Honda Prelude MY26 review

Tell me about the Honda Prelude

After an absence of 23 years the Honda Prelude nameplate has returned to the Australian market.

Over five generations between 1978 and 2003 the Prelude built a reputation as a good liking, nimble, and sporty coupe that was also a technology innovator, introducing such features as the world’s first mechanical four-wheel steering system.

Sales ceased at the end of the fifth-generation’s production run in 2003 but Honda has now revived the nameplate and returns with this sixth-generation model that pairs head-turning exterior design with a premium interior fit-out, spirited driving dynamics, and efficient hybrid performance.

How much does the Honda Prelude cost?

Choosing which Prelude to buy couldn’t be simpler as it’s offered as a single variant at $65,000 driveaway.

Honda’s fixed-price or ‘one-price promise’ sales model means the only thing buyers need to worry about is which of the five exterior colours to choose.

What standard features does the Honda Prelude have?

The prelude’s position as a grand tourer rather than an out and out sports car means Honda has specified it quite generously.

Standard equipment includes handsome multi-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels, bold blue Brembo brake callipers, LED headlights and taillights, and that gorgeous aero-inspired body.

Inside, there’s heated and leather-trimmed high-back sports seats, a shift-by-wire gear selector, a leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and 9.0-inch digital touchscreen, wireless smartphone charging and an eight-speaker audio system.

Tell me about the Honda Prelude exterior design

Likely the first thing you’ll notice about this new Prelude is the striking exterior design. This is a great looking car, channelling classic sports coupe styling cues with its low roof, wide stance and smooth, muscular body.

Up front, the sharp nose is enhanced by sleek adaptive LED headlights, while the side profile features muscular flanks, flush-fit door handles and a roofline that flows smoothly into the tailgate in a clean, uninterrupted swoop.

The roof itself incorporates a classic ‘double bubble’ panel that evokes classic high-performance cars, while the rear view gives off strong Porsche 911 or 718 Cayman vibes, the wide and low stance enhanced by a full width LED taillight treatment.

Clever rear lighting treatments create a distinctive double red pinstripe effect that’s visible during the day, transforming into a crisp, red LED light signature after dark thanks to a clever downlit lighting tube effect.

What is the Honda Prelude like inside?

The Prelude cabin is stylish and comfortable, with a clean, relatively uncluttered layout and an attractive mix of materials that lends it a distinctly upmarket feel.

The dash is set low and clad in a white leather-like trim with embroidered ‘Prelude’ nameplate ahead of the passenger.

The shapely high-back front seats offer great support and are of an asymmetric design, with the driver’s seat base boasting more bolstering than the passenger side.

The seats are heated and clad in an attractive navy-blue-and-white leather with two-tone stitching but are manual adjustment only, which is disappointing at this price.

A 9.0-inch digital touchscreen provides access to an array of infotainment controls including digital radio (DAB+), wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto, plus Google Built-In, along with controls for the quality eight-speakers Bose sound system.

Ahead of the driver is a 10.2-inch LED colour display and a nicely shaped leather-trimmed steering wheel which emphasises the car’s sporting intent with its flat-bottom design and thumb tabs.

Paddle shifts located behind the steering wheel provide control for the seven-step regenerative braking system, switching to operate as pseudo-gear shifters when the S+ drive mode is selected.

The shift-by-wire gear selector is accessed via a push-button array on the console which mostly works well, although shifting quickly from R to D or vice versa isn’t as intuitive as a conventional shift lever.

Rear-seat accommodation is best described as ‘occasional’, with the Prelude being very much a 2+2 sportscar and the seats best suited for kids or small adults.

A lightweight liftback tailgate reveals a modest 264 litres (VDA) of boot space but it expands to a generous 663 litres (VDA) with the seats folded. That’s enough to house two full-size golf bags with room left over for an overnight bag.

What sort of technology does the Honda Prelude have?

The Prelude comes equipped with Google Built-In, which means you can link your Google account to the car and access features like Google Maps, Google Play Store, and Google Assistant without having a phone connected to the car.

The system also allows occupants to use Google Assistant voice control and to download apps like Spotify directly to the car.

The Honda coupe also debuts the next generation Honda Connect Gen2 app which allows drivers to use their mobile phone as a digital key, to remotely immobilise the car for added theft protection, turn the lights on and off, check the fuel level and more.

How does the Honda Prelude drive?

Positioned as a sophisticated yet still reasonably affordable grand tourer, the new Prelude is underpinned by a Civic Type R chassis and powered by an efficient two-motor hybrid system.

It’s the same e:HEV two-motor hybrid found in the Honda Civic and combines a naturally aspirated DOHC i-VTEC inline 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors, one for propulsion and the other acting as a generator.

The sophisticated drivetrain allows for three distinct drive modes – Electric, Hybrid and Engine – automatically selecting the most fuel-efficient option according to driving condition.

Outputs aren’t particularly high at 135kW/315Nm while the Prelude’s 1,468kg kerb weight is on the high side, contributing to its modest 8.2 second 0-100km/h acceleration time.

That’s slower than many potential rivals including the Subaru BRZ, Toyota GR86, Ford Mustang EcoBoost and Nissan Z.

Despite this, the Prelude never feels tardy, making excellent use of the power and torque it does have thanks to its electronic CVT transmission with options for Comfort, GT, Sport and Individual driving modes.

It’s also impressively frugal, sipping unleaded at a rate of just 4.3L/100km.

Sport mode sharpens throttle response, stiffens the adaptive dampers, adds weight to the steering and introduces a more invigorating engine note through the Active Sound Control system.

