PRODUCT DETAILS
HKS Hi-Power Cat-Back Exhaust - 2002-2006 Acura RSX
The Hi-Power is HKS's most recognizable exhaust and the DC5 is one of the platforms it belongs on. The design philosophy is simple: eliminate unnecessary bends and give exhaust the straightest path out. On a K20 that lives at the top of the rev range, freeing up the exhaust is where the gains are, and the Hi-Power tone is what people know these cars by.
Three Versions, Pick Carefully
The variants split by trim and by intent, so match yours before ordering.
| Part Number | Fits | Piping | Silencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32003-BH002 | 2002-2006 RSX Base | 60mm | Included |
| 32003-BH003 | 2002-2006 RSX Type-S | 60mm | Included |
| 32003-BH004 | 2002-2006 RSX Type-S, turbo and race | 65mm | Not included |
Base and Type-S take different systems even though both run 60mm piping, so don't assume they're interchangeable.
The Turbo Version Is Off-Road Use Only
Read this before you order BH004, because it's the most important thing on this page.
The 65mm turbo system is designated off-road use only. It's built for turbocharged and race applications where emissions compliance isn't part of the equation. If your RSX is a street car that needs to pass inspection, this isn't your exhaust regardless of how much power you're making.
It also comes without a silencer, since the whole point is maximum flow. That's the right call for a boosted car and the wrong call for a daily.
If you're turbocharged but the car still sees the street in an inspection state, the Type-S system at 60mm is the version to look at.
60mm Or 65mm?
The size difference isn't arbitrary and bigger isn't automatically better.
60mm is sized for a naturally aspirated K20. It flows considerably better than the restrictive factory system while keeping exhaust gas velocity where it needs to be. Velocity matters on an NA engine because it drives the scavenging that pulls spent gas out of the cylinder, and oversizing kills it. A 60mm system on a stock or bolt-on Type-S is the right answer.
65mm exists because a turbo changes the math entirely. Once you're forcing air in, exhaust volume climbs dramatically and the restriction moves. The larger diameter gives boost somewhere to go, which helps spool and top-end power. On an NA car it would cost you midrange for nothing.
So buy 65mm if you're boosted. Buy 60mm if you're not.
The Silencer Is A Real Feature
Both 60mm systems include a silencer, and it's worth understanding what that gives you.
The Hi-Power is not a quiet exhaust by design. Drop the silencer in and you take the edge off for a commute, an early morning, or anywhere you'd rather not announce yourself. Pull it out and you get the full Hi-Power note back.
That means one exhaust covers both situations rather than making you choose at purchase. On a car that's still a daily for a lot of people, that flexibility is genuinely useful.
Straight Path, Fewer Bends
The core of the Hi-Power design, taken directly from HKS's endurance and GT racing work in Japan.
Every bend is a restriction. Gas changes direction, slows down, and turns turbulent, and turbulent flow moves through a pipe considerably worse than smooth flow. HKS uses a race-inspired offset muffler and piping layout that minimizes direction changes and keeps the path as direct as the chassis allows.
On a K20, and particularly a Type-S climbing through VTEC, that shows up where you actually notice it, at the top of the rev range.
Coated Stainless Construction
Built from coated stainless steel piping, which is what keeps these looking right and holding up underneath a car that's now twenty years old. Stainless resists rust far better than mild steel, so this isn't a system you'll be replacing because it rotted out.
All three versions use a 115mm outside diameter tip.
Fitment
2002-2006 Acura RSX Base (32003-BH002)
2002-2006 Acura RSX Type-S (32003-BH003)
2002-2006 Acura RSX Type-S, turbo and race applications (32003-BH004, off-road use only)
Who Should Run This Exhaust
This is for the RSX owner who wants a genuine HKS system rather than a generic cat-back, whether the car is stock, built naturally aspirated, or boosted. Match your trim, be honest about whether you need the turbo system or just want it, and pick accordingly. Bolt it on and go use the top half of the tach.
Fits: 2002-2006 Acura RSX, see the variant table above. Type: cat-back exhaust system. Piping: 60mm (Base and Type-S) or 65mm (turbo application). Tip: 115mm outside diameter. Material: coated stainless steel. Silencer: included on 60mm systems, not included on the turbo system. Important: the 65mm turbo system is for off-road use only.
2002-2006 Acura RSX Bae/Type S