Honda Prelude review

Curious fact about the Prelude, and one which links it to the adorable S660 kei sports car: its front seats don’t match. The driver gets taller, stronger side bolsters to embrace them during the cornering forces whipped up by the Type R chassis and grippy Continental tyres beneath, while the passenger has lower, softer sides to their seat base for classier entry and exit.

Swapping between the two seats alongside a motoring journalist pal revealed no truly tangible difference between them, but it’s a good one to add to your banks of nerdy car trivia for which JDM car culture continues to prove a rich source.

Crucially, the driving position is good. You’re not fully sunken onto the ground, the Prelude definitively not a hardcore sports coupe, but you’re ensconced well with an appealing view down its aero-carved front wings. Visibility isn’t great with a peek over your shoulders, but the large glass hatch (and it is a hatchback) opens up decent rear visibility via the central mirror. Useful when the reversing camera, like a Type R’s, is disappointingly lo-fi. Its digital instruments aren’t as inspirational as the Honda spiel might have you believe, either, but they’re clear and legible.

How's the quality?

It's strong, and with two colour schemes to choose from (white and blue or black and blue, the former only available with certain paint colours) there's a chance at some tangible character too.

There’s plenty of Honda pragmatism, including some physical climate controls (praise be), but with neat materials and stitching blended around it all. Anyone trading in an Audi TT or 2 Series might need to make some allowances for a few of the gnarlier plastics in here, but the overall aesthetic appeals and its trim feels plush enough for the money. A bespoke Bose sound system adds a premium edge to proceedings too.

The rear seats are naturally for kids or smaller folk only; our 5ft9 frame could just about concertina back there, and would likely endure a short run home from the pub, but perhaps most buyers will flip the seat backs down to open up 663 litres of luggage volume (an increase on 269 with them in place). Enough for two surfboards, one bicycle or four spare wheels and tyres, Honda promises…