1987 Honda Prelude Honda Prelude Honda Prelude
It can be amusing to read reviews from owners of a 1987 Honda Prelude about their likes and dislikes about the vehicle. A common thread: Lack of cup holders.
If that's the biggest complaint, well, then Honda created a fine automobile.
Cup holders are a nice luxury, but most car buyers want reliability, comfort, and safety, among other factors. Cup holders rarely crack the top 10.
Historically, the Prelude is the third attempt by Honda to nudge its way into the American automotive market. The Prelude mirrors Honda predecessors, the Accord and Civic, with its reliability, performance and gas mileage. The result was a model with a style sandwiched between what you see in an Accord and Civic.
And the final result proved worthy: Car amd Wheels magazine tabbed the Honda Prelude the Car of the Year in 1987. (Ultimately, the Honda Prelude was inCar and Drivermagazine's annual Ten Best list ten times).
First introduced to America in 1978, Honda aimed for a two-door coupe with a low ride and agility. It delivered.
Aside from the ride, the 1987 Prelude delivered gizmos that the 1980s-era buyer adored, such as a standard and decent-sized glass moon roof. Original models pushed only 71 horsepower, but by 1987 Honda was able to boost the figure due to its 2-liter Si model engines that cooked up to 140 hp.
The 1987 Honda Prelude features also continued a Honda innovation, four-wheel steering. Also remaining was a low overall height, a signature of the Prelude, which reduces wind drag and helps save gas.
It maintained the lower-nose stance and more sporty visual appearance that the model initiated in 1983. TheHonda Motor Companyunderstood the trend at the time of lower-to-the-ground vehicles.
Owners have praised its handling, build, reliability and, for the Si engine, the smoothness of the motoring. Others mostly complained that it seemed boring, mostly appearance-wise.
For the base model, the 1987 Honda Prelude features a 1.8-liter four cylinder engine, or, to upgrade, 2.0-liter. The model also came with often-overlooked features such as power windows, cruise control, and a spoiler. Trunk space is above-average, and the back seats have decent space despite some complaints. The seats are soft, comfortable and supportive.
Affordability and reliability are keys for the 1987 Honda Prelude. Owners will cite its above-average fuel economy, drive-ability, longevity and look. All told, on average the 1987 Honda Prelude averages 23 miles per gallon, combined highway and city.
By the turn of the century, the Honda Prelude reached around 27 miles per gallon, and in a move that did not foresee the pending gas-price rise, Honda stopped production of the model in 2002.
To sample the impact of the Honda Prelude, consider a survey byCargurus.comof Prelude owners. Of them, 84 percent said they would buy another Honda, reliability topped eight on a 10 scale, as did "average running costs."
