If you are a car enthusiast, the name Jeremy Clarkson might ring a bell. If it doesn’t, here’s the quick rundown. Clarkson is one of the if not the most impactful automotive journalists ever. He has been behind the wheel of the fastest and the most expensive four-wheeled machines in existence. His collection of vehicles is quite extravagant as well with several supercar purchases. So when a Honda CRX finds itself among such incredible pieces, you might ask yourself — how come?
The Honda CRX has become an automotive icon over the years. For many, it was the ultimate hot hatch. While its stock performance figures may not sound the most impressive, especially when compared to modern-day hatches, they were back in the day. Here’s the story behind the Honda CRX and how it became such a popular name in the car community.
Looking Back at the Honda CRX
The Honda CRX we are talking about is the first and second generation. The third-generation CRX also more commonly known as the del Sol was quite a departure from the original idea, but unique in its own right. Given the differences, we’ll have a dedicated article for it at a later date. Stay tuned!
First-gen Honda CRX
Coming back to the Honda CRX in question, it was first introduced in 1983. Called the Ballade Sports CRX in Japan, it was designed to be a hatchback coupe alternative to the company’s Ballade and Civic. As you’d expect with the name, the CRX shared structural similarities with the Ballade and EA Civic. That being said, it was shorter with a wheelbase figure of 86.6 inches, making it considerably shorter than its sedan counterparts.
It was also shorter (by 5.3 inches) and lower (by 2 inches) than the hatchback version of the EA Civic. Despite its smaller proportions, its width and track remain unchanged. As far as weight is concerned, the CRX was not a lot lighter than the EA Civic hatchback. However, it was much better in terms of aerodynamics. Thanks to its squared-off rear end, it was much better at cutting through the air. It generated 25 percent less drag than the Ballade sedan.
Trim Levels and Updates
Originally, the United States got two versions of the Honda CRX. One was designed for fuel efficiency, while the other had sporty intentions. The former was powered by a 1.3 four-cylinder, while the latter made use of a 1.5-liter, 12-valve D15 variant. Both engines could be mated to a 5-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic.
The first generation got its first big update in 1985 when the version focused on fuel efficiency received some extra displacement, moving it into the 1.5-liter territory. Another update towards the end of the same year introduced a Si version. With the Si, Honda added an even more powerful 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine. This engine was quite ahead of its time as it made use of SOHC and fuel injection. Other features the Si trim level added were a sunroof, rear wiper, and 13-inch alloy wheels.
Honda didn’t stop there with the first-generation CRX. In 1986, the sporty hatchback got updated headlights. The Si, meanwhile, got many cosmetic upgrades along with larger 14-inch wheels. The Honda CRX was also on the receiving end of some minor changes to the interior.
Second-gen Honda CRX
Moving on the second-generation Honda CRX, made its entry in 1988. When compared to the first gen, it was larger but not by a lot. To be specific the wheelbase on the second-gen was 4 inches longer while the overall length itself increased by 3.2 inches. The second-gen CRX was also wider by 2 inches. However, it’s not the hatchback’s size that is the biggest differentiating factor.
The second-gen Honda CRX’s underpinnings hosted the most notable upgrades. The new car made use of a reworked suspension setup. It featured a double-wishbone suspension at both ends. This was a technology only reserved for the sportiest cars.
For reference, the first-gen Honda CRX featured a torsion bar in the front and a trailing link in the rear. The larger dimensions brought about an improvement in terms of interior space, while the suspension changes elevated the car’s handling characteristics.
Trim Levels and Updates
When it comes to variants, the North American market has a total of three. The second-gen Honda CRX could be had in a base variant, a slightly more expensive fuel efficiency-oriented variant, and the Si. All three trim levels got unique engines that were designed to offer individual qualities.
Interestingly, the base trim level was the only one to have the option of an automatic transmission. All three trim levels featured a 5-speed manual transmission. The second-gen Honda CRX got its first update just 2 years after it was launched only to be discontinued in 1991.
Is the Honda CRX Powerful?
The Honda CRX isn’t exactly powerful, but it’s plenty quick thanks to some impressive engines from the Japanese carmaker. Something else that contributes in a big way to the car’s hot hatch nature is the sub-2200 lb curb weight. Here are the engines the US-spec Honda CRX came with:
1984-1987 DX (Base Trim Level)
The DX variant that was available from 84 to 87 in the US featured a 1488cc four-cylinder engine. This engine featured a SOHC and used a carburetor. The DX was also tuned to make 76 HP at 5500 RPM. Its redline, meanwhile, was at 6500 RPM. This 12-valve engine also had a claimed economy figure of 31 MPG in the city and 38 MPG on the highway.
