Honda Problems

Honda did to sports cars what Lexus did to luxury cars. Before the NSX came on the scene in 1991 high performance sports cars were snarling creatures with idiosyncrasies that made them both difficult to drive and unreliable. Often they were lovingly hand built by craftsmen who poured their hearts and souls into them, and their owners accepted their flaws as “character”.The NSX changed all of that. Honda brought some Japanese production discipline to the genre and showed that it was possible to build a high performance car that behaved itself when asked to do the more mundane things in a motoring life, like going to the supermarket for instance. So good was the NSX that it shook up the supercar elite, just as the Lexus LS400 did to the luxury car elite.It was no longer acceptable to build a car that was unreliable, fell apart with regular monotony and cost a fortune to keep on the road. Anyone who owns a late model Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, or even Porsche should be eternally grateful to Honda for producing the NSX. Without it their cars wouldn’t be anywhere near as well built and reliable as they are.MODEL WATCH On the outside the NSX had everything needed to be called a true high performance sports coupe and take its place alongside the greats from Europe, but it had something those others didn’t.It had the benefit of being related to a major manufacturer, specifically a Japanese one who could bring to it a level of production quality, reliability and durability the Europeans couldn’t. It looked like a supercar should; it was low and sleek, well balanced and athletic. It looked fast even when parked outside the cafe.If there was anything that caused some concern initially was the aluminium body and chassis. Crash one and you were up for a pretty hefty repair bill to get it back on the road.Mechanically a mid-mounted 3.0-litre double overhead camshaft V6 with VTEC valve timing and lift motivated it. Although its output was modest for the class with peaks of 201 kW at 7300 revs and 284 Nm at 5300 revs the Honda V6 was pleasantly flexible and had enough performance to satisfy all but hard core sports car drivers.Those who chose the optional four-speed auto transmission over the standard five-speed manual gearbox had to accept a little less performance with the peak power trimmed to 188 kW at 6800 revs when the V6 was attached to the self-shifter.Under the sleek skin the NSX boasted a true sports car chassis with independent wishbone suspension at each end, powerful four-wheel disc brakes, and power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering. On the road it had great dynamics with good grip and a wonderful balance that made it a rewarding car to drive fast, on the road or track.The NSX weighed just 1380 kg and with its 201 kW enjoyed a competitive weight-to-power ratio of 6.9 kg/kW, the same as the Porsche 911 of the same era. On the go it would reach 100 km/h just 6.9 seconds from rest; the standing 400-metre dash was done and dusted in less than 15 seconds and its top speed was way north of 200 km/h.If there was a criticism of the NSX it was inside where it had switches and other bits of hardware that appeared to have been lifted from the Civic production line. They worked well, but they had the look of a much cheaper car and that didn’t sit well with many buyers. There was no shortage of equipment; the NSX was packed with all the gear you could possibly want. There was auto air-conditioning, leather trim, cruise control, power windows, seats and mirrors, and a Bose sound system.In the course of its 13-year life the NSX remained much the same, but there were a number of changes that kept it relatively fresh right up to its 2004 demise. The wheels and tyres were upgraded in 1994 when it was fitted with seven-spoke 16-inch front wheels and 17-inch rear wheels. A Targa style coupe was added in 1995, at the same time there was the option of a sports-shift auto with shifter paddles in the steering wheel.The engine was increased to 3.2 litres in 1997 when attached to the new six-speed manual transmission, while the auto models stuck with the smaller 3.0-litre engine. Power of the larger engine grew to 206 kW and the torque climbed to 298 Nm. The final chapter in the NSX story was written in 2002 when Honda restyled the front and rear bumpers and replaced the retractable headlamps with more efficient fixed units.IN THE SHOP While the NSX is a genuine supercar it isn’t any more complex than a regular Honda, so it’s less expensive than some supercars to service. As long as they are serviced correctly as per Honda’s recommendation they are generally bullet proof. Regular oil changes are needed to ensure the engine doesn’t get clogged with gum and other deposits.The camshafts are driven by belt so it’s important to make sure the changes has been done at the correct mileage, and many NSXs will be around the time and distance a service is required.They’re expensive to repair if crashed thanks to their aluminium chassis and body structure so keep a keen eye out for signs of body repairs. Tyres are also expensive if you need to replace