership locale?
like Oz crz the RHD are a tease (wanna have’em, not a good idea). Easy enuff to convert driving style back’n forth or permanently, not so good on the driving itself. Urban I’d need some 1 in the pass. seat as even this small I’m thinkin it would B hard to reach across all the time. Suburban, the same. Rural – all the trucks (passing is a challenge) but this might be the ownership locale?