1991 NSX Review: The Car Equivalent of a Palate Cleanser

The NA1 and NA2 Acura (or Honda) NSX is just what is needed in todays ultra computerized society and automotive industry. It is so refreshing in a sea of cars that are too big and too complicated. It is the refreshingly simple and organic antidote to todays increasingly complex cars.

In the cooking world, there are foods that are known as palette cleansers. The purpose of palate cleansers is to do exactly what the name implies…cleanse the palate.

Wow what a great definition, I wouldn’t have known that myself!

But actually, it is utilized in many cultures as a way to enjoy a variety of flavors without them interfering or clashing in your mouth. In Italy, a salad sometimes serves this purpose, or in Japan, ginger is used, or for spicy foods, a dairy product works wonders.

In the car world, the NSX is a palate cleanser. Today’s cars are, often for the better, highly computerized and rather large. Computers have made cars significantly safer than they have ever been, smarter than they have ever been, and more comfortable than they have ever been. However, computers have also disconnected the driver from the feel of the car. I have the unique opportunity to drive many new cars and the technology, refinement, and comfort of the cars are hugely better than cars even as new as 8 years ago. However, with more refinement, and driver assistance and fuel economy necessitating the need for numb electric steering, most of today’s cars are so isolated from the road to a point where you can’t really tell what’s going on outside. Not only that, but cars have gotten bigger, belt lines have risen, and windows have gotten smaller.

Looking around the car, you realize that the materials and build quality are reassuringly solid, and amazingly practical. The buttons still press with reassuring solidity, and nothing feels worn out. Sitting in this interior really makes me wonder how the plastic and faux material interiors of todays cars are gonna last. More so the tiny turbo engines powering most of today’s cars. This V6 is as reliable as your family’s Honda Accord (if properly cared for), and despite old electronics and accessories surrounding it, everything has been as solid as a rock. Certain parts are getting hard to obtain like windshields but besides that, this car is daily driver material. And some people use it that way accumulating over 200,000 miles. Common problem areas for this car include the Air Conditioning, ABS pump, Window Regulators, and a tendency to chew through rear tires.

Now step inside to the NSX. The first thing you notice as you walk up to the car is how low it is. Like compared to my BMW’s (which are both lowered), the top of the NSX’s roof is aligned with the headrest. You step inside and drop into the car. With only 3.7 inches of ground clearance, you are quite literally sitting on the ground.

Turn the key and the V6 engine starts with rough growl and you hear the manual ABS pump whirring as it builds pressure. The NVH of this car would be vile nowadays, but I adore it. The car feels alive and ready. Don’t worry about turning on the radio because this isn’t that kind of car (the stereo isn’t any good anyways). Put the manual shifter into first, and revel at how precise and short the throws are. The throws are so tight that I am fairly certain all five gates could fit into three of the six gates of my E46 BMW.

Driving the NSX, you’re immediately aware of the view you have out of the car. No mid engined car has this kind of view today. The low hood means you can see everything out front, yet precisely place the front wheels thanks to the tall fenders. And the cockpit glass give you the visibility only a minivan can today. This makes maneuvering the 3000 pound aluminum bodied NSX pretty easy. What surprised me though, was the rather heavy clutch and a very stiff gas pedal. It’s something you easily adapt to after a couple miles of driving, as the clutch is easy to modulate and you adjust to the gas pedal, but for a fairly light car these controls feel unnecessarily heavy.

All this fun, yet when you finally get home and park the car, you can close those awesome pop up headlights, and pull the groceries out of its very well sized rear trunk. You can close the garage knowing it will run 200,000 miles like any Honda. And you can sleep easy knowing that it’s not a depreciating toy.

This fades away though when you start driving. The NA1 I drove features the C30A engine. An all aluminum 3.0 liter V6 making 270 horsepower and is paired to a 5 speed manual. 1997 and newer cars (NA2) received the C32B engine, featuring increased displacement to 3.2 liters and a bump to 290 horsepower, which was paired to a 6 speed manual. However, 270 horsepower is still plenty fun and is enough to give you a nice push back into the seat when you give it some boot. While 0-60 in 6 seconds isn’t fast today or even back then, power is sufficient and you’re never really feeling like it needs more. And while the engine is not sonorous like a Ferrari V12, or distinctive like my M3, it plays a mechanical and throaty roar that is equally as pleasing. The NSX was the first car in North America to get Vtec, so as a result, there is no significant changeover like you’d find in an Integra, but the engine is smooth, happy to rev, and provides wonderful power across its 8000 rpm’s. The shifter is the perfect partner, accommodating fast or slow shifts. The gear spacing is generally a bit tall, and a 6th gear would be nice for cruising on the freeway as high RPM’s and lots of road noise can make this car pretty loud by today’s standards.

Again, all the drawbacks fade away as you drive the twisties. The sliding calipers do a good job of scrubbing speed with excellent pedal feel and modulation. Turn the NSX’s manual steering rack and the NSX dives in with excellent body control, supplemented by the incredible grip of the Yokohama AD08r’s wrapping the 17 inch facelift wheels fitted to this car (OEM wheel size for 1991 was 15 inch front and 16 inch rear). The steering wheel is right sized so your hands can wrap around the wheel and provides the most incredible amount of feedback. You can feel every bump, every crack, every texture, and every regret of those who bought sports cars with numb steering. I cannot stress how nice it is to have feeling through the steering wheel. It is a slice of pure heaven.

For the NSX nothing dates it more than its slow steering

With every joy is a drawback, and for the NSX nothing dates it more than its slow steering. Compared to the quick racks of today, the NSX requires you to give it a good helping of input otherwise you’ll be running wide. The steering also loads up quite significantly as you corner so you’ll have to give it some muscle. As a result, driving this car fast actually requires work. Unlike todays cars, you can’t blast through the canyons with one hand on the wheel and the other putting Teriyaki Boyz on repeat . Alas, drawbacks fade into your memory as you power out of a corner. The wonderfully balanced, yet forgiving chassis means you can get on the power early, and let that v6 purr behind your ears as you connect the corners on your favorite road.

All this fun, yet when you finally get home and park the car, you can close those awesome pop up headlights, and pull the groceries out of its very well sized rear trunk. You can close the garage knowing it will run 200,000 miles like any Honda. And you can sleep easy knowing that it’s not a depreciating toy. The NA1 and NA2 NSX’s have seen their values rising almost 25% year over year, and that is probably because people are appreciating how refreshingly organic this mid-engined machine really is. After driving many modern cars, I must admit, the NSX really is the palate cleanser enthusiasts need.