them. Different sizes back to front and specific tread patterns and construction makes them a costly buy so check the tyre condition carefully before you buy. The main mechanical malady reported relates to the gearbox in the early five-speed cars, which seem to develop bearing noises at quite low speeds.With good reliable Japanese electrical systems and components not a lot goes wrong in this area, but some cars have had trouble with the Bose sound system, which can be expensive to repair. Be wary of any car that has been imported. They can be cheaper than those cars sold locally, but without a history they are a risk. Have them checked thoroughly by a Honda specialist and look very carefully for smash repairs.IN A CRASH The earliest NSXs only had a driver’s airbag, but those from 1993 on also had a passenger’s airbag. While the aluminium chassis is expensive to repair it is strong and rigid, so add airbags and you have a decent secondary safety package. Primary safety is what a supercar is all about and the NSX is well equipped in that area with an agile and responsive chassis, powerful engine, big disc brakes with antiskid ABS electronics and traction control.OWNERS SAY Ross Canavan has owned a succession of high performance sports cars including Ferraris and Aston Martins, but reckons his 1992 NSX beats the pants off the others in every respect. He’s put just 5000 km on it in the two years he bought it with 140,000 km on the clock. He says he liked it the minute he saw it when it was first released; he was particularly taken with its shape and has since been impressed with its handling and its everyday drivability. He accepts it’s not the fastest sports car he’s ever owned, but he says it’s the easiest to drive. It’s very tractable around town, but still fast enough to get your juices flowing when you put your foot down.LOOK FOR • Sexy styling• Smooth effortless performance• Great flexibility for everyday driving• Expensive to repair if crashed• Well built and reliable• Tyres are expensive• Practical, affordable supercar• Lacks prestige of classic supercarsTHE BOTTOM LINE NSX brought the thrill supercar motoring within reach of the everyday motorist in a well-built and reliable package.RATING 75/100

Peoplemovers must be the least glamorous vehicles of any on our roads, but if you’ve got a tribe of kids there’s no better means of transport for carting them around. The good news is they aren’t the dodgy weapons they once were when most were built on the back of delivery vans.Those early peoplemovers were the sorts of vehicles you avoided at all cost. They were unrefined, uncomfortable and had poor performance and even worse road manners. Thankfully that’s now a thing of the past and the peoplemovers of today are much better vehicles that do most things as well as regular passenger cars.Much of that can be attributed to the Honda Odyssey, the peoplemover Honda built off the Accord platform and one of the first to bring car-like road manners and refinement to the class.MODEL WATCHThe Odyssey was based on an Accord passenger car platform, which meant it sat lower to the road, and drove and handled much like the regular passenger car it was closely related to.The lower stance also meant it was easier to get in and out, you didn’t have to haul yourself up to access the interior. While that’s a real plus for the Honda, it does come at a slight cost in head room.Honda released the Odyssey in two forms, a six-seater which had a pair of ‘captains chairs’ in the middle row in 1995, and a seven-seater which substituted a bench seat for the two individual centre seats a year later.To get into the rear seats in the six-seater it was necessary to walk between the two ‘captains chairs’, in the seven-seater you had to tilt the centre seat forward.Once successfully seated, adults would find there was too little space to be comfortable, but let’s face it peoplemovers are mostly used to transport kids and they’d find it adequate. The location of the spare wheel, a space saver, on the side eats into the space as well.The rear seat could also be folded into a well in the floor making a flat cargo carrying space when the seats weren’t needed for little people. It could also be reversed to make a rear facing seat ideal for picnics.Add to that the ability to completely remove the middle two seats in the six-seater, or fold the middle seat in the seven-seater, converting the Odyssey into a two-seater van.Power was from a 2.2-litre single overhead cam fuel-injected four-cylinder engine in those first vehicles. It was the smallest engine in the peoplemover class, but was smooth and quiet in normal circumstances, and provided adequate if not neck-snapping performance.Power was initially 104 kW and 196 Nm, but a small increase in capacity in 1998 saw that jump to 110 kW and 209 Nm.A smooth four-speed auto was the only transmission available.While the Odyssey was a clever piece of packaging it was the way it drove that impressed both road testers and buyers at the time. Its ride comfort was exemplary, as was its handling and performance.There was nothing lacking in the list of features either, the Odyssey came standard