An excerpt from the Summer 2024 issue of British Columbia History

By Rizwaan Abbas

Growing up in the 1990s, my high school friends and I, like many 16-year-olds, eagerly awaited the opportunity to get behind the wheel. I envied the students with their nice rides as they piled into the Queen Elizabeth (Sr.) Secondary School parking lot in Surrey. My Punjabi Sikh friends loved the Ford Mustang GT 5.0, while my Italian cousins coveted the Chevy Camaro. But for me and my Indo-Fijian contemporaries, there was nothing more beautiful than the Honda Prelude.

My first love was the third- generation Prelude produced between 1988 and 1991. To me, it was a flying dart on the road, with a sharp nose on the front accentuated by quintessential '90s flip-top headlights tucked into the hood. The car cut the wind as it seemed to float. The front followed a clean straight line to the rear where it ended in a cheeky lip, curling over the truck, evoking a vision of streamlined speed. You couldn’t resist staring and turning your head as the car flew by,flashing the unmistakable flush-mounted taillights which were prototypically Prelude.

Three generations of the Honda Prelude. (@hereis.tim on Instagram)

Rizwaan Abbas, 46

I bought my first Prelude when I was 23 from a used car dealership on Kingsway in Burnaby. It was a grey 1990 SR model. Although I wanted a black one I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I sold it soon afterwards but never forgot the fuel efficiency or the go-cart feel of driving this machine. About 23 years later, I decided to address my middle-aged crisis with the car of my dreams once again. 

I currently own a 1991 SR Special Edition model. This edition was actually manufactured in 1992 and comes standard with leather interior, anti-lock brakes, and the Prelude specialty: 4-wheel steering (4WS). I also own a 1988 4WS SI parts car.

I searched long and hard before I found the Prelude I wanted. Mine is night blue (as my daughter pointed out) and when the light hits it right, it looks jet black. I plan to take my time restoring this car back to its glory days of 33 years ago, and maybe give it to one of my children one day. 

Imrooz Ali, 47

I owned a black 1989 SI model in the 1990s and early 2000s. I loved how my Prelude looked without the spoiler. The flat back trunk and that curved lip looked so good when the car was lowered. If you’re going to put wheels on your Prelude, make sure they are 5-star wheels. They look amazing! 

Rav Lal, 50

I bought my Prelude in 1991, when I was 17. My best friend had one and I fell in love with it. Mine was the first-generation model, first produced in 1978, and these were the ones with the square headlights. They were the typical Honda of the time, sporty, small, cheap to run, well-laid out, and with good handling. 

I loved the sunroof and the sporty look of the car, and I spent all of my money on my Prelude. This was during the time when car stereos were huge, and it was popular to put loud sound systems into cars. You could hear people coming from blocks away as the base got louder and louder and shook everything nearby … and the occasional car alarms went off too. 

My Prelude was a 1982 model, which was the last year of the first-generation models. I spent thousands of dollars putting in the audio system and neon lights, and I tinkered with my Prelude daily. My car was originally silver but I painted it purple. Everyone loved my car; it was a spectacle … a tiny car with a bright purple paint job and a booming stereo. I got a lot of attention with it. 

Occasionally I think about finding another classic Prelude to relive my youth, ha ha ha! 

Rodrick Prasad, 47

My dad, Kamla Prasad, wanted to buy me a car for my high school graduation. He searched long and hard before finally deciding on the Prelude for its high safety rating, fuel economy, and excellent handling. Back then, a $5 coupon from Domo would give me a quarter-tank of gas! Dad bought my red 1988 Prelude for $9,800 in July 1993. It was a third-generation, 5-speed manual, 2.0 SI 4WS model that had only 65,000 kilometres on it. This car was way ahead of its time and won Honda the Car of the Year award in 1987 for its innovative design and handing.

The 4-wheel steering enabled the rear wheels to turn slightly when you turned the steering wheel, so the handling was impeccable. This was also the first time 4WS was available in a mass-produced vehicle. My car was pretty much stock and all I did was add a K&N air filter. These cars are so reliable, you could drive them forever. 

Rodrick Prasad, early 1990s

In May or June 1994, almost a full year after buying the car, I graduated and was finally able to drive my Prelude. I loved the overall aesthetic of the car. The red colour mixed in with the flip-top lights, spoiler, and rims made my car unique and beautiful. It was very fast and easy to handle. Later, I added a sound system with an Alpine deck and CD changer, a Phoenix Gold amp, two 12-inch Dr. Crankenstein subwoofers, and all Phoenix Gold wiring. You could hear me coming from four blocks away. 

My fondest memories of the car are during my long drives to Calgary and the fun I had at the drive-in theatres. This car was a chick magnet— whenever I went to car shows people would be checking out my car in the parking lot even though it was not part of the show. A few of my cousins had the second-generation model and my brother-in-law had a 1986 Prelude. All my Indo-Fijian friends loved my car. 

I sold my Prelude in 1997 for $8,600 (I needed money for school) and I immediately regretted it; the car was written off two weeks later. That Prelude was meant for me, and I will never find another car as beautiful and loyal. 

Firaz Yasin, 41

I have owned two fifth-generation Preludes in my lifetime. This was the last iteration of the Prelude, and this model came with the diamond headlights. The Prelude was discontinued in 2001. When I was 19, my father bought me a baby blue 1997 Triptronic model, and I later bought myself a custom silver 1999 manual one. 

The body lines of the car really appealed to me, and I loved the ability to add tasteful mods. I would say the car culture was at its peak in the late 90s and early 2000s and made being in the car scene that much more fun. I enjoyed cruising with other drivers, and I made some lasting friendships. 

Due to the cost of the vehicle ($30,000 new), you didn’t see many Preludes being driven in the Indo-Canadian community at that time (it was cheaper to own a Mustang), so in that sense it was niche in the community. 

My Preludes made a big impression on my early adult years that will forever be with me, not just the car, but also the car community and friends I met along the way. Many nights were filled with just cruising the streets of Vancouver and making core memories with like-minded individuals.

Saif Hussien, 26

I bought a fourth-generation Prelude in May 2015, when I was 17. It was a red 1995 BB2 SI model. This is the one with the elongated hood and triangle lights in the back. 

I loved everything about that car, the long digital dash and the overall design. I remember once my buddy and I took a road trip out to Peachland and filled both our cars with octane booster. I gave my Prelude all it had on that run and managed to hit 220 kilometres an hour! 

The Ford Mustang was my first dream car. What can I say? Typical Surrey boy … but once the Prelude came into my life, no other car created the memories that it did. I would grab another in a heartbeat! It’s pretty funny but I remember the third-generation Preludes being a part of the household of a lot of Indo-Fijians. People of Fiji have always enjoyed Japanese domestic market cars and I’m sure that strong bond will only grow over time. 

It still surprises me to this day that my Prelude used to turn more heads than my Mustang. 

Rizwaan S. Abbas is a first-generation Canadian Muslim of Indo-Fijian descent. He is a director of the Indo-Fijian Cultural Society of Canada and has been working as an archaeologist in BC for the past 25 years. You can follow Rizwaan’s work at linkt.ee/riz031.