1979 Honda Prelude vs. 1980 Nissan Silvia
To start off, 1980 Nissan Silvia is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1979 Honda Prelude. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1979 Honda Prelude would be higher. At 1,770 cc (4 cylinders), 1980 Nissan Silvia is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Nissan Silvia (97 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 17 more horse power than 1979 Honda Prelude. (80 HP @ 5300 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1980 Nissan Silvia should accelerate faster than 1979 Honda Prelude. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Nissan Silvia weights approximately 90 kg more than 1979 Honda Prelude. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Because 1980 Nissan Silvia is rear wheel drive (RWD), it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, it will be much easier to do with 1980 Nissan Silvia. However, in wet, icy, snow, or gravel driving conditions, 1979 Honda Prelude, being front wheel drive (FWD), will offer much better control with better grip. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1980 Nissan Silvia (147 Nm @ 3600 RPM) has 20 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Honda Prelude. (127 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1980 Nissan Silvia will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Honda Prelude. 1980 Nissan Silvia has automatic transmission and 1979 Honda Prelude has manual transmission. 1979 Honda Prelude will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1980 Nissan Silvia will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Honda Prelude | 1980 Nissan Silvia | |
| Make | Honda | Nissan |
| Model | Prelude | Silvia |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1602 cc | 1770 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 80 HP | 97 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5300 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 127 Nm | 147 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Drive Type | Front | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 920 kg | 1010 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4100 mm | 4480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1640 mm | 1690 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1300 mm | 1320 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2330 mm | 2410 mm |
