Finding detailed information about the 1983 Honda Civic S turned out to be surprisingly hard, so this was initially my first “Short Take”—a post that I didn’t consider long enough to be a complete discussion. Time and better sources have changed that.
“We Make It Simple”
Honda continued to hit on all (four) cylinders in 1983 with the introduction of the Civic S.
The engine in the S was not specific to it, but was the optional EM 1.5 liter/91 ci inline four with a three-barrel carburetor, making 63 bhp. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 12.1 seconds and a top speed of 94 mph in the last of the second-generation Civics—only six years earlier, the Civic’s 0-60 time had been about 15 seconds. Mileage with the standard five-speed manual transmission was 35 city/46 highway by the day’s standards. With a 10.8-gallon gas tank, a Civic S driver could expect a range of 320 to 350 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.
At $6,399 (about $21,100 in 2025 dollars and about 32% less than a 2025 Honda Civic hatchback costs), the 1500 S was the top of the two-door hatchback line and over 30% more than the base 1300 model. A handsome little car, the Civic S was fitted with firmer suspension (with rear stabilizer bar) and 165/70R13 Michelin tires (a size still available thanks to Vredestein) on 13-inch wheels. A red accent stripe encircled the S—this, a black grille, and blackout paint around the window frames set it apart from other Civics. Standard equipment on the S included a front spoiler, a tachometer, and a quartz digital clock.
Standard equipment on all 1983 Civics included front wheel drive, rack and pinion steering, power-assisted front disc/rear drum brakes, and MacPherson struts on all four corners. Inside, full carpeting, reclining front bucket seats with adjustable headrests, and a fold-down rear seat were included. Dealer-installed options included air conditioning and a radio.
The View From 2025
Second-generation Civics rarely show up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds but have more of a presence on eBay Motors—though most are either highly modified or with substantial miles. Bring a Trailer has auctioned nine examples from this Civic generation, including one black Civic S.
There were only two color choices for a 1983 Civic S. Make mine Black, please.
Other Hondas I have written about include the 1983 Accord sedan, the 1984 Civic DX hatchback coupe, the 1984 Civic CRX hatchback coupe, the 1985 CRX Si hatchback coupe, the 1986 Accord sedan, the 1986 Prelude Si coupe, and the 1988 Civic sedan.
Last updated August 2025.
Eighties Cars 
My first car was a 1980 Civic 1300 four speed manual. Although it was not as fast as the 1500 S, it handled well, was reliable and got somewhere in the lower 40s on the highway. I spiffed it up by adding a 1500 s style red line through the bodyside molding and painted the bumpers matte black. I love that car. It ran for 244k miles on the original engine before I gave it up.
Thanks for the comment.
244,000 miles on the original engine is impressive—you must have fed it a steady diet of engine oil. I love the Hondas of the eighties; the company really seemed to know exactly what the market expected of it. I was surprised to find so little information about these cars on the internet, which is why this post only got enough content to be a short take.
What a great little car. My first car was a 1983 Civic 1500S in black with 100000 km on it. I bought mine used in June of 1989. I owned it for 13 months, put on 36000 km, and traded it for a 1986 Prelude. I wish I still had that car now.
Thank you for the comment, Chris. Agreed that they were great little cars.