with airbags for the driver and passenger, it had dual-zone air-conditioning, ABS, power windows and mirrors, power steering, tilt column, radio cassette sound, central locking and alloy wheels.Cruise control became standard fitment along with 13-spoke alloy wheels in March 1996, the time the seven-seater arrived.IN THE SHOPVery good build quality equates to a reliable run in the case of Honda generally, and that goes for the Odyssey.The Odyssey’s power train, from engine right on through is pretty much bullet proof so there’s not much to worry about there, but it’s still worthwhile asking for a service record to verify that it has been serviced, preferably by a Honda dealer or specialist.The size of the Honda and the difficulty in judging where the corners are means it’s worth taking a close look at the body extremities for damage, even minor, as it can be quite expensive to repair even small scars on the body coloured bumpers and side protection strips. And those scars, minor as they might be, can strip thousands of dollars from the resale price, and create doubt in the minds of potential buyers about the use a vehicle has been subjected to.Also look carefully at the alloy wheels for damage caused by hitting kerbs, again by drivers unable to come to grips with the Odyssey’s size. If the wheels are damaged check for damage to the suspension and underbody.Body tends to stand up well over the long term, staying tight and rattle-free, while high quality of plastics inside mean the interior also stands up well under the relentless attack of even our junior citizens.OWNER’S SAYCharlie Strike bought his ’98 Odyssey in 2000 with 30,000 km on the odo, and has since added another 90,000 mostly troublefree kilometres. Apart from regularly having to wheel align it, he says because of the nose-in parking in the north-west of NSW, and repairing body damage sustained in seven collisions with kangaroos he’s had no problems with it. He praises its ride comfort and fuel economy, but is critical of its flow thru ventilation, which only seems to deliver air heated by the engine.LOOK FOR• good resale value means a good return when you sell• Honda build quality means few problems down the road• good ride and handling a great leap forward for people movers• small engine means good fuel consumption without losing much performance• flexible interior can be used to kids or cargo

To rip off an old oil ad “sports cars ain’t sports cars”. Mazda rekindled interest in sports cars when it released the MX5 in 1989, to which other auto makers responded with a number of sports car models that might appear on the surface to be similar, but to assume all sports cars are the same just because they might have two doors and a soft top is a mistake.In the old days you could safely assume that an MG, a Triumph or an Austin-Healey were all pretty similar, but not now as most modern sports cars have quite different characters. Some are comfy cruisers; others have a hard performance edge, while others attempt to satisfy all needs with a bit of both.It’s important to understand your own needs and desires before leaping into a soft top. If you want a car that will impress your friends when you pull up outside the local coffee shop, you might be better off with a convertible, or a sports car with a softer side like an MX5 or four-cylinder BMW Z3.If you want a car that will deliver a spirited ride with lots of zip when you open the throttle on a winding country road, one that will blow away the cobwebs after a dreary week stuck in town traffic, think about the Honda S2000.Honda prides itself on its participation in motorsport, particularly Formula One where it has been a major player since the 1960s when it had its own Grand Prix team. In recent years Honda has concentrated on supplying engines to teams like Lotus, McLaren and lately the BAR outfit, and the results are there for everyone to see.The lessons learnt by its engineers in the heat of battle have filtered down to its road cars, with the S2000 a particular beneficiary.The result is a high performance roadster that offers thrill-a-minute driving if you care to test its limits, while still coping with the day-to-day grind that is the reality of city traffic in the noughties.MODEL WATCHHonda wasn’t a newcomer to sports cars when it launched the S2000 in 1999; the company had built a series of technically advanced small roadsters in the 1960s, but hadn’t produced a sports car for many years.Its background in motorsport, and its past history as a sports car maker, meant it couldn’t resist the chance of getting back into sports cars when the opportunity presented itself in the 1990s.Mazda’s MX5 paved the way for a whole new generation of sports cars as carmakers realised that the demand for open cars had been revived.Like its 1960s S-prefixed forebears the S2000 was a technically advanced sports car with a real performance edge to it that marked it out as a car for drivers who really enjoyed the thrill of driving.Honda made no apologies about appealing to the sports car purist. Anyone more interested in cruising need not bother with the S2000, this was a car meant for the