5 Best Hot Wheels Hondas

After falling in love with drifting, I've given up on front-wheel drive cars. The occasional memory flash always brings up the topic, though. Despite being a bone-stock car, I've had a great time driving the Honda Civic EG6. It's impossible to forget the sound and the feeling of VTEC. I even considered trading my SV650S for an old EG5 a few days ago, but I could add some cash and go straight for number one.

If my affinity for rotary cars gets to me first, I might opt for a VFR800 instead as a slightly cheaper alternative. But there's always the more affordable world of Hot Wheels cars to consider. I've counted over 30 different Honda castings in Mattel's portfolio. And you also need to add another dozen more Acuras to the equation. Choosing the five best ones is a matter of preference and an excellent way to keep your wallet safe. That's not to say that collecting all the variations of the cars below will be cheap. But it's still better than having to deal with hundreds of collectibles.

Honda S2000

The Honda S2000 is my first choice for the day. I've never driven one, but I have fond memories of riding in the passenger seat of a turbocharged S2K almost a decade ago. Also, the J's Racing S2000 is one of my all-time favorite Touge battle cars, and the Hot Wheels casting takes after that machine. It's the oldest model on this list, as Ryu Asada designed it for its 2011 New Models debut. In 14 years, Mattel introduced 38 variations, some more exciting than others. This casting is famous for many reasons.

It has been part of the Super Treasure Hunt, Red Line Club, NFT Garage, and Collectors Convention series, and 12 feature Real Riders wheels. I've seen people asking as much as $4,900 for the yellow 30th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Convention model. At an average price of $150, the STH S2000 will feel cheap by comparison. But I've got a soft spot for the 2021 Fast & Furious: Furious Fleet iteration, which draws inspiration from Johnny Tran's car from the first movie.

'85 Honda City Turbo II

The '85 Honda City Turbo II might sound like a strange choice to you. But it's so tiny and cute that I couldn't help it. Ryu Asada designed this casting for its 2018 HW Speed Graphics debut, and I love its compact sizes. You can park two in the same space a standard Hot Wheels car requires. I'm also a fan of the AeroDisc wheel design, and all the first four iterations used it.

The first Premium variation appeared in 2020 as part of the Car Culture: Japan Historics 3. And it's pretty underrated, given you can buy one for less than $10. Other than this one, the ZAMAC variation is almost equally as exciting. With 12 iterations to collect, this casting won't give you a headache but still gives off cool vibes when on display.

Honda Civic EG

I'm unsurprised that all five cars on this list were Ryu Asada's projects. Also, I couldn't help but include the Civic EG, given my relationship to this model. Shakhmatov Civic Custom casting is decent, too, but I prefer the stock look anyway. Within four years, Mattel released six variations of this casting. Five were Premium models, so only the Honda Civic series iteration didn't feature Real Riders wheels.

Interestingly enough, four superior Civics used Real Riders 6-Spoke Mag wheels. The 2021 Hot Wheels Boulevard model had 8-spoke wheels instead, but I don't prefer that look. The latest Car Culture Modern Classics iteration, with its Spoon livery, is the best. And I can't wait to see the ZAMAC variation in 2024.

2003 Honda NSX Type-R

You must stand in awe of Honda's all-time most excellent car: the NSX Type-R. As much as I love the Civic and the S2000, I wouldn't hesitate to choose between them for a second. The nameplate is so legendary that Mattel has three other castings: the '90 Acura NSX by Ryu Asada, Kevin Cao's NSX, and Vetuskey's 1994 NSX. This ultimate variation debuted in the 2020 Fast & Furious: Quick Shifters series, dressed in Gloss Black.

The light gray 6-Spoke wheels look great on this First Edition model, and it was hard to believe that Mattel could develop something better. But when talking about a Type-R Honda, there's nothing better than a Championship White finish. The 2022 Car Culture: Mountain Drifters offered just that, and the 10-spoke wheels made for the perfect change on the latest version of this car. I think I might have to start an NSX collection soon.

'99 Honda Civic Type R (EK9)

The last Honda on my list is the '99 Civic Type R (EK9). It has been a big hit ever since its 202 HW J-Imports debut. I've never been a fan of white cars unless we're talking about the Championship White Hondas. The First Edition Hot Wheels EK9 featured detailed headlights and taillights, a red interior, and a red badge. It's as close to mainline perfection as possible without moving into Super Treasure Hunt territory.

But that's where it landed soon after, and even the base Sunlight Yellow EK9 was highly desirable. I've seen people on eBay asking $300 for the rare variation, which uses Real Riders 6-Spoke Mag wheels. The upcoming Target Exclusive Red Edition Civic was as good as the first variations. Mattel upgraded the casting to a Premium model for the Boulevard series in 2023.

I also bought the Neon Speeders version recently, but I can't wait to see more iterations of the Civic with Real Riders wheels. Can you imagine a "Car Culture: VTEC Kicked In" set of five Hondas with a Championship White finish?