Honda Crx: Pocket-Size Coupes

Honda crx originally launched as the Honda Ballade Sports CR-X in Japan, was a front-wheel-drive sports compact car manufactured by Honda. The first generation CR-X was sold in some regions outside Japan as the Honda Civic CR-X. In the US-spec, the CR-X was marketed as an economy sport hatchback, having room for just two passengers. EU-spec, however, received a more powerful ZC 130 hp (97 kW) engine and 2+2 seats. Redesigned in 1988 and produced to 1991, the CR-X was popular for its performance, nimble handling, and good fuel economy. In the US its performance model, the Si (with the SOHC (D16A6) not the equally-sized JDM Si 1590cc (ZC) DOHC engine), was a favorite. Honda’s 1992 CRX del Sol was marketed as a CR-X in some markets.

Looking for sports-car kicks, but with the abundance of speed parts and vast modification potential of a Civic? Look no further than Honda’s feisty little CRX. These pocket-size coupes made their debut for 1984. Essentially a two-seat version of the redesigned Civic also introduced that year, the honda crx was initially aimed at people who sought frugal commuting (base 1.3-liter versions had EPA fuel economy ratings of 51 mpg city, 67 highway). But the real news for enthusiasts came the following year when Honda gave the CRX its sporty Si version, which included upgraded suspension, performance-oriented tires, and a hotter 91-hp version of its 1.5-liter engine, good for sub-nine-second 0-60 mph times in the featherweight car.

Talking about car safety facts, in Australia, the 1988-1991 honda crx was assessed in the Used Car Safety Ratings 2006 as providing “significantly worse than average” protection for its occupants in the event of side impact. But, on the other hand, both versions of the CR-X got good safety marks (5 and 4 stars) in the NHTSA Crash Test Results For 1997 US NCAP. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the USA has determined frontal crash test ratings of Honda CRX of different model years.

Today, used CRXs are pretty easy to find, but it can sometimes be hard to gauge their true value — completely stock ones are showing up less and less since these cars became immensely popular with sport-compact fans. The price of a particular CRX can often depend on the various upgrades it’s received. Popular mods include body kits, custom paint, aftermarket wheels, and hotter VTEC engine swaps. As with any modified car, look closely at how well upgrades are executed. In most cases, the work will have been done by the car’s owner, whose talent, budget, and experience are unknowns. Most honda crx now sell for less than $5000, with many of them below $3000. Those sub-$3k CRXs tend to be unmodified. And unmodified honda crx also tend to be unrestored.