enthusiast driver.The S2000’s styling was aggressive, a tough in-your-face snout with hard lines and a stubby tail made for a no-nonsense package that oozed on-road aggression.The two-seater body was strong and rigid, forming the perfect platform for a car that promised fast response and precise handling.The VTEC engine simply bristled with technology. It was 2.0 litres, had fuel injection, double overhead camshafts driving four valves per cylinder, and Honda’s variable valve timing system which boosted the bottom end while at the same time allowing it to rev hard and high at the top end.The end result was a massive 174 kW at 8300 rpm, with peak torque coming in at 208 Nm at 7500 rpm. Although the torque curve was relatively flat, the power curve was very peaky, and that meant there was lots of work to be done by the driver to extract the performance.Mated to a slick shifting six-speed manual, the Honda S2000 worked best when revved hard through the rev range in each gear. It happily revved to the upper limits of its rev range and 9000 revs wasn’t a problem.While it was great at the top end, the peaky nature of the engine made it awkward to get away from the line. Spinning the rear wheels, if you could get them to break away before the clutch slipped, was the best way to get it moving quickly.With such high performance on tap the chassis also had to be capable, and the S2000’s certainly was. With proper double wishbone independent suspension at each corner, electric power steering, disc brakes all round with ABS, and a torque sensing differential, the S2000 was very responsive, and well balanced when pushed into corners.The downside, if there was one, was that it might well be too sharp for anyone who preferred to cruise. The ride was also harsh, which would surely put some people off.Inside the S2000 was a little cramped, the steering wheel couldn’t be adjusted and you sat a little low for comfort, and the ‘Disneyland’ style digital instrumentation was cute, but a little dated.Even so there was plenty of standard equipment, with leather trim, full sports instrumentation, a quirky starter button, air-conditioning, CD stacker, and dual airbags included on a long features list.IN THE SHOPIt’s important with Hondas to make sure they have been serviced according to the company’s recommended schedule. When serviced properly they give little trouble, but watch out for cars that have been neglected.Always ask for a service record, and follow it up with the people who have done the work. It’s also worth pulling out the dipstick and taking a look at the oil. If it’s clean and transparent there’s every chance it’s been changed, if it’s dark and thick it almost certainly hasn’t been changed. That’s a good time to walk away.Old oil tends to develop sludge, which clogs up the passageways that are vital to getting the oil to the points that need lubricating. Blockages cut the flow of oil and the lubrication of vital engine parts as a consequence.Honda engines, with their tight tolerances, and high performance need to be well maintained to deliver long life and their best performance.Look for external signs of a hard life. It could be bumps and scrapes on the body extremities, scarred alloy wheels, mysterious holes in the bodywork that might have been used to mount a roll cage.When driving check for clutch slip, on take off and under hard acceleration in the intermediate gears. The S2000 could be tricky to get moving quickly, and inexperienced drivers could easily slip the clutch trying for a fast getaway.Well looked after, however, the S2000 is a car that will give plenty of thrills and little trouble.LOOK FOR• good build quality• impeccable reliability if properly serviced• spirited performance from high tech engine• responsive chassis with lots of poise• good resale value• fully equipped• cramped interiorTHE BOTTOM LINEOne for the sports car aficionado with a great chassis and engine, but not one for the faint hearted.RATING75100

For many years Honda was spoken of as the Asian BMW, but never has that description been more accurate than it is now with the Accord Euro leading the brand’s charge.It was generally held that Hondas were better engineered and better built. They were said to be a class above the other Japanese makes, and rivaled European brands like the sporty BMW.There wasn’t any doubt about the claims of engineering excellence and build quality, but Hondas still looked and felt like a Japanese car. They were generally bland to look at and the controls didn’t have a quality feel about them.But then something happened, the Japanese industry awoke, and their cars changed. They became more European in the intangible things that distinguish the good cars from the also-rans.The Honda Accord Euro – the name says it all – had the looks and the feel to go with the Japanese reliability and quality. It was as if the Japanese industry had realized it needed to appeal to western buyers if it wanted to succeed. All of a sudden exports were the key to long-term success.MODEL WATCH Japanese cars have built an enviable reputation for reliability and durability through the standard of their engineering