I'm a LONG time Honda/Acura owner...we've had a CRX...got an 8' ladder in it once.(hee hee...)I now own an RSX-S...(2002, bought in 2001 first one sold here in n.w. FL)The only problem in 53,000 mi's is, it ate the ac...(but I suspect the ac was bad from the start, but being a female, repairmen don't listen..)I think you'd like the S for the more hp...but if you can't drive a std...then I guess the RSX is just fine....I learned to drive at 15, in a Bug...so I've never owned an auto for a personal car.I'm 52 (will be 53 this yr !!!)We had...an Accord (htchbk first model yr out), an Integra (first model yr out) a CRX, another Accord (sedan) and now we own an RSX-S (mine) and a TSX (my husbands...std too...I made him learn to drive one just before we got married..) although he likes autos for traffic when he's in other cities. (he's also 52 and will be 53 this yr.)