If you crave attention or want your presence known, you will definitely get a head-turning reaction as you drive down the street in this cool classic.
The Good
1. 6 cylinder engine with plenty of grunt
2. Dirt cheap to pick up for a high performance car
3. Features front, side, and curtain airbags (curtain airbags deploy from the ceiling)
4. Has a timing chain instead of a rubber belt, so no need for regular replacement
5. You can find either leather or fabric optioned seats on the market to suit your preference
6. The ride quality is more comfortable than most of its rivals
7. Great responsive timing – easy for overtaking
8. Twin rear exhaust tips that produce an awesome throaty rasp
9. Cool coupe styling
The Bad
1. Thirsty on fuel, cruising well only on Premium Unleaded
2. Limited visual range and poor visibility out the back window making parking difficult
3. Headlight covers susceptible to yellowing and becoming cloudy lessening night visibility
4. Tight space in the rear seating area unless you want the sedan version
5. High cost to insure as they consider it a high risk sports car
6. As imports, the Sat Nav and DVD Player are only in Japanese (Good if you speak it)
7. High risk to be stolen
8. Prone to be pulled over by the cops
9. Expect to drop down into the seats as they sit low compared to most cars
10. Rear seats are small – not so great for taller or wider people
11. If the timing chain ever needs replacing, it’s a costly exercise due to the removal of most of the equipment from the engine bay to get to it
The Essentials
You will need to check the smoothness and alignment of the doors opening and closing and the door hinges themselves for wear and tear. Check service history and get a professional mechanical check done for signs of past damage as these were known for being ‘thrashed’.
The Alternatives
Audi A5 (2007-2013), Mercedes Benz CLK-Class CLK240 (2002-2010), BMW 3 Series 335i E92 (2004-2013)
The Verdict (Out of Ten)
Overall, this machine has real street presence with an engine to match. It handles well, has all the bells and whistles for its age, and is a cheap sports car/coupe compared to a lot of others on the market. Factor in the cost of insurance when laying out your hard earned cash, and if your only option is to buy an import (some countries like New Zealand and Australia), take into account the infotainment will be in Japanese and it’s hard to get any radio signals without buying a band expander.