Despite being the base trim level, the Honda CRX DX wasn’t the slowest. It had a 0-60 MPH time of 10.1 seconds and a top speed of 105 MPH.
1984-1987 HF (High Fuel Efficiency)
The HF trim level, as its name suggests, was designed with fuel economy in mind. This is why it makes use of a rather small 1342cc four-cylinder engine. This 8-valve SOHC also uses a carburetor for fueling. However, it only makes 60 HP at 5500 RPM. The redline, meanwhile, is set at 6000 RPM. Where this engine shines is in terms of fuel efficiency, it has incredible claimed figures of 49 MPG in the city and 54 MPG on the highway.
With this engine, the Honda CRX took 12 seconds to reach 60 MPH. It allowed for a top speed of 93 MPH.
1985-1987 Si
Moving on to the more exciting stuff, the Si variant that was available in 1985 was powered by a 1488cc four-cylinder engine. While it’s the same size as the DX variant, it’s quite different. The 12 valves and SOHC setup might be similar, but this engine makes use of a fuel-injection system instead of a carburetor. Revised tuning also means it makes 91 HP at 5500 RPM. In terms of fuel economy, this engine delivered 32 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway.
In terms of performance, this engine helped the Honda CRX get to 60 MPH in 8.5 seconds. The top speed, meanwhile, was 115 MPH.
1988-1991 DX
The base or DX trim level of the second-generation Honda CRX made use of a 1493cc four-cylinder engine. This was a 16-valve engine that made use of a more modern fuel injection system than the one seen on the previous generation Si variant. It made 92 hp at 6,000 RPM which made it noticeably more powerful than the base trim level of the first-gen Honda CRX. Despite being more powerful and in a slightly heavier chassis, this engine managed to deliver a respectable 42.8 MPG (combined).
1988-1991 HF (High Fuel Efficiency)
The 1988-91 Honda CRX HF was powered by the company’s D15B6 engine. This 1493cc engine was specifically designed for use in this car. The engine was quite simple with an 8-valve setup, but it did get fuel injection which was a step-up when compared to the unit in the older HF trim level.
This engine was tuned to make 62 hp at 4400 RPM in 1988-89 and 72 hp at 4500 RPM in 1990-91. There are claims that this engine delivers as high as 51 MPG in the city and 67 MPG on the highway.
1988-1991 Si
Powering the second-gen Honda CRX Si was the company’s D16A6 engine. This is the engine to have if you are in the market for a stock Honda CRX. It made 105 hp at 6000 RPM and 98 lb-ft at 5000 RPM.
The Si trim’s horsepower increased to 108 hp in 1989 thanks to a revised camshaft. The 1590cc four-cylinder engine features a 16 valve setup and fuel injection. This was the most powerful Honda CRX that was available in the US. It had a respectable 0-60 MPH time of 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 135 MPH. The low curb weight is to thank for these impressive figures.
What Makes the Honda CRX Special?
The lightweight chassis, impressive handling, rev-happy engine, and unique styling were the main ingredients that forever launched the Honda CRX into stardom. The hatchback was MotorTrend’s Import Car of the Year in 1984 and 1988. It also made Car and Driver magazine’s Ten Best list for 1985 and 1988.
That being said, we can’t leave out the fact that the sporty trim levels of the Honda CRX sold in Europe and Japan were on another level. They were powered by the Honda B-series engine, specifically the B16 engine, and made more than 150 HP. That’s almost 50 percent more than the US-spec Si.
While that does take a few points off the US-spec Honda CRX, it also suggests that the car hatchback is engineered to handle a lot more power than the 108 HP we got. This means there are endless possibilities for modifications and the aftermarket support for the Honda CRX clearly shows this.
There are a number of these cars making 400-500 hp thanks to an engine swap and a big turbo. We also recommend budgeting for supporting mods when going down this route, especially in terms of upgraded brakes and tires to stop this lightweight hatchback from becoming uncontrollably powerful.
Give the Honda CRX the Respect It Deserves
The iconic Honda CRX is more than 30 years old! Keep that in mind and give the hatchback the fresh OEM-quality parts it deserves. We at Newparts.com have a large range of spare parts for every kind of car. That’s not all, if you have an engine-swapped Honda CRX, we’ve probably got parts for that engine too. Head to our Shop and have a look at everything available for your car today!
