Twenty-five years after the last Honda Prelude was sold, the two-door sporty coupe is back, reimagined as a sleek, modern-day hybrid, delivering an electrifying driving experience for the 21st century. The all-new Prelude, like its predecessors, continues the legacy of combining innovation and dynamic styling, and it’s already winning awards.
Configure and BuyWith such a lasting legacy, let’s take a trip down memory lane to where it all began.
First Generation of Prelude
The first generation of Prelude roared on to the scene in 1978 as a sports coupe for grown-ups. Loaded with cutting edge technology, it was the first mainstream car to have an electric sunroof (or moonroof as they were sometimes known), as standard.
Built on a new chassis, the Prelude borrowed the suspension, brakes and engine from the Honda Accord, becoming a sporty mix of the much-loved Civic and Accord models, but in a two-door coupe. The compact front-wheel-drive coupe initially came with either a five-speed manual gearbox or an early two-speed ‘Hondamatic’ transmission (Honda’s very own designed semi-automatic gearbox), and featured chrome bumpers and polished stainless window surrounds that were classic for the era.
Second Generation of Prelude
When the second generation Prelude arrived in 1982/3, the chrome was out and black rubber and colour-coded plastics were in, reflecting the sleeker designs of the 80s. Pop-up headlights were big and the Prelude embraced the trend, combining them with a longer, lower profile front end that added to the sportier look.
Extra horsepower was added thanks to a bigger engine, with a 2.0-litre sports injected (Si) model being included in the line up, delivering 0-60 in approx. 9 seconds. New tech for the second generation Prelude included Honda’s new anti-lock brakes (ALB), the forerunner to ABS, as well as creature comforts such as electric windows and velour seats.
Third Generation of Prelude
The next iteration of the Prelude underwent some big changes.
Evolutionary design tweaks saw the lines and low profile of the sporty Honda NSX mimicked in the third generation Prelude, with the addition of a rear spoiler. Mechanical advancements included the introduction of a revolutionary four-wheel steering system or 4WS, which steered the vehicle using not only the front wheels, but the rear wheels as well, improving handling and agility, making it the first mass-produced car with four-wheel steering. Its handling couldn’t be matched, and it beat the likes of Ferrari and Porsche on a slalom track.
The slightly longer new model had a new more responsive throttle capable of delivering around 140BHP, with the double wishbone suspension enhancing the ride. Such technological developments led to the Prelude winning 3rd place in the European Car of the Year awards in 1988.
Fourth Generation of Prelude
The early 90s saw the arrival of the fourth generation model, with the rubber and sharp angles ditched in favour of curvaceous colour coded bumpers and fixed headlights. Bigger, more powerful engines were added, with a new variable valve timing and lift electronic control (VTEC) delivering a smooth, fuel-efficient drive at low RPMs and high-revved power at top speeds.
Electric steering saw a huge leap in maneuverability whilst the cabin became more refined with a leather interior, an elongated wraparound dash with electroluminescent display and an 8-speaker sound system.
The Prelude was even chosen as the 1994 Japanese F1 safety car, guiding the likes of Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher around a rain-drenched Suzuka circuit, that saw several weather-related crashes. The link to F1 didn’t end there, with Ayrton Senna appearing in the 1991 Prelude TV ad.
Fifth Generation of Prelude
The final Prelude of the 20th century combined the straight lines of the early generations with the later curves to deliver a striking looking coupe. All-wheel steering was added, giving a more reactive drive with an active torque transfer system (ATTS) electronically distributing torque to the front wheels, making cornering a dream.
As with previous editions, regional variations saw different countries having different engines and trims, like heated leather seats being as standard in Canada as well as a CD changer in the boot.
So, there you have it, a potted history of Honda’s much loved 2 door coupe. The word ‘Prelude’ comes from the opening of a piece of classical music - in other words, it symbolises a new beginning or an introduction, which is apt with the exciting news that the all-new Honda Prelude is now available to order.
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An Icon Reborn...
The hotly anticipated 6th generation model has already won over the hearts of automotive designers and the motoring press, winning the prestigious ‘Best Coupe’ award at The New Car World Championships 2025/2026, organised by the Best Cars of the Year (COTY) organisation.
