I have been driving my 1996 Honda Prelude VTEC for about 5 years now, and it has never given me any problems. It is still fun to drive after all that time too. This is an excellent handling car, and the 190 hp 2.2L VTEC engine gives me the go power that I need.

Trim Levels:

This 2 door coupe is available in three trim levels. All models have dual air bags, A/C, cruise control, power antenna, power brakes, power mirrors, power steering, power sunroof, rear window defroster, and AM/FM cassette. The S model has a 2.2L 135 hp engine, steel wheels, and cloth interior. The Si model adds a 2.3L 160 hp engine, aluminum alloy wheels, air dam, anti-lock brakes, and power doors and windows. On top of that, the VTEC model adds a 2.2L 190 hp engine, leather seats, leather steering wheel, and rear spoiler. The VTEC is available only with a manual transmission.

My comments from here on pertain to the VTEC model.

Engine:

The engine in this car is great. It is amazing what Honda can do with such a small, light engine. Because most of the power is delivered at high RPM, simply rev the car up whenever you feel the need for speed. The way that the 190 hp VTEC system works is that there are two different cam profiles, one for low RPM and one for high, that change the valve timing and the valve lift. It’s almost like having two engines, one optimized for the low end of the tachometer, the other for the high. This gives you an engine with enough low end torque to get you going and enough high end power to make you fly. Honda pioneered this technology and now uses it on all of their vehicles. After seeing Honda’s success with VTEC, all other car manufacturers have followed suit and developed this technology.

The beauty of VTEC is that it lets your car have power as if it was turbocharged, but does not have the low reliability, low mileage, and high emissions of using a turbo.

The motor seems bulletproof, I just change the oil about every 5000 miles (the owner’s manual recommends that you change it ever 7500 miles!! Talk about a long maintenance interval!) Mechanically this car is totally sound.

Mileage:

I consistently get about 24 miles per gallon in the city. The worst mileage that I have gotten is 20 mpg in Phoenix when it is 120 degrees F outside and my air conditioning is on full blast nonstop.

Air Conditioning:

Works well. They could have made it better, but it keeps me cool. I think that the main problem is that they use the new coolant R134 instead of the old R12 (Freon). R134 doesn’t cool quite as well, but all cars must use it now so you don’t have much choice.

The only problem that I’ve had with the car is that one summer my A/C had a pinhole leak and stopped cooling. I took it in and they didn’t find it the first time, just recharged the coolant. I took it back the next day and they found it and replaced the part. All covered under warranty.

Styling:

This is a gorgeous car. The curves flow very nicely in contrast to some of the newer, more angular cars. I have heard it described as having beautiful feminine curves and I wholeheartedly agree. I, and many others, think that this Prelude (4th generation) is the best looking Prelude out there. The car looks great with or without the rear spoiler.

Sunroof

The sunroof is great, it is amazing how they engineered it so that absolutely NO wind comes in the car even when the sunroof is totally open (unless of course your windows are down.)

Paint:

The paint and the clearcoat are pretty tough stuff, rock chips and door dings not withstanding. My color (azure blue-green) is gorgeous, it looks blue or green or black depending on the angle and lighting. I would suggest one of the high quality metallic colors because the flat colors, while nice, do not do this car justice.

Wheels/Tires:

The wheels are 15x6.5 inches and the stock tires are 205/55-15 all weather Michelin’s. Because that is a somewhat unusual size you probably won’t be able to get any super deals on tires, but if you are strapped for cash then cheaper 195/60-15 tires will work fine, you’ll probably lose a little performance edge though.

The alloy wheels are very nice, although they do have a habit of getting scraped up if you like to park close to curbs. Also, since they are directional wheels (right side and left side of the car are different), you sometimes have to explain to tire-shop morons the correct way to orient them on the car

Handling

This is a very good handling car. The suspension geometry is well designed, and it is easily accessible if you wish to make modifications. The VTEC model comes with stiffer springs and therefore handles very well stock. I have heard that it is not easy to improve on Honda’s suspension on the VTEC, and therefore I have left mine stock.

Lights:

The lights are pretty good though not fantastic. High beams are great though. The lights are set up so that you just replace the bulb (not the entire light fixture) when it breaks down, which saves you a little cash. I’ve never had a light burn out.

Interior:

The interior is small and nicely styled, although somewhat minimalist. Few storage spots and an obscenely small glove compartment (seriously, only fits the owners manual and registration) make this a difficult car for people who like to carry lots of junk around. The leather insets in the doors are nice.

Seats:

The leather seats in the VTEC look very nice, but after much use can begin to discolor and become worn. Such is the case for most Japanese leather, I have seen European leather last 16 years of daily driving and still look good.

The front seats are very low which forces you to sit with your legs stretched out in front of you more than being bent at the knee. The front seats are well sculpted (though minimally padded) and hold you securely while executing performance maneuvers, and do not become uncomfortable even on long trips.

The rear seats are nearly unusable for adults. Think of them as just being decoration. While I have carried five people at one time (this is a 4 seat-er), they complained the entire way and if we had had an accident someone would have been seriously injured. The rear seats should be okay for kids up until about age 10, and they work for one adult sitting with his rear in one seat and his feet in the other.

Instrument panel:

The instrument panel is one of the more controversial aspects of this car. It stretches from the driver’s side to the passenger’s side, Honda’s motivation being that they wanted to involve the passenger more in the operation of the vehicle. The entire instrument panel is electro-luminescent, similar to what other car’s instruments look like when driving at night. I think it looks very cool, the only issue is that at night you can already see your instruments, which can trick you into driving around with your lights off until you realize what you have done. Tach and speedo are in front of the driver, gas and oil temp in the center, and clock and dummy lights in front of the passenger.

Sound System:

Stock sound system is good for this car, it comes with seven speakers (2 tweeters and 2 woofers up front, 2 6” speakers in the back, and a subwoofer between the rear seats) which sound pretty good. The stock radio is okay, I replaced mine with a Sony ES CD player and it works great.

Trunk:

The trunk is somewhat small compared to the monster in the Accord, but most people will find it suitable. There is a rear seat pass through for things such as skis, but be careful or you’ll put a hole in the back of the front passenger seat with your sharp ski edges.

Overall:

This is a very good car, the engine is bulletproof, maintenance is easy, it performs spectacularly, and it is still fun to drive after 5 years. Absolutely recommended.




Amount Paid (US$): 22000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1996
Model and Options: VTEC, 5 speed manual