← Acura Vigor · 1992-1994 · CC2

Acura Vigor Sole Generation

Honda's only US inline-five. Three years, then renamed TL. Now a curio.

Verdict
C
BHP
176 bhp
0–60
8.5 s
Top speed
130 mph
MPG
22.0 mpg
Used
$2,000-$5,000

G25A inline-five making 176 hp at 6,300 rpm and 170 lb-ft at 3,900 rpm, longitudinally mounted to drive the front wheels. Frameless windows, double-wishbone suspension front and rear, four-speed automatic or five-speed manual. The five-cylinder engine was unusual — only Audi and Volvo used inline-fives at the time — and Honda never adopted the configuration again. Replaced by the TL for 1996, which initially used the same inline-five before adding a V6 option. Today the Vigor is rare and obscure; surviving examples are typically used as cheap commuters or tinkered with by Honda enthusiasts intrigued by the inline-five.

Strengths

  • Honda's only US inline-five engine
  • Frameless windows
  • Double-wishbone suspension
  • 5-speed manual option
  • Genuinely rare and obscure

Weaknesses

  • All examples now 30+ years old
  • Inline-five parts harder to source than V6
  • Soft suspension tuning
  • Outclassed by every modern entry-luxury sedan
  • Few survive in clean condition

Notable tech

  • G25A inline-five (Honda's only US 5-cyl)
  • Longitudinally-mounted engine for FWD
  • Double-wishbone suspension all four corners
  • Frameless door windows
  • 5-speed manual option

Common issues

  • Distributor failure (common Honda 90s issue)
  • Cracked exhaust manifolds
  • Power window regulators
  • Climate control LCD pixelation
  • Rust on rear arches and sills

Used-market budget

$3,500

Rare to find clean examples. Most surviving Vigors are projects or tired daily drivers. Inline-five parts increasingly scarce.