The Top Six V6-powered Hondas

The last NSX Type S has rolled off the PMC assembly line in Ohio, signaling the end of the era of V6-powered Hondas. It's sad to see another piece of Honda's history go but hey, times are tough. With Honda focusing on its electrification ambitions, the best engines from Honda, especially the speedo-boy-favorite VTEC ones, are going away for good. Still, the V6-powered Hondas are by far the rarest breeds you can find on Japanese soil. 

2023 Honda NSX Type S

With the age of V6-powered Hondas well and truly over, here are the top six V6-powered Hondas, as listed by me.

6) Honda MDX - Launched in 2003, the Honda MDX is a seven-seater crossover SUV imported from North America, where it was sold as the Acura MDX. Powering this imported Honda crossover is a 3.5L VTEC engine that produces 265PS of power and 348Nm of torque while mated to a 5-speed AT. Sales of the MDX in Japan ended at the end of 2005.

5) Honda Lagreat - Launched in 1999, the Lagreat is a minivan imported from the United States, where it was sold as the second-generation Odyssey, which has nothing in common with the Japan-spec second-generation Odyssey. Meant to be the successor to the Odyseey Prestige, the Largeat is powered only by a 3.5L V6 engine. Production of the Lagreat ended at the end of 2005.

4) Honda Elysion - Launched in 2004, the Elysion is meant to be Honda's answer to the Toyota Alphard and the Nissan Elgrand. At launch, the Elysion is powered only by a 2.4L i-VTEC engine but when it got facelifted in 2007, it received an ultra-luxurious Elysion Prestige variant featuring a different design and a more powerful 3.5L V6 engine available only on this variant. Production ended in 2013.

3) Honda Legend KC2 - The final-generation Honda Legend flagship sedan, launched in Japan in early 2015, became a hybrid luxury sedan powered by the 3.5L V6 engine with the NSX-derived Sport Hybrid SH-AWD drivetrain with three electric motors, mated to a 7-speed DCT. It received a minor change in 2018 with the Acura Precision-styled nose, and then in 2021, before it got discontinued, it received a Honda Sensing Elite variant which is limited to 100 cars. It features hands-free active lane change assist, active lane change, and Traffic Jam Pilot, and enables Level 3 autonomous driving, which was approved by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.

2) Inspire CP3 - The final-generation Honda Inspire was unveiled in Japan at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show and went on sale shortly in Japan and then the rest of the globe as the Accord. The Inspire CP3 features a 3.5L V6 i-VTEC engine with the world's first Variable Cylinder Management, which allows the engine to be automatically set to either 3, 4, or 6 cylinders, depending on the driver's driving tastes. With production ended in 2012, it became the last pure V6 petrol-powered Honda ever made.

1) NSX NC1 - The second-generation NSX became a hybrid supercar that shares nothing in common with the first-generation NSX. With styling inspired by the 2012 concept car, the second-generation NSX is powered by a 3.5L V6 Turbo engine coupled with three electric motors and a Li-ion battery, generating an overall power output of 581PS and mated to a 9-speed DCT built exclusively for the NSX. Performance aside, the new NSX  features a Sport Hybrid SH-AWD drivetrain with instant acceleration and direct yaw control as well as multi-material body construction to make it lighter and more rigid unlike any other. Aerodynamics aside, the new NSX's total airflow management allows this car to be more stable at high speeds and it has the lowest center of gravity. With Honda ending production of the NSX after half a decade, they've unveiled its most powerful version, the NSX Type S. Limited to 350 units worldwide, the final edition's 3.5L V6 turbo Sport Hybrid SH-AWD setup has been tuned to produce 608PS of power and 667Nm of torque.

It's a sad moment for Honda fanatics because of the new normal but rests assured that the four-cylinder VTEC engines are the kings in Honda history because speedo boys love to mess around with it, the V6-powered Hondas will be longly remembered for such rarity and power, especially the NSX NC1.

The story of the V6-powered Hondas is now done for good but it will never be forgotten.