No. The Del Sol is not a rear-engine car; it is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive model built by Honda.
The Honda CR-X Del Sol, produced in the 1990s, is a two-seat sports coupe known for its removable roof panel and compact footprint. Its propulsion comes from a front-mounted inline-four engine that powers the front wheels, with no rear-mounted engine option offered in any market or trim.
Layout and engine options
Key facts about where the engine sits and the engines that were available during its production.
- Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout with a transverse mounting in the engine bay.
- Engine options typically included a 1.5-liter D-series engine for base models and a 1.6-liter B-series engine with VTEC for higher-performance SiR variants.
- Transmissions varied by market, commonly including a 5-speed manual, with some markets offering a 4-speed automatic.
- All production Del Sols used front-mounted powertrains; there was no rear-engine configuration.
In practice, these characteristics confirm the Del Sol's front-engine, FF layout rather than any rear-engine design.
Myths vs. reality about engine placement
Although some readers may encounter rumors about engine placement, here are the common beliefs and the actual facts.
- Myth: The Del Sol is rear-engine.
- Fact: The engine sits at the front and drives the front wheels.
- Fact: No factory Del Sol variants used a rear-mounted engine.
The essential point is straightforward: the Del Sol's engineering centers on a front-mounted powertrain, not a rear-engine layout.
Summary
Bottom line: the Honda Del Sol is not a rear-engine vehicle. It was produced in the 1990s as a front-engine, front-wheel-drive compact sports coupe, with a range of inline-four engines and transverse mounting, aligning with Honda’s FF platform designs of that era.