Honda Prelude Coupe 1996-2001

The Prelude is one of the most refined Hondas. During its 25 year lifespan and five generations of great quality coupes it has acquired a large group of enthusiasts. It was discontinued in 2001 after more than 800,000 units were produced. The Prelude is a sensible car; practical and sporty. As it was more practical and significantly cheaper than its smaller 2+2 rivals it was one of the most popular sports car imports in Europe.

Pros and Cons:

• Powerful engines
  Practical and sporty
  Classic coupe styling

• Lack of interior finesse

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Exterior and Interior

The last generation of the Prelude is styled to resemble the original 1976 Prelude only the 5th generation has grown significantly to provide comfortable seating for 4 adults. It’s not one of those expensive 2+2 coupes that are bought to feed one’s ego or exert their sporting characteristics. The classic large-size coupe body makes it stand out, but the Honda designers have stepped away from their usual boring late 90s frontal styling. The straight lines together with the Prelude’s signature shape make it a harmonious car.

The boot size is quite big for a coupe ‐ 284 litres will seem like a lot, especially if you compare it with 175 litres of Aston Martin DB7 and 130 litres of Porsche 911 ‐ although the aforementioned cars are probably in a different league.

The interior is not as exciting as the body style but, then, is it in any other Honda? It’s just a normal 4-seater Honda with an elegant and unusual body design.

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Engines

The fifth-generation Prelude has two engines to choose from ‐ a 2.0-litre 132BHP and a 2.2-litre VTEC with 182 or 197BHP.

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Performance and Economy

Both engines provide a reasonable fuel economy with the 2.0-litre version giving 30mpg and the VTEC version ‐ 28mpg. There’s not that much difference ‐ only 2 miles; and neither of the engines can be regarded an environmentally-friendly choice. With that in mind, you might as well choose the 2.2 VTEC engine because compared to the smaller option, it is a much nicer engine. Hondas’ VTECs are a symphony of engineering and they are especially good for sporty coupes like the Prelude.

The VTEC will let you accelerate to 60mph in 6.7 seconds ‐ a super result for a car that was designed to be practical and efficient. The lesser engine will accelerate the Prelude to 60mph in 9.3 seconds. Top speed of the 2.2-litre modification with a manual gearbox is 142mph, but you should remember that anything above 70mph will send your fuel bills soaring (and is not legal in the UK). The engines are only economical if they are driven carefully.

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What it's like to Drive

It’s a great car to drive and guarantees to give you loads of positive emotions. If you go for the 2.2 VTi version you will be in for an interesting surprise as the steering hides a secret inside its steering box. The car is one of the very few cars in the world that is offering a 4-wheel steering control. It is actually an unsurpassed experience especially when taking high-speed bends or manoeuvring during a rush-hour. Regardless of the modification the Prelude offers an unsurpassed handling and ride quality.

It is a comfortable car and fulfils everything you’d expect from a large grand tourer ‐ 4 comfortable seats that prevent tiredness even during long journeys.

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Faults and Repairs

As usual with Hondas, it is a superbly reliable car, and as usual with automatic transmission, considering its age, it’s better to choose a model with a manual gearbox. Not only will you save money off your fuel bills, you’ll also save unnecessary headaches if it comes to repairing or replacing the auto gearbox.

The 4-wheel steering modification ‐ as much fun as it may be ‐ needs scrupulous checking before you commit to buying the car. Systems, as sophisticated as this, are prone to throwing nasty surprises at you. The best way to check is jack the car up and thoroughly inspect the tyres ‐ an uneven wear will suggest that the steering system needs adjusting. While the car is up there, also inspect the underfloor ‐ due to its ground clearance there might be some mechanical damage underneath.

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