Acceleration

Base	Class Average
8	6.4

Surprising supply of usable power across a broad rpm range combined with ultrahigh-revving excitement. Liberal shifting needed for best performance, especially in town, but that's no problem with the slick, short-throw gearbox and manageable clutch action.

Fuel Economy

Base	Class Average
6	5.5

Averaged 24.6 mpg in test that included about 70 percent highway miles. Premium-grade fuel required.

Ride Quality

Base	Class Average
3	4

A small, light, stiffly sprung sports car, so nearly every small bump and tar strip registers through seats. Still, S2000 is never brutally harsh.

Steering/Handling/Braking

Base	Class Average
10	8

Nimble and precise, with terrific cornering balance and virtually no body lean. Impressive straightline tracking, but poor snow traction. Braking swift, easily modulated.

Quietness

Base	Class Average
2	3

Top down, noise unobjectionable. Top up, tiresome tire roar.

Controls

Base	Class Average
6	5.5

Small cockpit, so everything is close. Audio unit a bit low, but redundant controls for major functions flank steering wheel. Electronic bar-graph tachometer, digital speedometer not sports-car norm, but easy to read, fit S2000's hi-tech image. Unlit power-window controls. Solid cabin materials. Top operates quickly, seals well.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Base	Class Average
4	5.1

Large people have precious little room to spare, may find seats too confining. Tall transmission tunnel adds to cozy feel. Crouch-and-crawl entry/exit. Top-up visibility not great over the shoulder, but better than in many rivals.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Base	Class Average
0	1.1

(No rear seating.)

Cargo Room

Base	Class Average
1	2.5

Pack light. Trunk holds a fair number of plastic grocery bags or a couple of day packs. Interior storage modest.

Value within Class

Base	Class Average
6	6.2

The S2000 is pure sports car fun. It's a bit stiff-riding and noisy, and the Mazda MX-5 is a little more practical and a lot less costly, but for motoring enjoyment the spicy S2000 rivals the Porsche Boxster and BMW Z4 for thousands less.

Total Score

Base	Class Average
46	47.3

Scores for all Sporty/performance Cars

Low Score		41
Average Score		47
High Score		57