The Prelude offers the snug sense of intimacy that we usually associate with
2-seaters. And typical of Honda, all controls and instruments are located where
they're easy to see and/or use.
Driver sightlines aren't quite so typical of Honda designs--the sizeable rear roof
pillar creates a small blind spot in the rear quarters, although the good-sized
exterior mirrors keep this from being a problem.
Forward vision over the sloping snoot is excellent.
Excellent also applies to the bucket seats. Upholstered in a high grade cloth, the
seats in our test car had a nice range of adjustability and very good lateral
support--just what you'd expect of a car with outstanding handling credentials.
While the Prelude's interior is generally exemplary among cars in this class, two
elements have drawn consistent criticism since the most recent redesign.
The first is rear seat legroom, which is scant, even for a small sport coupe.
Accommodating adult-size people in the rear seat requires exceptional cooperation from
the folks up front, and even the rear seat passengers are likely to emerge with cramps
and unhappy faces.
The second complaint is of a cosmetic nature. In an effort to make the front seat
passenger feel more involved in the driving, the Prelude design team scattered some of
the secondary instruments across the dashboard. The idea is commendable, but the
execution hasn't played well at all.
Like every new car sold in this country for 1996, the Prelude is equipped with side
impact protection and dual airbags. And as we noted earlier, ABS is standard on the Si
and VTEC models.
Honda places a premium on handling in all its products, but few are as surgically
precise as the Prelude, particularly the Prelude Si and VTEC. Although our test car
exhibited traces of understeer--the tendency for the car to continue straight when it's
pushed too hard in a corner--it was easily controlled by a slight lift on the throttle,
bringing the nose of the car back on line.
Understeer is common to all front-drive cars, but the Prelude's suspension system
minimizes it more than most, if not all.
The power rack and pinion steering complements the Prelude's gunfighter reflexes with
a light touch, yet very good communication to the driver concerning where the front
wheels are pointing.
Considering its athletic nature, the Prelude's ride quality is remarkably supple,
something that can't be said for some sport coupes. The basic S model is the most
civilized member of the tribe in this respect, but there's nothing harsh about that
behavior of the Si or VTEC, even on rough surfaces.
While spring rates aimed at ride comfort also yield some body roll in maximum
cornering situations, it's well controlled and difficult to perceive from inside the
car.
Something else that's hard to perceive inside the car is noise. The VTEC engine emits
a sophisticated snarl when it hits the edge of its power zone--from 6200 rpm on up--but
Preludes are otherwise remarkably quiet as sport coupes go.
Wind noise is all but absent, even at high speeds, and there's enough elasticity in
the suspension bushings to keep road noise transmission--through the suspension
components--at a minimum.
Braking performance is the final key component in a world class sport coupe, and the
Prelude family--particularly the potent VTEC--is among the best of its breed.
All three models have disc brakes on all four wheels, a better bet for fade
resistance, and as noted the Si and VTEC include antilock as standard equipment.
Because of its higher top speed potential, the VTEC also has larger front rotors with
bigger calipers and pads.