Are Hondas front or rear wheel drive?
Most Hondas are front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available on several models and only a few historical exceptions embracing rear-wheel drive. The brand’s modern sports car, the NSX, uses all-wheel drive, while the classic S2000 was a pure rear-wheel-drive machine. Here’s a detailed look at how drive layouts are used across Honda’s lineup and history.
Drive layouts across Honda's lineup
The following breakdown explains how drive layouts are applied to Honda’s current mainstream models and notable historical examples.
Front-wheel drive is the default setup
In today’s lineup, front-wheel drive is the standard configuration for most Honda passenger cars and compact models. This includes the brand’s popular sedans and hatchbacks, which are typically designed around FWD for efficiency and packaging.
- Sedans and most compact cars generally come with front-wheel drive as the baseline.
- All-wheel drive is available on several SUVs and crossovers, often as an optional upgrade or included in higher trims.
- Pure rear-wheel drive is rare in current Honda passenger lineups, limited to historical sports cars rather than mainstream models.
In summary, the prevailing drive layout in modern Hondas is front-wheel drive, with optional all-wheel drive on many SUVs and crossovers. Pure rear-wheel drive is not common in today’s lineup outside of Honda’s historic sports cars.
Notable rear-wheel-drive models in Honda's history
While rare in production cars today, Honda has produced memorable rear-wheel-drive models in its history. These examples are well known among enthusiasts, though they are no longer the standard for the brand.
Historically rear-wheel-drive models
- Honda S2000 — a pure rear-wheel-drive roadster produced from 1999 to 2009, celebrated for its high-revving engine and sporty handling.
- Original Honda/Acura NSX — a rear-wheel-drive supercar developed in the 1990s (US markets marketed as Acura NSX; in some markets known as Honda NSX). It emphasized mid-engine balance and performance.
Note: The contemporary NSX uses an all-wheel-drive hybrid system, and the brand’s current lineup emphasizes front-wheel drive with AWD options on select models.
Current status and practical takeaway
For practical purposes today, most Honda buyers will encounter front-wheel-drive layouts as standard, with all-wheel drive available on many SUVs and crossovers. Rear-wheel-drive Hondas are largely limited to historical or special-purpose models rather than the mainstream lineup.
Summary
Answering the core question: Honda’s mainstream cars are predominantly front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive offered on several SUVs and crossovers. Rear-wheel drive exists in Honda’s history primarily through the S2000 and the original NSX, while the modern NSX uses an all-wheel-drive hybrid system. If you’re shopping today, expect FWD as the default and AWD as an optional feature on many larger models.
