Honda Prelude received by judges of the European Car of the Year accolade for 1988, finished third in a contest where the Peugeot 405 was the runaway winner and the Citroen AX came second. This was one of the best performances by a Japanese built or branded car until the Nissan Micra won the award five years later. In 1987, "Road & Track" published a test summary that shows the 1988 Honda Prelude 2.0Si 4WS outperforming every car of that year on the slalom, with a speed of , even besting exotics such as Porsche and Ferrari. For reference, the 1988 Chevrolet
Car of the Year Car of the Year Car of the Year (COTY) is a common abbreviation for numerous awards. The "Car of the Year" phrase is considered to have been introduced by "Motor Trend" magazine in 1949 when the new publication named Cadillac as Motor Trend Car of the Year. The magazine continues its COTY award and has also expanded to separate trophies for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Other publications and various organizations also have COTY recognitions. These may focus on regional markets, vehicle types, or market segments. An example is the "tow car of the year" in the UK