The original Honda Prelude was said to be Honda’s answer to the sporty and popular Toyota Celica when it launched in 1978. (Incidentally, the rival Mazda RX-7 debuted that same year.) It’s a two-door, front-wheel drive sports coupe that shared a lot of parts with the more sedate Honda Accord sedan, but with eye-catching styling and sports car handling and performance. The Honda Prelude was one of the first three models Honda sold in Canada, along with the Civic and Accord.
It was a technology pioneer, too, as the Prelude had four-wheel steering way back in 1988. Granted, 4WS back then was designed for better maneuverability in inclement weather and highway-speed lane changes, but it also helped with low-speed parallel parking. And torque vectoring? Yep, the Prelude introduced a precursor to that in 1997 with its Active Torque Transfer System, abbreviated to ATTS. For the uninitiated, torque vectoring is a computer-controlled system that regulates the amount of power the car’s engine sends to each wheel.
Though we didn’t get a lot of the cool higher-horsepower versions and upscale features produced for the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) such as the Honda Prelude Type S, the North American models were well ahead of their time and have a loyal following, which is reflected in their high prices.
Production ended in 2001, but the nameplate is due to return. The Honda Prelude Concept, a hybrid electric sports coupe, was revealed at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. It’s expected to arrive in production form in 2025 or 2026 as a replacement for the Honda Civic and Honda Accord coupes.
Honda Prelude: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Honda Prelude Pros and Cons
- Honda Prelude Generations
- Honda Prelude Fifth Generation (1997–2001)
- Honda Prelude Fourth Generation (1992–1996)
- Honda Prelude Third Generation (1988–1991)
- Honda Prelude Second Generation (1983–1987)
- Honda Prelude First Generation (1978–1982)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Honda Prelude years are the best?
The Honda Prelude tends to have a cult-like following and there are few complaints about the vehicles themselves. According to CarComplaints.com, the most grievances logged on a single model year was 24, and that was for the 1992 version (most years only have one or two complaints recorded on the site). According to some sources, one of the most sought-after years of the Prelude is 1997, because enthusiasts covet the 2.2-litre inline four-cylinder engine. The two model years with zero logged complaints were 2000 and 1996.
What are the worst Honda Prelude years?
Though the year with the most complaints was 1992, repair costs were low and occurred at more than 170,000 kilometres. However, CarComplaints.com called 2001, the Prelude’s final model year, the worst. Even though it had only three logged complaints on the website, it had higher repair costs and at a lower odometer reading.
Is a used Honda Prelude a good deal?
That depends on your definition of a deal. There aren’t a whole lot of Preludes in Canada anymore, and the ones we did find were priced anywhere from $7,000 to $30,000, depending on their age, odometer reading, and condition. Whether you’d rather pay top dollar for a meticulously maintained and summer-driven car or take on a project is entirely up to you.
Honda Prelude Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Super handling
- Good build quality
- Room for four people
Cons:
- Tight headroom
- Interior design isn’t as good as competitors’
- Weird headlight designs
Honda Prelude Generations
Honda Prelude Fifth Generation (1997–2001)
This final generation of the Honda Prelude returned ever so slightly to its roots. The curves were muted, and hard edges reappeared on the roofline and rear fascia. The only engine option in North America for this generation was the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder VTEC engine that delivers 195 horsepower. Though most models were available with both an optional four-speed automatic and a standard five-speed manual transmission, the Type SH trim was manual only. This generation’s automatic gearbox introduced Sequential SportShift, or a manual mode that allowed the driver to control the gears.
The fifth generation grew by 3.5 centimetres and gained 65 kilograms (145 pounds), and the then-new Prelude debuted the automaker’s Active Torque Transfer System (ATTS) to help counteract understeer, although it was only available on the Type SH trim level. In this generation, Canadian units came with standard heated front seats and a larger windshield washer fluid reservoir than those equipped in American models.
A 1999 mid-life refresh added a new grille, new colour, a remote keyless entry system, and a five-horsepower boost for vehicles equipped with the manual transmission. 2001 saw the addition of rear child seat-tether anchors and an emergency trunk release in the cargo area. This model year saw the Type SH replaced in Canada with the SE trim, which had several Type SH appearance features but was mechanically the same as the base models.
The average transaction price of the fifth-generation Honda Prelude is about $20,000, though that’s based on a very small sample. If you choose to shop south of the border, prices may range anywhere from USD$4,000 for older units in middling condition to USD$17,000 for better examples from later model years.
