The Rise And Fall Of The Honda Prelude

[@o-d-cole4088]

3rd gen prelude 4ws is the best generation. I own one and there is nothing else like it to drive, the 4ws is much more noticeable than people realise, especially at low and high speeds and when changing lanes on the highway for example. If anyone ever gets a chance to drive one I highly recommend it.

[@dougiemutts1650]

I just bought one. LOVE it

[@Steezealways]

How much you pay for it ? Saving up for one I never wanted a car this bad

[@o-d-cole4088]

@@Steezealways you can pick them up cheap in the states

[@decordevelopment]

Totally agree had one also there is nothing like it

[@Berry500Laps]

I have one now and it's absolutely incredible. It's my favorite car and I've driven 392s and hellcats

[@Tetsu9701]

I love my 5th gen Prelude. It is nearly stock other than a 1" lowering to get rid of that horrendous mosnter truck wheel gap, and cold air intake for just a little "oomph" noise when accelerating. Gave it a paint job last year & I constantly get compliments for it.

[@matthewtodd9287]

My first car was a Red 85 Prelude. My girlfriend at the time (who’s now my wife) had a Black 90 SR. Now we have a Black 2000 SH. 5th Gen is my fav and will have forever car. Great video!

[@AcuraAdvice]

Coolest BF/GF car combo ever! haha

[@767driver]

My first car was a 1985 gray 5 speed. Loved that car!

[@evanhanley707]

I just bought myself a prelude si 4ws, and I’m so in love with the back wheels turning. I’m still learning manual so I haven’t gotten up to high speeds with it yet, but the U-turns on that car are insane

[@dangoesracing]

My first car was a ‘89 Prelude Si with 4WS. Loved that car. Red with a body kit, mag wheels, etc. It got a lot of attention, and was a lot of fun to drive. One thing people don’t realise is how huge the boot space was. A friend had a huge sound system in his, and still had what in most cars would be considered a full sized boot. Unfortunately Honda really botched the 4th gen design. It was widely considered as ugly, and didn’t have anywhere near the appeal of the 3rd gen.

[@colbe7246]

I have a golden ‘89 sí… it was also my first car. a body kit you said? any suggestions?

[@RealAmericanHero420]

I remember seeing that 1993 Prelude as a kid and thought it was really a beautiful car.

[@thatrudager]

Still is.

[@42dunbar]

I remember a high school teacher buying a new 4th Gen VTEC and being jealous although I was able to afford a used one in the late 90’s.

[@anwav-]

PREEE-LOOD & SAH-LEEEKA? AHHHHHHH😩😫

[@sapphireeniigma-8027]

Bro 💀💀💀

[@poppajules]

nails on a chalkboard. but Integra was good to go.

[@me67226]

Quaalude😂😂😂

[@spider_hoss]

Has to be ai voice

[@2wheelpartsguy]

IT PRAY-LUDE!!!!

[@JelloSpucci]

I have a 90 prelude with the B20A5. i bought it a little over a year ago for $900 CAD. got really lucky on that one

[@AcuraAdvice]

Wow you sure did!

[@hellcatfreak5270]

Best video to explain preludes man! Good job I have a 2001 prelude and I absolutely love it

[@admintuning]

What a great video. The 3rd and 5th gen Preludes were the best looking and I enjoyed driving the 5th gen a lot.

[@jeanphillips1184]

The 4WS was worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY in my opinion. Loved my Prelude and wish I had it today ... the one that got away

[@42dunbar]

I bought a 93 Prelude VTEC in 1998. Still my favorite car from a price paid ($11k) versus driving enjoyment and overall ownership experience. I almost bought a 5th Gen when I moved to Los Angeles but convinced myself I needed an automatic and would only get a Prelude with a manual. My friend just bought an ‘01 S2000 for $40k so it’s crazy what some of these cars are going for now.

[@sadlife8495]

got a 93 prelude a few months ago, body has barely any rust, one small spot on the hood and one small spot on the roof but not in the sunroof, needs new seals all around windows, cracked windshield, some dash lights are out, its base model manual but with h22 swap, some small rust on the floor, 200k miles on the body but in GREAT condition, 86k miles on the engine, got it for 1,650. I think i got a pretty good deal.

