When it comes to producing fine cars, Honda are well versed in this field. The Japanese car manufacturer has built some epic machines over the years, ranging from the legendary NSX, to more mundane but well-rounded cars like the Civic. And of course it is now stepping into the world of EVs, with its first fully fledged electric vehicle being the shot on range but very cool looking Honda e. While they are not perfect, no one is, and Honda have produced some utterly fantastic cars in their long history.

Some of those cars don’t seem to get the recognition they deserve, though. The Insight, their first hybrid, is perhaps one such car. Classics like the Accord definitely deserve more focus. And one car that absolutely warrants more attention is the Prelude. The Prelude was a part of the Honda range from 1978 to 2001, and it was ultimately replaced by the fourth-generation of the Integra. While not a bad car, no one really speaks of the Prelude. Which is weird, because the two-door coupe was a very strong and respected part of the Honda lineup. You might argue that the Prelude is a very underrated car.

The Design Of The Prelude

1978 Honda-Prelude-I-Coupe- Front Quarter View
via Auto-Data

The first Prelude was launched on November 24th 1978 to the Japanese market, before it made its global debut at the 1979 AutoRAI in Amsterdam just a couple of months later. The new Prelude took some components from the first generation Accord, such as the brakes, engine and the four-wheel independent struts. But the chassis of the Prelude was all new, and it was designed exclusively for the new sporty coupe by chief designer Hiroshi Kizawa. Honda gave the Prelude a shorter wheelbase than the Accord, and it can clearly be seen as a rival to that of the Toyota Celica.

1978 Honda Prelude In Black Front View
via Fav Cars

It had typical 1970s Honda styling, with a small front grille, sharp edges and an elegant overall design. And straightaway, reviews came in that put the Prelude in a very positive light. Brock Yates for Motor Trend wrote that it was “by any sane measurement, a splendid automobile.” Transmission wise, the first generation Prelude could either have a five-speed manual or a Hondamatic two-speed semi-automatic, that was replaced in late 1979 by a three-speed automatic. But the Prelude had got off to a flying start.

RELATED: A Detailed Look At The 1979 Honda Prelude

The History And Progression Of The Prelude

Second Generation Honda Prelude Front Quarter View
via Hemmings

An all-new platform was developed for the Prelude from November 1982 onwards, with another stylish design, this time penned by Masahito Nakano. The original Prelude had either an eight-valve or 12-valve inline-four as its engine. The new second-generation was either one of three types of 12-valve inline-four or a 16-valve inline-four. And this Prelude had the iconic pop-up headlights which helped to reduce drag, with the design being a lot more aerodynamic overall than the first iteration of the car. And in Britain in particular, the Prelude did very well at a timewhen many companies were pulling sports cars from this sector.

Thid Generation Honda Prelude 2.0 Front Quarter View In Red
via DSF

The third generation Prelude made its debut in 1987, and was introduced in 1988 for the North American market. It was exclusively powered by various versions of the Honda B20A engine, all of which were inline-fours, and the car had either a four-speed automatic transmission or five-speed manual transmission. This generation of Prelude was a true winner, with a drag coefficient of 0.34, roof pilalrs made of high-strength steel and the available option of the world’s first mechanical four-wheel steering system available in a mass-produced passenger vehicle. Little wonder that the Prelude finished third in the 1988 European Car of the Year awards, behind the Peugoet 405 and the Citroen AX.

The Penultimate Generation Of The Prelude

Fourth-Gen Honda Prelude Gray Front Quarter View
via Facebook

The third-generation Prelude would have a facelift in 1989, with a new rear and front bumper and a revised interior. Plus, the Prelude INX was introduced to the Japanese domestic market. The fourth generation Prelude broke cover in 1991, and it had an electronic four-wheel steering system and a variety of engines that ranged from a H22A SiR VTEC engine in Japan, to a 2.3i engine in Europe. This model marked the end of pop-up headlights on the Prelude, and featured a design similar to the Honda Ascot Innova.

RELATED: Bring A Trailer Find: 6k Mile 2001 Honda Prelude 5-Speed

Farewell To The Prelude

Honda Prelude FIth Generation Front Quarter View Red On Grass
via Honda

The Prelude would bow out with the fifth generation, which was produced from 1996 to 2001. This had a more square-like body style akin to the third generation of the car, as sales of the fourth generation had slumped somewhat. The last Prelude would have a refresh in 1999, two years before its production run ended. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Prelude became a great platform for gearheads to modify, and the fifth generation might just be the most underrated version of the lot. As an everyday performance car it was almost unrivalled, and its loss is something that we’ve only recently started to feel. Like the S2000, there is a great scope for Honda to bring this popular little coupe back. Maybe one day, we will finally see a sixth generation Prelude.

Sources: Honda, Donut Media, Hemmings