and their build quality. The Japanese industry has set the pace in those regards and forced other manufacturers to lift their game, but its cars were manacled to mediocrity by stodgy styling and overtly plastic ‘cheap looking’ interiors.The classic example was the Honda NSX sports car. An awesome mid-engined sports coupe that had the performance to match the world’s great supercars, but its interior looked like it came from a humble Civic with acres of average plastic and controls that clearly came from the Honda small car parts bin.Previous Accords were good solid reliable cars, but the sixth generation Accord Euro launched in 2003 was different. It still felt light on the road, it didn’t have the solid road feel that most Europeans have, but there was little to moan about, and even the looks were attractive.Honda was clear in its focus with the Accord Euro, it was to be a performance oriented model. Anyone who wanted a more conservative ride could buy the plusher Accord V6, which was also available at Honda dealers alongside the Euro.The Accord Euro was well proportioned with appealing lines that gave it an athletic look without being too bold. But while it was an appealing car its styling was somewhat derivative; it could easily have come from Munich.There were two models in the range, the Accord and Accord Luxury, both powered by Honda’s renowned 2.4-litre double overhead camshaft i-VTEC LEV engine boasting peak power of 140 kW at 6800 revs and 223 Nm at 4500 revs.The engine used variable valve timing and electronic lift with variable inlet cam phasing for more efficient combustion with exhaust gas recirculation, better torque and more linear performance through the rev range. Backing up to the engine was a choice of a six-speed manual gearbox, which had a light, precise, short-throw shift, or a five-speed auto with a manual shift function.All of that was built on a rigid, stable platform that provided a sound foundation for the handling Honda wanted for the Accord Euro. Double wishbone independent suspension was a feature at both ends; it had massive disc brakes with anti-skid, brake force distribution and brake assist electronics to assist with the stopping. The electronic arsenal also extended to stability control and traction control in an impressive package of driver aids.Inside, the Accord had all the features expected of a prestige model, including air, cruise, power windows and mirrors, six-stack CD sound with steering wheel controls, remote keyless entry, alarm and immobiliser. On top of that the Luxury also had high-density headlights, power sunroof, power front seats, leather, woodgrain, rain sensor wipers, headlight washers and fog lamps.IN THE SHOPMake sure the Accord has been serviced, and by someone who knows the brand well. They are packed with technology and are built to close tolerances so regular servicing is essential. Oil changes in particular must be done on a regular basis.The Accord’s good build quality means little generally goes wrong with them, and they are still in their youth with just five years of road life under the tyre marks. Look for body damage, and listen for odd noises when driven.IN A CRASH The agility, road holding and braking prowess of the Accord Euro enables drivers to escape threatening situations they may face on the road if they’ve got the driving ability. Both the Accord and Accord Luxury boasted an impressive array of airbags including front and side airbags, while the Luxury had the added protection of curtain airbags. In another plus all occupants had three-point lap-sash seat belts.AT THE PUMP Owners report they get around 9.5 L/100 km average fuel consumption around town, but on a trip that drops to 7-8 L/100 km. Those figures compare quite well to the 9.2 L/100 km Honda quotes for the auto model on the ADR test.OWNERS SAY Jenny Foster loves driving her 2005 Accord Euro, and living in country Victoria she does plenty of it driving between her country home and Melbourne. She says it’s fantastic on the highway. It’s also been reasonably cheap to run, although it does require premium fuel, which it sips at the rate of 8 L/100 km on the highway. There have been no mechanical problems to date, but she is critical of the large turning circle, the blocked vision when turning, and the poor visibility when backing because of the low seating position.Daniel Madeira is the proud and happy owner of a 2005 Accord Euro. He loves its looks and the way it drives. Its handling is exceptional, he says, and he loves the option of changing gears manually on the auto transmission. His only problem has been a squeak where the windscreen meets the body, which was fixed under warranty.Nick Zouros has clocked up 47,000 km in his 2005 Accord Euro and reckons it’s a great car. The engine and auto transmission are brilliant, and the build quality, reliability and comfort are exceptional, he says. He’s critical of the firm ride at low speeds and he would like more room in the back seat for his growing family.William Martin reckons his Accord Euro is the best-finished car he’s had in his 50 years of owning motor vehicles. Its comfort and performance are first class, he says.LOOK FOR • Attractive styling• Brilliant handling• Zippy performance• Firm ride at low speeds• Good fuel economy• Requires premium fuelTHE BOTTOM LINE Soundly engineered and well built, the Accord Euro is a reliable and fun driver.RATING 80/100

