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