First Drive: 2022 Acura NSX Type S Review

Key Features:

• Enjoyable fully electric mode
• Comfortable and daily driveable
• Guaranteed exclusivity

Direct Competitors:

• Porsche 911 Turbo
• Audi R8
• Aston Martin Vantage

Just like its predecessor, the second-generation Acura NSX is a very underrated supercar. Since it was introduced in 2016, Acura sold less than 500 units in Canada and the US combined. 

Such poor sales, along with ever more stringent emissions regulations and a shift towards electrification, has motivated Acura to kill it off at the end of this year. But before it goes, Acura gave the NSX a proper sendoff with the Type S, a very rare model that we drove in Texas before it’s gone for good.

$222,200 NSX Type S starting price in Canada

One of the reasons the NSX is so underappreciated by consumers is its price and what it’s up against. Being a mid-engine supercar means it rivals exotics from McLaren, Lamborghini and Ferrari. 

But because it’s an Acura, it can’t be sold at the same price point, meaning it’s more suited to be pitted against a Chevrolet Corvette or an Audi R8. We could even include the Porsche 911 Turbo in there as well as the Aston Martin Vantage, two other sports cars sold within a similar price bracket. 

2022 NSX Type S | Photo: Acura 

Pricing for an NSX will vary a lot according to how you customize the car, but it kicks off in the vicinity of $210,000. Our example was a staggering $222,200, or about the price of two Chevy Corvette C8s. That didn’t include a $3,295 freight fee. Also, all 2022 NSXs are Type S, 350 of them have been built and only15 are destined for the Canadian market.

A close competitor is the near $200,000 2022 Audi RS e-tron GT we reviewed here, capable of producing 637 horsepower.

Acura NSX interior: supercar status?

One area where the standard NSX disappointed was in its overall interior presentation. It was well put together and supremely comfortable, but it never felt special enough to be qualified as a supercar. 

Acura tried to spice things up with the Type S through an extensive use of Alcantara on the dashboard and door cards. It’s better, and the build quality is second to none. But this cabin still feels very Honda-ish, especially due to the last-generation Civic’s infotainment system that lags and isn’t equipped with a volume knob. It’s just awful. 

2022 NSX Type S | Photo: Acura 

That all being said, we admit the NSX is a seriously comfortable car to spend some time in. Once you slide yourself inside its leather sports bucket seats, you’re firmly held in place by not too aggressive side bolsters. 

The steering wheel has a brilliant feel to it and forward visibility is spot on thanks to thin A pillars, a low windshield and short nose. Sitting in an NSX feels like you’re at the tip of an arrow, a characteristic that harkens back to the original NSX from the 1990s – a classic Carbuzz calls the greatest Japanese car of the 90s.

Performance: a hybrid sports car making 600 horsepower

A long list of minute details make the NSX Type S a much more focused machine than the regular car. While still a hybrid composed of a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre installed in a rear-midship configuration and a total of three electric motors – two of them installed on the front axle for all-wheel drive – several alterations were made to it to improve its power delivery and overall efficiency. 

For instance, Acura took inspiration from its GT3 race car and outsourced its turbochargers. They can boost at 16.1 psi versus 15.2. Intercoolers were also changed to be 15% more efficient, while new injectors were fitted to the V6. 

Limited Type S gains more power

2022 NSX Type S | Photo: Acura 

Acura then fiddled with the entire hybrid system to extract even more energy from the 1.3-kWh battery. The software that manages the nine-speed, dual-clutch transmission and the launch control sequence was also remapped for improved acceleration and downshifting performance.

The result is a total combined horsepower of 600 versus 573, with torque climbing from 476 to 492 lb-ft. Acura claims that when using launch control, the NSX Type S will launch from 0-96 km/h in only 2.7 seconds.

How does the 2022 Acura NSX Type S handle?

Our time with the NSX Type S was brief, but we did get to stretch its legs on an open Texan road. The fact that the NSX can run in full electric mode for a short while at very low speeds makes it a rather unusual supercar. And in Comfort mode, where it automatically switches from gasoline to electric, it’s impeccably docile and easy to live with around town. Almost feels like a Honda Accord at times, making it the most comfortable supercar currently on sale.

Sport+ and Track settings 

But then, once you set the car in its Sport+ or even more aggressive Track setting, the NSX Type S shows you its other personality. Gun the throttle and it’s obvious Acura did something to increase engine noise, because it’s considerably louder and angrier than the old car. 

The NSX is a rocket, accelerating instantly once you slam the throttle, with very little delay thanks to the hybrid system’s tendency to fill in during shifts. Slowing down is equally impressive thanks to carbon ceramic brakes that aren’t physically connected to the brake pedal. That’s right, it’s all computer-controlled, yet it all feels very analog and oh-so precise.

2022 NSX Type S | Photo: Acura 

The NSX won’t let you rotate its rear end the way, say, a Chevy Corvette will when applying throttle. It therefore keeps a level of understeer to maintain a more neutral feel. On a track, some might not enjoy this refusal to engage a drift maneuver, but out there in the everyday world, the added grip from this clever all-wheel drive system makes a ton of sense. 

Pass the apex, gun the throttle, and the entire front end seems to pull you inside thanks to a fully electric torque vectoring system. It’s rather impressive and highly effective if a tad robotic. 

At the end of the day, the NSX Type S is a highly engaging and ridiculously quick supercar.

Is the 2022 Acura NSX Type S a future classic?

Although it is a stellar machine, the sad truth is that a Porsche 911 Turbo or even an Audi R8 will deliver even more performance at a similar price point. Actually, an R8 is less expensive and just as, if not more, capable than this Acura on a closed circuit.

This explains why consumers have mostly ignored the NSX this entire time. The Type S, however, does add the exclusivity factor. It’s definitely a rare supercar, one that will certainly hold its value to the point of becoming a true collector’s item. 

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