1996 HONDA Prelude 2.0i 5MT FWD (135 HP)

Vehicle Overview

It was the Prelude’s last generation and not the most successful in its nameplate for the Honda carmaker.

From time to time, a carmaker decides to pull the plug for a specific model in its lineup and doesn’t replace it with anything else. It was the same situation with the sporty coupe Prelude, built on the same platform as the fourth generation of the Honda Accord.

Low, long, and flat, the fifth and last generation of the Prelude didn’t share the same successful design as its predecessor, but it indeed had some other features that deserved more customers. Its squared and swept-back headlights over the hood didn’t look like anything else on the market. The horizontal taillights with straight lines and thin reversing lights were unmistakable in the Honda lineup in the back.

Inside, there was room enough for two passengers at the front with high-bolstered bucket seats. In the rear, the carmaker installed a bench big enough to fit a child’s seat and a pair of shoes, but barely enough to fit an average size adult due to the minimal legroom and limited headroom. Honda focused on the driver’s area and offered the best it had in its store. A speed-variable steering wheel, all the buttons and switches close to its fingers, and a great all-around visibility thanks to the thin A-pillars and wide side windows. The trunk was good enough for two medium-sized suitcases.

The technology was at its peak with the new, 2.2-liter V-TEC engine that offered up to 200 hp. It wasn’t available on all the markets, so the Europeans got only 185 hp. The all-wheel steering and the four-speed sequential automatic gearbox were another two improvements that made the Prelude a great sports coupe for the masses.