[@cesarjom]

This video was really awesome, so much great information (including all marketing ads and model catalogs content) on the iconic Prelude, what I think was the Honda company's only ever true (two-door) sports coupe -- the S2000, Civic, Accord all filling other markets. Thanks for this!! I still have my 1996 Honda Prelude VTEC (the last year of its generation). It sits in my garage, the perfect sports car, I cannot part with it even though I drive an Acura RDX A-Spec as my daily ride. The fourth generation Prelude was really one of Honda's best all time designs, in handling/performance and aesthetically. Only an NSX would replace that already taken spot in my garage 😁.

[@TheBb6prelude]

4th is by far the best one. Lighter and more classic sport car lines equiped with a H series monster.

[@thatrudager]

Torque. Yes.

[@19hundoc47]

Lol 200 HP isn’t a monster

[@TheBb6prelude]

@@19hundoc47 my prelude is a monster. I have two. One with a F20b pro2 AEM standalone ECU making about 265-270 crank HP at 2600lbs.. My other one is a h22a1 built internals,stage 2 cams 66-62 turbo. Gap city on hellcats

[@19hundoc47]

@@TheBb6prelude sure buddy lol

[@TheBb6prelude]

@@19hundoc47 I literally have videos of my build.

[@blinkybill2198]

I had an 88 Prelude XX twin carb model and I loved it. My friend had a fuel injected model and he would smoke me, but then I didn't drive it into a steel dumpster, lol. Wish I had kept it and looked after it. Best car I ever had.

[@ALE5six1]

Love the short funny rambles you go on like "shannon beating you to soccer practice" 😂😂😂 well done sir 👏

[@michaelmiller836]

I currently have the 3rd gen 1989 prelude. I love this car. The handling is amazing. It’s getting to be a pain in the ass to find parts but worth it in my opinion.

[@jestahead]

As someone who owned two 3rd gen XX preludes (JDM model with the carby engine but otherwise high trim), YES the 4WS is worth every penny just for the low speed maneuverability. It should honestly just be a standard feature on all cars.

[@shiloh5199]

I presently own a '99 5thgen Honda Prelude w/manual shift that i love but i would love to get a 4WS 3rdgen Prelude!!

[@ls401]

I have both 5th gen sir rhd and a 89 4ws. The 3rd gen is alot of fun!

[@shiloh5199]

@@ls401 That's what's up!!

[@bobbyshizz2138]

Best car I ever owned was an 86 SI. I was young and often treated her badly, but she ran forever. Wish I still had her.

[@_Yep_Yep_]

The 1990s prelude with 4 wheel steering was the perfect car. Breaks my heart that they gave up on 4ws after hitting such a home run.

[@siugarfield7647]

very comprehensive video, thank you

[@PRL1290]

@2:55 that was my first car in high school, but black and 5-Speed 1986 Si, I loved that car I was quick. then upgraded to a 2001 5th gen H22 VTEC, it was next level the VTEC was unreal.

[@BattyMckicknPunch]

Fantastic video-so much great info. I bought a stock, minty manual ‘01 SE in 2021. Ordered new from the factory by a guy in Edmonton who eventually passed it to his son in Kelowna- had a whopping 110,000 kms on the clock after 20 years. As I said to my friends when I was looking for one - hard to find one without a samurai sword for a shifter….Hagerty just released their bull market listings and the 5th gen is on there. I think all the generations look great, but the 5th gen was my post secondary era and it’s my fav. Nice vibe seeing all the love for all the Preludes on here. Thanks again for posting this.

[@chuongnguyen8456]

Thank for sharing this informative video. I currently owned 1998 Honda Prelude Type SH and I truly appreciated the sporty design, mechanics, and reliability. That raw old school VTEC never gets old and it will always put a smile on my face. In today market, these cars are more rare and collectible, which I'm thankful for having this car.

[@joshuayammer1994]

4th gen is the best if you’re a true honda enthusiast. Overall the best performance wise.

[@dainironfoot102]

@@joshuayammer1994 Agreed. The h23a was a real gem and very durable engines. The h22 gets all the love but man my si ripped.

[@danysperez-carrillo6630]

Fist gen beaner

[@aetd106]

Was my first car in 2016 (I was a late starter) and was as old as I was - still the best vehicle I've ever driven. Felt like an F1 car in the best way.

