Transmission choices were either the standard five-speed manual or initially a two-speed "Hondamatic" semi-automatic, which by October 1979 had been replaced by a three-speed automatic that used the final gear as the overdrive. The EK engine made use of an engine oil cooler and transistor-controlled ignition system. It took until March 1979 for the Prelude to appear in the United States, then with 72 hp (54 kW) at 4,500 rpm and 94 lb⋅ft (127 N⋅m) at 3,000 rpm (SAE net) from the larger 1.8 engine. In September 1978 the larger "EK" SOHC 12-valve 1,751 cc CVCC inline-four was introduced in Japan, rated at 90 PS (66 kW) at 5,300 rpm (SAE gross). It featured a non-automatic choke with three positions and a two-barrel carburetor. It remained the only engine available for most markets, aside from the US and Japan. The standard engine at the time of introduction was the "EL" SOHC eight-valve 1,602 cc (non-CVCC) inline-four rated at 80 PS (59 kW) at 5,000 rpm and 12.9 kg⋅m (127 N⋅m 93 lb⋅ft) at 3,500 rpm.
In terms of underpinnings it was mostly a Honda Accord, although its more compact package and lower weight allowed for a marginally higher top speed and gas mileage. It is a relatively powerful little automobile by anybody's standards." Motor Trend measured an early Prelude completing the quarter-mile in 18.8 seconds at 70 mph. The machine, like all Hondas, embodies fabrication that is, in my opinion, surpassed only by the narrowest of margins by Mercedes-Benz. "It is," wrote Brock Yates for Motor Trend, "by any sane measurement, a splendid automobile.
Initial reviews for the Prelude were favorable. While marketed as a 2+2, the rear seat was not usable for anyone larger than a small child. Japanese buyers were liable for slightly more annual road taxes over the smaller Civic, which also had a smaller engine. In Japan, the Prelude was available with a sliding metal sunroof, while US versions received a glass top which freed up more headroom. The Prelude was the first Honda model to offer a power moonroof as standard equipment, which eventually became a Prelude trademark. The Prelude also benefited from Honda's experience with sporting cars like the Honda S800 and Coupé 1300. The Prelude (and period Accord) were the first cars under two liters to receive standard power steering.
Honda appears to have followed the successful introduction of the Toyota Celica example by taking a small car, like the Accord, installing a more powerful engine, and giving the body a short trunk, and a long engine hood. The wheelbase was 2,320 mm, and was 60 mm shorter than that of the original Accord. At 4,090 mm (length) x 1,635 mm (width) x 1,290 mm (height), it had quite a low and wide profile. The four-wheel independent struts, brakes, and engine were all borrowed from the first-generation Accord, but the chassis was all new and developed by chief engineer Hiroshi Kizawa expressly for the sporting Prelude. This dealership chain also introduced the Honda Quint, the Honda Ballade, and the Accord-based Honda Vigor as its largest sedan and hatchback. In Japan it was only available at the newly established dealership sales channel Honda Verno. It had its world premiere at the 1979 AutoRAI in Amsterdam, two months later. On 24 November 1978, the Prelude was launched to the Japanese market.
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The Prelude complied with the series of music-themed vehicle names which Honda used at the time, along with the Accord, Quintet, Concerto, Jazz, and Ballade. The Prelude name was originally trademarked by Toyota, but was amicably given to Honda for use. Production of the Prelude concluded in 2001 upon the introduction of the fourth-generation Integra. The Prelude was used by Honda to introduce the Japanese Honda retail sales chain Honda Verno, with the international release of the model following shortly after. It was the first Honda to feature a moonroof, a feature that remained standard equipment throughout its production. It is a two-door coupé and was loosely derived from the Honda Accord. The Honda Prelude is a car produced by Japanese manufacturer Honda over five generations from 1978 to 2001.
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