Honda Prelude Fourth Generation (1992–1996)
Built on the same platform as the equivalent Accord, the fourth-generation Prelude marked the most radical design departure in the sporty coupe’s lifetime. It ditched the pop-up headlights, more curved were added, the upright angles on the roof and rear decklid were rounded, and you got a wider front fascia. The glass moonroof was replaced by a steel sliding sunroof, and this generation added a standard driver’s airbag.
The base engine was a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder that delivered 135 hp. In North America, the Honda Prelude Si and the SE trim from 1995 got a 160-hp, 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine. This generation also marked the introduction of the VTEC engine. The Japanese market got a version of this variable valve timing technology at the beginning of the fourth generation, but North America didn’t receive its first, less-powerful VTEC until 1993. It was a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder engine and pushed the horsepower rating to 187. Along with more power, VTEC-engined models also got leather seats and an upmarket seven-speaker sound system.
The Prelude was mildly updated in 1994 and dual airbags were standardized, while air conditioning became standard in 1995. Canadian units were equipped with a handful of features that weren’t offered in the U.S., including available heated front seats and heated side mirrors.
The average Canadian transaction price for a fourth-generation Prelude ranges from $10,000 to $19,000, which is not far off pricing for the third-gen models. That’s likely because more of them were sold new, and people didn’t like this bubbly design as much as the angularity of the previous generations. In the U.S., prices can range from USD$16,000 on the high end all the way down to $2,000.
Honda Prelude Third Generation (1988–1991)
The third-generation Prelude retained the basic look of the previous generation with a long hood, a short decklid, and pop-up headlights. Some of its styling showed up a few years later in the Honda NSX/Acura NSX supercar. There were also some interesting technological advances, including four-wheel steering, which is the first time this tech was available in a mass-production car. In Canada, this feature first appeared for the 1990 model year.
The base engine was a single-overhead cam 2.0-litre, four-cylinder unit that delivered 109 hp. The sportier Si trim level got a dual-overhead cam engine that bumped horsepower to 135. Both were available with a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual transmission.
The Prelude got a mid-life refresh for the 1990 model year, which included revised front and rear bumpers, new taillights, and new interior accents. The 109-hp engine was discontinued at this point, and a new 2.1-litre engine was introduced, delivering 140 hp. The SE trim that appeared in Canada in 1991 received a leather interior and 4WS.
The average price of a third-gen Honda Prelude is about $16,000 to $19,000 in Canada based on the small sample size available for our research. These cars are also somewhat scarce in the U.S., where you can expect to pay USD$7,000 to $13,000 on average.
Honda Prelude Second Generation (1983–1987)
The second-generation Prelude was the first to get the renowned pop-up headlights. It appeared in Japan in the fall of 1982 and made its way to North America for the spring of 1983. Originally, it was powered by a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder engine that delivered 100 hp, mated to either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual transmission.
New for the second generation was a double wishbone suspension at the front and an independent MacPherson strut design at the rear. Optional anti-lock brakes were available for the first time.
In 1985, fuel-injection was introduced for the Si models, and in 1986, a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine appeared offering 10 hp more than the 1.8. This necessitated a slight facelift so the larger engine could fit under the hood.
In Canada, the average transaction price for a second-generation Honda Prelude is about $7,000 to $10,000, though the units we found in that range were in average condition. Some mint Si models have recently been advertised south of the border for as much as USD$80,000.
Honda Prelude First Generation (1978–1982)
Launched in Japan in 1978, the Honda Prelude shared a lot of parts with the first-generation Honda Accord, including four-wheel independent strut suspension, its brakes, and its engine. However, the Prelude’s wheelbase was 5 centimetres shorter and it had a sportier chassis, plus the first power moonroof in a Honda.
The Honda Prelude launched in Japan with an 80-hp, 1.6-litre inline four-cylinder engine, but debuted in North America in 1979 with a 72-hp, 1.8-litre engine. Original transmissions included a two-speed automatic and a five-speed manual. Late in 1979, the two-speeder was replaced with a three-speed auto.
The Prelude had a unique gauge cluster design, with the speedometer and the tachometer in a single combined unit, and the radio system up high on the dash, next to the cluster. It was refreshed in 1981, when a more traditional gauge cluster and dashboard were introduced, along with some stainless steel exterior trim and a new grille.
In Canada, the one first-generation Prelude that was listed while we researched this article was listed at $8,000. The American average price for this generation lands at around USD $7,000, though some models in superb condition have sold south of the border for more than $15,000.