[@colewarkentine1943]

i wish popup headlights were just restricted a little less in america and some companies still made them, woulda loved popups on more preludes. also i miss fender mounted mirrors, idc how impractical they were

[@dj6j]

Fellow lowermainlander here, Ive got a 01 prelude and 88 prelude with 4ws and the 88 is by far my favorite. Driving a car with 4ws is like no other driving experience. The low speed maneuverability has saved me a number of times and its a blast to drive at high speeds. The 4ws comes with a strange feeling of having the backend kick out from behind you without loosing traction. Aswell the turning radius is crazy. Extremely fun and agile car to drive, would highly recommend owning or driving one if you get the chance.

[@AcuraAdvice]

A 3rd gen 4WS Prelude is definitly on my list of cars I'd like to own someday!

[@VOLTAIRES_5]

What do you think of the Tokyo unveiling of the Prelude this past week?

[@AcuraAdvice]

Cool to see that its a coupe, I didnt expect that. Its kinda cool looking I guess, I'm not much of a hybird fan so not really something that would interest me, but I realize that is the direction all new cars are going.

[@adamboswell5533]

A '92 was my first car and a '99 my second. I'm 40 now so I drive a Lexus, but those 2 'ludes are still my favorite cars I've ever owned. Thanks for the video!

[@joeybassbass]

I had a 5 speed 1991 prelude is with 4 wheel steering. I was the parallel parking champion of my college. I loved that car so much and I wish I still had it

[@jaredpreston7303]

3rd and 5th gens just look so good

[@stangreen4134]

My first car in 1996 was a 1983 Honda Prelude. 5sp w/ no power steering.

[@silvangadient7791]

I have a 1980 Prelude and love this car. Such classic, easy to work on. Just the parts are difficult to get🙃

[@antonialeitz9179]

Gen 3 and Gen 5 equal my fav Preludes xx

[@jamesstaggs4160]

I've had two 4th gens and loved both of them. The second was a 1995 VTEC that someone dumped a bunch of money into and came lowered with magnesium wheels, full aftermarket exhaust, a hotter camshaft, under drive pulleys and had fiberglass fenders in the front with functional vents along with a fiberglass hood again with functional vents. Coming from a 160 hp 4th gen I was thrilled with it's performance. It would drag cars that the owners thought would smoke the all black rice rocket. It slew two S2000s, a handful of SN95 Mustang GTs, a variety of modified Civics, and a G35 (was an automatic, doubt I could have taken a manual). The H22 and the Prelude never got it's due. Great little 4 banger and sounded great, especially when compared to any B series. Kicking myself for selling the black VTEC. They're starting to disappear and the decent Preludes that are for sale seem to be in the 6k and up range and when you start coming up to 8k there's just better options.

[@phantom0456]

Fifth gen Prelude was the best looking IMO… I remember looking at a 2001 SH brand new on the showroom floor in 2001 with a buddy of mine who was looking to buy… he ended up getting an Accord coupe instead, but that 2001 gunmetal Prelude SH was absolutely GORGEOUS.

[@EthxnRhxdes]

i have a 92 prelude si 4WS and i love it sm i just wish there was more after market parts for the body

[@jasperdilincoln2341]

I was never really a fan of Honda. But I remember being in Grade School back in the early 90s. We had two Teachers that bought Brand-new Honda's. One a Del Sol and the other a Prelude. I thought they were cool. But when the last generation of the Prelude came out whiles I was in Highschool in '97. I remember a School Secretary had just bought one it was a Silver Blueish Color. I thought it was Sharp.

[@preludeboy99]

Wow, amazing video! Nice job dude

[@AcuraAdvice]

Thanks!!

[@jcbarber]

3rd gen! I had a 1991 2.1 si, and I'm so glad I had the chance to experience that car.

[@asbuster2191]

My 2nd car i bought is my 5th gen Prelude. I LOVE it! It drives very nice, is very nimble and something unique on the road these days. I do have to add to this video though, that the H22 was NOT the only engine the 5th gen came with. Over here in Europe, most of them have the F20A4 non VTEC SOHC engine. 133 horsepower.