In this mode the soundtrack is convincingly compelling, including rev-matching downshifts.

The Prelude’s Honda-first S+ Shift electronic transmission mode can only be used when in the Sport mode and is designed to simulate a more responsive and engaging shift simulation than the standard CVT.

Switching to S+ changes the power meter in the instrument panel to a prominent rev counter and automatically switches the steering wheel paddle shifts from regen-braking to act as paddle shifts for a virtual eight-speed transmission.

Despite being based on the terrific Civic Type R, the fully independent suspension has been tuned specifically for the Prelude’s Grand Tourer positioning so isn’t as stiff and unforgiving as a Type R.

The addition of electronically controlled adaptive dampers also provides the ability to adjust the ride quality to driving conditions.

Unlike some such systems, switching from Comfort to Sport provides a meaningful difference in ride comfort and body control, which along with the adjustment in throttle sensitivity and response, endows the Prelude with distinctly different personalities.

In the softer ‘Comfort’ setting, with the suspension allowing more vertical body movement, the ride is pleasingly compliant, but the car never loses its composure, and the chassis remains resolutely well-connected to the road.

It helps mightily that the Prelude chassis is so good, allowing drivers to use all its available power more often.

The quality chassis and suspension, along with well-weighted and accurate steering, ensure it is an above average drive.

The car grips the road with confidence and feels planted and well balanced in bends.

The steering is nicely weighted and accurate, and the brake pedal feel firmly reassuring and progressive, providing strong stopping power without the wooden pedal feel that often accompanies regenerative systems. The handsome gloss-black alloy wheels, clad with 235/40 R19 Continental Premium Contact 6 tyres, also do a good job of providing confident cornering grip with low road noise.

What safety features does the Honda Prelude have?

On the safety front, the Prelude has no ANCAP rating and Honda says it won’t be submitting the car for testing due to its relatively low sales forecasts, but it comes with a comprehensive array of active and passive safety aids including 10 SRS airbags and all the latest Honda SENSING ADAS technology.

Included in that suite are such features as:

• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane Keep Assist System
• Lane Departure Warning
• Traffic Sign Recognition
• Collision Mitigation Braking System
• Road Departure Mitigation System
• Forward Collision Warning
• Traffic Jam Assist
• Post Collision Braking
• High-Beam Support
• Adaptive Driving Beam
• Blind-Spot Information System
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Intelligent Speed Limiter.

Honda says the Adaptive Cruise Control, Road Departure Mitigation System and Lane Keeping Assist System have also been recalibrated to suit the Prelude’s more dynamic driving style.

Finally, the Prelude also boasts an updated version of Honda’s Agile Handling Assist (AHA) electronic stability system, which the car maker says has been specially tuned to deliver faster steering response and enhanced stability during cornering.

What are the rivals for the Honda Prelude?

While it’s tempting to line the Prelude up against virtually any sub-$80,000 sports car, Honda believes its new coupe exists in somewhat clear air, being the only hybrid-powered model in the segment.

Possible ICE-powered rivals include the Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, Nissan Z, Toyota GR Supra and the Ford Mustang. Of these, the closest in terms of size, price and position is arguably the Nissan Z (from $76,800), which is more expensive and less fuel-efficient but boasts a much more powerful 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6.

The Prelude’s kerb weight of 1,468kg is heavier than the less expensive Toyota GR86 automatic (from $43,240) and its doppelganger the Subaru BRZ (from $47,890), with these models tipping the scales at around 1,308kg.

The Honda is, however, lighter than the Ford Mustang EcoBoost (from $72,990) which weighs a hearty 1,746kg.

The Prelude’s 0-100km/h acceleration time of 8.2 seconds isn’t exactly exhilarating, being slower than the 6.8 seconds claimed by the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 respectively, and well off the 4.9 and 5.5 seconds of the Nissan Z and Mustang EcoBoost respectively.

However, as we mentioned earlier, the car’s impressive powertrain and its quality chassis mean it always feels brisker and more engaging than those bare numbers might suggest.

Should I buy a Honda Prelude?

Fittingly, for a brand as forward thinking as Honda, this sixth-generation model isn’t a nostalgia play, but a modern interpretation of a driver’s car with a hybrid-electric drivetrain that feels very much of the now.

For customers who want a car that delivers engaging handling, graceful design, and a premium interior but without the rough ride, poor NVH and high fuel consumption that often comes with the sports car territory, the Prelude is an intriguing proposition.

Honda describes it as a “sports coupe for grown-ups”, a stylish two-door grand tourer that is not necessarily the quickest off the line or the fastest to 100km/h, but one which is nonetheless a thoroughly engaging, exciting and technically sophisticated drive.

For once, we’re inclined to agree with the marketing hype as the Prelude’s magical combination of head-turning design and spirited driving dynamics definitely left us wanting more.

Honda Prelude specifications

• PRICE: $65,000 (driveaway)
• POWERTRAIN: 2.0-litre DOHC i-VTEC inline four-cylinder petrol engine, two electric motors, e-CVT transmission, front-wheel drive (135kW/315Nm)
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 4.3L/100km (100g/km CO2)
• ANCAP SAFETY RATING: Not rated
• WARRANTY: Five years/unlimited kilometres (or eight years/unlimited kilometres if serviced with Honda)
• FOR: Great looks; good fuel efficiency; brisk but not outstanding performance; well-balanced handling; interesting technology.
• AGAINST: More expensive and slower than similarly-powered rivals; fixed-price sales model may deter some buyers; no ANCAP safety rating; no spare wheel (inflation kit); limited rear seat space (2+2).