Honda S660: Models and Specs

The S660 is often viewed as the spiritual successor to the Honda Beat, but it’s also linked to Honda’s wider “S” sports-car naming tradition. Honda positioned it as an accessible, compact sports car rather than a high-powered performance model. Its job was to deliver driver enjoyment within the tight size and engine size parameters of Japan’s kei-car class. It’s closer to a lightweight driving toy than a cross-country GT, with mid-engined balance and immediate steering response.

The S660 uses a 658cc turbocharged three-cylinder engine, mounted behind the cabin and driving the rear wheels. A dedicated turbocharger improves response at low engine speeds, alongside a six-speed manual gearbox. Consequently, the S660 gives you the layout of a larger sports car in a kei-sized package, focusing on involvement rather than acceleration.

The S660 was built for Japan, so UK buyers are normally looking at an imported car. It’ll be right-hand drive, but parts, servicing familiarity and insurance can be more specialist than with Hondas sold in domestic showrooms. Indeed, the S660 sits in a different buyer space from most small sports cars. A Mazda MX-5 is more usable, more powerful and easier to maintain, while a Daihatsu Copen has a kei-car link but a very different front-engine/front-drive layout. By contrast, the S660 is the car for buyers who want the smallest Honda sports car rather than the most rounded roadster.

Performance is a relative concept here; the Honda S660 has a deliberately narrow performance range because it was built to comply with Japan’s kei-car limits. Its 658cc turbocharged three-cylinder engine, mid-engined layout and rear-wheel drive define the car more than total output or the 0-60 dash. 

Production-era specification summary

Model-wide performance range

The Honda S660 compresses sports-car proportions into a kei-sized footprint. It has a low nose, short overhangs, wide-set wheels, a compact two-seat cabin and a mid-engined stance that makes it look more serious than its dimensions might suggest. The removable roll-top roof gives it targa-style open-air character without turning it into a conventional soft-top.

Inside, the S660 is driver-focused and compact like a go-kart, with a low hip point, carefully placed pedals and a surprisingly small-diameter steering wheel. The cabin is part of the appeal and part of the compromise at the same time; it feels special and focused, but it’s not spacious, relaxing or luggage-friendly.

The S660 is modern, but it’s still a kei car. Its high-rigidity, high-strength lightweight open-top body has reinforcement around the front and centre pillars for rollover protection. Standard safety equipment includes twin front and side airbags plus Stability/Hill Start Assist, but there isn’t a full suite of advanced driver-assistance systems.

Pros

• Stunning looks accurately portray a mid-engined supercar in miniature.

• That mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive layout gives the S660 a genuinely unusual character for its size.

• Import-only rarity makes it more distinctive than most small roadsters.

Cons

• The import-only nature is also a drawback, and UK ownership needs careful planning.

• The 658cc engine means performance expectations should be realistic.

• Tiny cabin and limited luggage space make this more of a weekend/fun car than a daily driver.

Choose the Honda S660 if you want rarity, kei-car character and a mid-engined Honda layout in a tiny package. Go for a Mazda MX-5 if you want more power, more space, easier UK support and a more rounded everyday roadster. The S660 is the more unusual enthusiast choice but the MX-5 is the safer option.

The Honda S660 can work in the UK if you treat it as a fun import rather than a main car. It’s right-hand drive and compact, which helps, but the cabin is tight, luggage space is very limited and parts support may need Japanese import specialists. It suits weekend use and city driving rather than the school run or airport taxi duties.

Most enthusiast buyers opt for the six-speed manual because it suits the S660’s driver-focused character. The CVT makes sense if easy urban driving matters more than engagement, but it usually has less appeal to buyers who want a small sports car.

The Honda S660 is widely seen as the modern spiritual successor to the Honda Beat because both are Honda kei roadsters with mid-engined layouts. The S660 is newer, turbocharged and more technically modern, but the buyer appeal is shared - compact dimensions, open-air thrills and Honda engineering in a Micro Machines format.

The S660 Concept Edition and the clumsily-titled Modulo X Version Z are the most obvious collector choices because they bookend the model’s production story. A clean manual may be the keen driver’s choice, but condition, import history and transmission should always be prioritised over special editions.