[@erikwils]

Prelude was always a cool car, not sure if I have a fav gen 🤷🏽‍♂️ the ‘79 in the beginning of the video is soooo nice….def want one 🙌🏽 Thank you - Erik Axel

[@Whateva67]

I have a black 2001 Prelude,5 speed, leather interior in nearly mint condition. Just getting the whole front of the car repainted because of fading paint and rock chips. Brand new genuine headlights are being installed as well, it’ll look brand new. I think it has to be close to one of the last ones ever built as it was assembled in October of 2001, I wonder how I would find out for sure. 😊

[@seancarmody3134]

I have owned a 96 Integra GS-R, 98 CL 2.3 5-speed and a 01 Prelude Type-SH. The Integra was super fun to drive as I was only 20 years old when I drove that and the Prelude was in my early 30's and had bisimoto headers, full exhaust with a vibrant muffler and an AEM V2 intake, but now I drive a 2020 Accord 2.0t sport 6-speed and I still have as much fun in the Accord as I ever did in any of those cars. If I could own one of my previous cars again I think it would be the Prelude. I met so many people who said they had owned a Prelude before even with its low sales numbers lol

[@milktea2001]

I drive a 87’ 2nd gen prelude with 240k miles but amazing for its age. I was also super surprised with the solid feel of the car and build quality that’s close to something of a German car

[@meister.leistung]

9:35 I own a 91 3rd gen with the sohc carb engine, which is the euro model called the ex, so yea not really accurate, but it's also kind of the below base model. still a great car, i love it

[@AcuraAdvice]

I should have specified I was talking about the North American market.

[@meister.leistung]

​@@AcuraAdviceah ok, seems fair as all markets would be e bit extensive

[@dainironfoot102]

As someone who thoroughly wrapped a '92 prelude si around a pole, my senior year of highschool, I take exception to that statement!

[@reycaballero2462]

86 SE was my first prelude and 97 base with some OG mugen bits is my 2nd. Still have the 97 today since i was 18. Im 43 this year...lol thanks for the vid

[@vicp8772]

Great vid. Btw I watched this on fri 13th! Alien3 beautiful. Hope this comes back, along with a fit. Ditch the HRV and return element. Honda Canada also keep prices like the US, did u forget u have an Acura line too?

[@whitneythe6thgenaccord680]

My favorite generation would have to be the final. I came across one about three years ago for $2500 USD and was tempted to buy it, but it was automatic and I’ve seen that the 4-speed tiptronic wasn’t the most reliable. Awesome idea for a video as well!

[@AcuraAdvice]

Yes you want avoid the automatics on the final gen, very problematic

[@dsciulli]

Or …. Get what you like as I did and just get the trans rebuilt with better parts.

[@ALE5six1]

2500!? If it was in decent condition you shoulda jumped on it. Just do a trans swap to manual and drive the car like it was meant to

[@whitneythe6thgenaccord680]

@@ALE5six1 Agreed-in hindsight, I wish I would’ve gotten it.

[@josebrown5961]

@@AcuraAdvice had an automatic 5th Gen and had ZERO issues with the drivetrain. That Prelude was the nicest coupe I ever owned. The only problem I had was I had my windshield cracked multiple times by rocks kicked up by trucks. I replaced it three times in two years. Sadly it got hit by a driver that refused to stop. It wasn’t totaled, they fixed it but it just wasn’t the same. I had put about 300k miles on it so I couldn’t find one and I bought an Accord Coupe, ok but not as cool as the Prelude.

[@TonyMontana-tm7ul]

The prelude should definitely come back, honda would make billions

[@awalker8371]

Yup and the Crosstour. Honda seemed to be ahead of it’s time always and cars were not well received 😢

[@incognito5109]

YES!! and us diehard loyal fans can finally get a v8. Bring back the Legend /RL as a v8 🙌 The v8 Vigor as well and let us also have a full size suv that sits above the mdx , one suv above the honda pilot as a v8 as well . Even better yet a v8 4x4 Ridgeline that looks like a real body on frame pickup truck 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤

[@Sammyx0108]

Great video! I take comfort in the knowledge that my 3rd Gen SI 4WS is your favorite. I would allow you to try out the all mechanical four-wheel-steering anytime, my friend!

[@BrkDownMedia]

You called it! Kudos.

[@popoff330]

I owned a 4 gen. Great car.