There was a time when you bought a small car only because you couldn’t afford a full sized one, but today we are capable of making smarter decisions and buy small mostly because it better suits our individual motoring needs. Back when we bought small cars because we were impoverished they lacked many of the creature comforts we would have expected in a larger car. You paid less so you expected less, and by God you got less and didn’t dare complain about it.But there’s been a massive shake-up in the market and small cars, like Honda’s Jazz, lack little in comparison to their larger cousins.The Jazz was clearly an upmarket small car when it was launched in 2002. It was meant to appeal to those who wanted it all in a small package.MODEL WATCHThe Jazz presented small cars in a new and innovative way. It wasn’t a downsized sedan or sedan-based hatch as had been the normal way of designing a small car, its packaging was quite different.It was about the efficient use of the available interior space. It had ample accommodation for five adults with the seats in their normal positions, but the seats could be flipped or folded flat in a variety of ways to allow a wide range of objects to be carried. It was a big car in a small package.Being a Honda the performance was sporty with a choice of 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engines. The smaller engine put out 61 kW at 5700 revs and 119 Nm at 2800 revs and returned 5.6 L/100 km, the larger VTEC engine boasted 81 kW at 6000 revs and 143 Nm at 4800 revs for more zip and returned 6.0 L/100 km.Both engines came with the choice of a five-speed manual gearbox or a Continuously Variable Transmission — CVT — automatic; the CVT trans hooked up to the larger engine offered a sporty seven-speed sequential shift function.The suspension was a combination of MacPherson Strut front and torsion beam rear with stabiliser bars at both ends, while the brakes were a blend of disc front and drum rear with anti-skid protection, and the steering was electric power-assisted.Honda offered the Jazz in three models, the GLi, VTi and VTi-S. The GLi opened the range and came nicely equipped with cloth trim, power windows and mirrors, central locking, tilt adjustable steering column, a full array of instruments, and a CD player.The VTi came with all of that plus air-conditioning, and sports cloth trim, while the sporty VTi-S came with front and rear spoilers, front fog lamps and alloy wheels.IN THE SHOPThe Jazz is a city car and often driven by people living in inner city areas, which exposes them to more of the bump and grind of gridlock than other cars living in outer suburban areas.They can often be left parked in the street, under trees and light poles, and subject to the things that naturally fall out of the sky.So look for body bumps and scrapes, and stains on the paint. Look for a car that has been well maintained on a regular basis, and not just cleaned up for sale.Cars left exposed to the elements need more protection in the form of washing, waxing and polishing than those parked under cover.Look at the wheels for evidence of being scraped on or bumped into kerbs. If you find damaged rims have the suspension carefully inspected for damage. It is relatively easy to damage a driveline or steering joint by accidentally hitting a kerb. Listen for odd clicking noises when turning which might indicate a damaged joint.Hondas need proper servicing, they don’t appreciate being neglected so check for a service record indicating regular oil changes, and lift the oil filler cap and take a look for sludge as a result of missed oil services.On average a Jazz should have done around 60,000 km if it was a 2002 model, less if a later delivery.IN A CRASHAll models boasted airbags for the driver and front passenger for reasonable protection in a crash from the front, while anti-skid ABS brakes helped you to get out of trouble when confronted with a crash situation.The chassis dynamics weren’t brilliant. Its steering was accurate enough without being responsive, but the chassis was quite well balanced with a slight bias towards understeer.LOOK FOR• Inner city bumps and scrapes• zippy performance• quirky CVT gearbox• roomy and flexible interior• Honda credTHE BOTTOM LINERoomy interior with great flexibility makes Jazz a much bigger car than its small stature suggests. It’s the perfect town car.RATING• 75/100

