The Prelude, Honda's powerful two-door coupe, stayed virtually the same for 1981. The 1981 Honda Prelude came with a 1.7-liter, 72 horsepower four cylinder engine, which was Honda's most powerful. Though it had a backseat, it was for all purposes a two-seater. The Prelude came standard with a five-speed manual transmission and was available with a three-speed automatic. Even though it is funny-looking, with a quirky interior, the 1981 Honda Prelude has a small but loyal group of fans who still drive and restore them today. They like the car for its reliability and uniqueness and say they are cheap and easy to repair. However, the car was too strange for most people, and reviews at the time were mixed.