[@DirtSweatGears]

I swapped 4 wheel steering rack into my 3rd generation Prelude in 2006. It's 2024 now and it's still my favorite car out of the 10 that I currently own, and of the ~20 I've owned through my life. 4ws really does take the car to the next level, and being entirely mechanical, you feel it at all speeds and driving conditions.

[@rushmatic]

@11:20 OMG Dr. Ruth!!! Talk about 90’s throw back. For those not alive then Dr. Ruth was big time and everywhere because she was America's foremost sex therapist.

[@AcuraAdvice]

Omg I didn't even recognise that was her!

[@sevens12]

My parents used to have a first gen prelude before my siblings and i were born and they have told me stories about it I really wanna buy a first gen when i grow up and i do hope to get the same color as they got it

[@cedrictheveneau9141]

Still madly in love with my first gen !

[@Phrancis5]

I've owned a 97 SH for 22 yrs now and it's factory stock looking - yes, faded paint and a few dents, but not riced out or even modded. It handles well and a fun reliable ride as is. I'm an adult and not gonna dump time, energy and money on an old platform that can be easily be beat in a drag race by modern family sedans.

[@UncleTravelingMatt2]

I own a 5th gen Prelude, highly modified with a built supercharged engine. They are still the “boy racer” type cars but that’s fading as young people are having more trouble keeping them on the road. They’ve almost all hit classic car status and with that the typical classic car problems. That means more money and knowledge and work is required to keep them up. Those that take good care of them take amazing care and are usually early Millennials like me or Gen X’ers.

[@cybercrusader420]

Very nice video. I own a 1997 BB9 and an 1985 BA2. And i love the strange 80s steering wheel in my second Gen Prelude. :D I hope Honda don't revive the Prelude. In my opinion it's the only car line with the production be stopped, before new Generations got ugly in the early 2000s. I like all 5 Generations and the second is my favorite.

[@bradleysolari2106]

On god 4th gen prelude got the best Interior came with bucket seats from factory designed by recaro and has led dash way better that integra

[@joecrowe7062]

The 91-99 great years for honda and still running today,amazing cars 95 civic most stolen car in the 90s

[@MEHoward]

Good video!

[@Iowa599]

what was the coin label (dash, left of gauge cluster) on the 1st gen?

[@stevel.2759]

Great video

[@ap101081]

Still have my 5th gen 2000 Prelude with 40K miles on it. Second owner and bone stock. Fun summer car and all things on it work. 😄

[@LyricalBlock32]

4th gen, the most beautiful and it does not look old until this days👌🏻👌🏻🔥🔥

[@J.Wick.]

My favorite car, ever that I've owned. Probably mostly the time in life I owned it. But the 4th gen Prelude is timeless to me. I still have one to this day. I've always thought a 90-91 2.1 SI would be awesome to have as well. I test drove one as a 15yr old once. It was amazing, but nothing compared to the 4th I later got.

[@saitoman]

Give props to the Accord coupes for also stealing sales from the Prelude

[@davidboyce6427]

Absolutely I loved my 1991 4WS 5spd. It was awesome 👍

[@andyperkin7805]

Couple of errors with dates but a cool video. 1984 was when the flip up headlight gen was introduced with 1986 being the first year of the 2.0 Si fuel injected model.

[@AcuraAdvice]

Thank you! I should have specified my dates were for the North American market. It is slightly different in other markets

[@anthonyhunt701]

Should update this and add the 2026 “Concept” Prelude

[@RA-uj3nm]

C'mon.....don't hate. That was Dr. Ruth getting out of the Prelude. Kick ass lady. 👍👍😀

[@lseh4720]

I’m an original owner of an 88 4WS Si. Guys are always driving up and asking if I want to sell it. Hell no, but parts are very hard to find. I wish Honda hadn’t abandoned me. Manual transmission too. This little woman loves her Prelude. I showed my nephew how to do donuts. Ha😊😂

[@sneakerheadswerv7239]

Was the last 2 generations ever received a refresh?

[@foureyezz]

I bought my 2001 Prelude in 2002. Still daily drive her. I need to show her some love tho. Not sure if you mispronounced Celica on purpose or not. Gave me a chuckle.

[@frankiedeuce801]

Fiat Abarth, tach and speedo in the same circle. I own one, but I'm sure that has been seen on others. I also owned that 1986 Celica GT-S which did the blistering 0-60 in 8.6 seconds.