The fifth generation Honda Prelude sports coupe was greeted with dismay when it launched here in 1996. With styling that could best be described as ‘plain’ – some other less than kind motoring writers used terms like ‘bland’ and ‘boring’ – it seemed like a step backwards at first glance.Prelude had been a much loved nameplate in the Honda family, and there was a feeling that Honda had somehow turned what had been a great sports coupe into something to appeal to the blue-rinse set.If the looks were a let down for some, fortunately no-one was disappointed when it came to the driving experience. The ‘bland’ Prelude was anything but ‘boring’ once you climbed behind the wheel.MODEL WATCHAfter the aggressive curves of the preceding fourth generation Prelude the new model caused quite some consternation when the wraps came off at its Tasmanian launch in 1996.Those who were looking to another aggressively styled sports coupe were left wondering if they’d wandered into a time transporter by mistake and been whisked back a couple of generations.With its large unbroken surfaces, soft lines, and square headlights either side of a grille slot it appeared to have more in common with the third generation coupe than it did with the one it followed. For some it was too much, others reserved final judgement for the drive, after all it’s the drive that matters most in a sports coupe.While Honda’s motives for the change in styling direction was hard to fathom at the time, it turned out that it was based on sound research which showed that the fourth generation failed to excite the market in the way the third generation had. Hence the apparent resemblance to the more popular predecessor.The research also showed that Prelude buyers wanted room for rear seat passengers and more luggage space.As a result the new model was 35 mm longer in the wheelbase, 25 mm higher thanks to a taller roof line, and 105 mm longer overall. All of that equated to a more comfortable ride for those consigned to the rear seats, and a larger boot for the luggage they wanted to take with them.Along the way Honda’s engineers were able to increase the rigidity of the body, using thicker sheetmetal, more spot welds, more cross beams and heavier load bearing members, along with redesigned side sills and rear bulkhead. All of which added up to greater safety and reduced noise, vibration and harshness.Rear seat passengers would also appreciate the changes made to the rear suspension mounts, along with the reinforced wheel houses, both of which helped cut annoying road noise.Honda offered a choice of two engines, both 2.2-litre double overhead camshaft 16 valve four cylinder units with fuel injection, one with Honda’s renowned VTEC variable valve timing system.If you chose the base Si coupe you got the 118 kW engine without the variable valve timing, but if you opted for the hot VTiR you got the sizzling 143 kW VTEC engine.Transmission options were a slick shifting five-speed manual gearbox, and a new four-speed Sportshift auto. The auto trans was the big news, it offered the option of full auto function or race car style manual shifting for those times you felt like letting your hair down.Honda also introduced the option of a smart new drive system, dubbed Active Torque Transfer System or ATTS, which transferred power to the outside wheel during hard cornering for better drive when the load was on that wheel.On the road the Prelude had a wonderful poise that inspired the sporty driver, particularly when coupled to the fabulous VTEC engine.There was also plenty of standard features. The Si boasted ABS, power steering, alloy wheels, cruise, central locking, power windows, and a four-speaker sound system.When you ticked the VTiR box you also got air-conditioning, a leather trimmed steering wheel, and a power sun roof.IN THE SHOPHondas generally stand up well to the rigours of a hard life, not that many Preludes are actually driven as hard as they might be, but you should anticipate regular brake pad changes.Clutches can be a regular service item on manuals, and front tyres wear out quite quickly, particularly if driven with gusto.Little trouble is likely with the body and trim, Honda build quality ensures they’re stitched together pretty well.Inside, look for heavy wear on the seat side bolsters from occupants sliding in and out and brushing across the pronounced side support hump.Lift oil filler on engine and peer inside looking for the presence of sludge that might indicate a lacking of servicing.Check for a service record to verify maintenance has been done.IN A CRASHEarlier Preludes were rated average in the recent used car safety survey, but increased structural integrity, dual door beams, and a full width crossmember through the dash should mean improved crash protection on the fifth generation model.Dual airbags also add to the Prelude’s overall safety picture.OWNERS SAYDavid Taranto’s 1999 Honda Prelude VTiR manual has covered 68,000 km with the only parts needing to be changed were clutch and brake pads so far. He says it’s a great car to drive, and averages 10 L/100km in peak hour traffic and with some spirited driving thrown into the mix.LOOK FOR• plain ‘love it or leave it’ looks• improved roominess and luggage space• great performance from VTEC engine• safe balanced handling• beaut auto with sports shift function• renowned Honda build qualityRIVALS• Nissan 200SX – 1994-2000 – $15,500-$31,000• Toyota Celica – 1994-1999 – $17,000- $29,500• Holden Calibra – 1991-1998 – $10,000-$23,000THE BOTTOM LINERoomier, quieter, more refined sports coupe with brilliant handling and power train, but let down by ‘grandma’ looks.RATING70/100