Honda introduced the first Prelude for sale in 1979 based on the Civic as an attempt to offer something exciting to the market. Honda had already begun building a reputation for reliability and intelligent design, but excitement wasn’t something that a 1970s’ car buyer would associate with the company.

In the two decades following that first Prelude for sale, the Prelude graduated from being mildly exciting to being the flagship performance car in Honda’s lineup. However, the Prelude wasn’t about muscle. It remained true to the core Honda vision of drivability and handling.

The Prelude holds a special place in automotive history because it served as the platform for Honda innovation. These advancements included 4-wheel steering, fuel injection, and the Active Torque Transfer System. The Prelude was also Honda’s first model to get the vaunted VTEC engine.

The Honda Prelude remained incredibly popular throughout the 1980s, and from the perspective then, it seemed as if that would never change. However, circumstances did change, and with the 1990s, the Prelude found itself in an odd middle ground between economy and premium car buyers.

Honda was never able to adapt to the situation in which they found themselves. Compounding the issue was the ever-shrinking market for sport coupes. To make the Prelude for sale in the 1990s successful, Honda had to make it less expensive or make it a better fuel performer. Unfortunately, they could not accomplish these things easily within the current configuration. So, popularity continued to wane, and Honda finally dropped the car from the lineup after the 2001 model year.

Consumers seeking a used Honda Prelude for sale should focus most of their attention on the fifth and final vehicle generation sold from 1997 to 2001. This model was heavier and larger than previous generations, and it was overall a more dynamic car than it had ever been.

Honda offered the fifth-gen Prelude for sale at two trim levels: standard and Type SH. Both models included the 2.2L 4-cylinder VTEC engine paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. The 4-speed automatic transmission was available as an option among the standard Preludes. This engine initially produced 195 horsepower, but by 1999, Preludes with the manual transmission boasted as much as 200 horsepower.

Both Prelude models included a full-featured equipment package. Some of the highlights were full power accessories, air-conditioning, cruise control, ABS, a sunroof, and 16-inch alloy wheels. The primary difference between the standard Prelude for sale and the Type SH model was the Active Torque Transfer System. The purpose of this electronic system was to distribute torque to the outside drive wheel during cornering scenarios. This minimizes understeer, and thus emulates rear-wheel-drive characteristics.

Most automotive critics were impressed with this system at the time, and lauded the Prelude’s well-balanced and nimble handling. There just wasn’t enough overall performance there at the time for the price point, but that doesn’t matter much to today’s used car shopper considering the Prelude.

Another complaint concerning the final Preludes was the interior, which was underwhelming for car that cost nearly $30,000. It was a valid complaint, but Honda constructed the interior of high-quality materials, and it holds up well today. Most used car shopper will find it pleasing enough at today’s price point. The bottom line is that the Prelude is a great choice for the consumer seeking an affordable used car that provides safety, reliability, and handling.

Dan Legal is a member of the web team that runs the website LemonFree.com New Cars. LemonFree is a car search engine which currently has over 2 million new and used cars for sale. If your trying to locate a Prelude For Sale; trust LemonFree to help you find your next car today!