[@markdc31]

To really understand the appeal of the Prelude, I think you’d have to be familiar with that era. Celicas we’re amazing cars, but they weren’t the only competition for Preludes. For example, I had a 4 cylinder, 2 barrel carbureted Mustang. 2.3 liters with 88 hp and a 4-speed manual. When Honda started coming out with 16 valve fuel injected cars, it was a huge step up from a lot of domestics and imports. And who doesn’t luv a smooth shifting Honda manual? Honda wasn’t just trying to beat out Celicas, it wanted to attract rear drive loyalists who drove low powered Mustangs, Nissan 200SX’s and others. The 4 wheel steering was meant to attract anti-front drive enthusiasts. And if you lived in New England like me, front drive was appealing in winter. Eventually Honda had 200 HP naturally aspirated 4 cylinders in relatively lightweight vehicles. No direct injection, no turbo… Just Honda brilliance. Nowadays we have direct injected turbo fours in economy cars. We take it for granted. But in my humble opinion, what Honda did for its mainstream vehicles in the 80’s and 90’s was so much more impressive. Just expensive. But that had a lot to do with tariffs and the exchange rates. And that may be why they marketed to Bill from accounting.

[@2wheelpartsguy]

We had a 2nd gen in blue and it wasnt fast by any means but wow would it turn.

[@TheCrayonStealer1]

i want a 5th gen so badly, but its impossible to find a clean one.

[@mikeisaacs2314]

I had a 1998 5th gen with a manual and it was a great car

[@mymomsaysimcool9650]

“Pree” lude? Pronunciation hurts my soul. Even the GD commercial pronounced it right and yet you still continue v

[@JohninOCc]

AND SELL-ica !!😢

[@seaking2290]

I had a 5-speed ‘85. Loved that car, but it was unfortunately highly biodegradable. By 2002, the only clean body panels were the PS rocker, the PS headlight bezel and the trunk lid. They had probably been replaced somewhere along the way.

[@Luxlude444]

Love my 3rd gen, spot on with the speed bump thing lol

[@alexanderlopez4527]

I bought a 94 recently and swapped an f22b2 into it just to save it from the junk yard.

[@a32tl]

I owned a 1980 Prelude, a 1988 Prelude Si 4WS and a 1994 Prelude VTEC. Always wanted a second generation Prelude but never got one. I loved all of mine but the one with 4 wheel steering was exceptional. It was very classy in its day. I will likely buy the new 6th generation if Honda doesn’t screw it up and give it a weak engine option.

[@brandonmartinez5920]

Cool video. Why do you say Celica like that? Is that a Canadian thing?

[@AcuraAdvice]

Yes thats the way its pronounced up here, I didnt know it was different from the American pronounciation until I posted this and started getting a ton of comments about it lol

[@TheBasher-_-]

It wasn't the Integra it was the V6 Accord coupe that killed the Prelude.

[@502lsx5]

The way he was saying prelude was driving me nuts...

[@andrecaeiro6121]

I have a 2.0 prelude V and i fucking love that car

[@MrKydaman]

The 91 Prelude was the best! Amazing cars.

[@Jac735]

Facts 2nd and 3rd was my favorite out of all of them

[@Texican75]

Just picked a 3rd gen SI up turn key no brakes or cluster working for $ 500 lol

[@joecrowe7062]

Why do the inside of the front tires wear out,is it strut or control arm brushing i dont get it,or tie rod alinement

[@AcuraAdvice]

Some common causes are tie rods, alignment issues, worn ball joints or incorrectly inflated tires

[@xtrongarage9666]

Love educational videos on the Prelude generations. Lost but not forgotten.👍 Pretty obvious I prefer 5th gen. Electric Prelude how is that post to line up with the other generations Yuck.😝

[@Vaiay-x2k]

80s honda prelude was the best... regret never buying one to this day... honda should have kept the design for another 20 years...

[@nvtnvt9044]

This makes me wanna pull out the old girl out of storage and restore her to former glory. 4th gen is hands down the most unique one.

[@rosselliot8971]

You deserve more subs, so I subbed. Build it and they will come.

[@redline1916]

I have a 5th gen Type SH. It ain't bad.