> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://torquecafe.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Honda Prelude review: The skim milk of sports cars - URL: https://torquecafe.com/car-reviews-2026-honda-prelude-australia/ - Published: 2026-09-27T01:17:06.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-27T01:17:06.000Z - Description: Honda’s reborn Prelude isn’t the out-and-out performance car everyone expected it to be, but that’s ok. - Author: Jordan Mulach - Tags: Performance, Reviews The Honda Prelude name has made its return to Australian showrooms this year after a 25-year hiatus, with the formula of the two-door, front-drive coupe remaining unchanged. Based on the underpinnings of the Civic hybrid, the new Honda Prelude is very much a continuation of its predecessors, providing a relatively easy-listening driving experience, rather than the Eurobeat-like thrills of the Civic Type R. Back when I was a teen, one of my best friends owned a pair of fourth-gen Preludes, while another had the funky third-gen with its trick all-wheel steering. Clearly, there’s a lot of history behind the Prelude name, but across the course of a week I got to test whether that actually counts for much. ## How much does the Honda Prelude cost? Priced from $65,000 drive-away nationwide, the Honda Prelude is almost $9000 dearer than the Civic e:HEV LX ($55,900) and $100 more than the Accord hybrid flagship. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/2026-honda-prelude-7.jpg) Honda Prelude Just one specification of the Honda Prelude is available globally, fitted with 19-inch machine-finished Berlina Black wheels, and features uniquely tuned adaptive dampers, leather-trimmed heated sports seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel and sports pedals. The cabin can be upholstered in Blue and White, or Black upholstery, while the exterior can be painted in Winter Frost Pearl (available with a black roof), Meteorite Gray Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Rally Red, and Boost Blue Pearl. A 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster sits in front of the driver, while a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Google built-in also features - compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto - pumping audio through an eight-speaker Bose sound system. ## What’s under the skin of the Honda Prelude? Despite battling in the same segment as the Toyota GR86/Subaru BRZ twins and the Mazda MX-5, the Honda Prelude is a very different beast. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/2026-honda-prelude-11.jpg) Honda Prelude While its main competitors are all rear-drive with the option of manual transmissions, the Prelude is powered by a 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain, producing up to 149kW and 315Nm combined from the four-cylinder petrol engine and two-motor hybrid system. Drive is sent to the front wheels through an ‘e-CVT’ automatic transmission, with no manual option available, though the Prelude debuts Honda’s new ‘S+ Shift system’, simulating gear changes as if it was using a traditional, multi-ratio automatic Its competitors also run on bespoke platforms, built from the ground-up to be sports cars, though Honda’s formidable Civic chassis makes an appearance under the Prelude. This is an advantage for the Prelude though, as it features a number of components from the Civic Type R, such as wider front and rear tracks, Honda’s unique dual-axis front suspension design (the first time it’ll appear on a non-Type R model), as well as four-piston Brembo front brake calipers. ## How does the Honda Prelude drive? As mentioned before, if you’re looking to buy a Honda Prelude because it looks like it’ll be the fastest thing on four wheels and able to keep up with a Civic Type R, keep shopping. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/2026-honda-prelude-4.jpg) Honda Prelude Ultimate speed and performance is not the Prelude’s key focus. Despite those big Brembo brakes poking out from behind the menacing black wheels, the comfort-oriented tyres preview what kind of a car Honda wants this to be. In a word, zippy would be the best way to describe the Prelude. It is undoubtedly aided by the quick delivery of torque its hybrid powertrain delivers, almost giving the opposite effect to a turbocharged engine where there’s no wait to get a shove in the back, though it tapers off quickly. In its standard drive mode it’s a calm experience behind the wheel, almost deceptively so. The steering weight is balanced, the driving position is comfortable enough, and the engine is so quiet you’d truly barely notice it’s there. The adaptive dampers are in many ways a bit of a blessing, though even in their sportiest mode you never feel the need to rush getting out for a stretch, but the soft comfort mode truly is the best way to drive the Prelude. In its Sports setting everything sharpens up, with the steering response becoming incredibly direct, almost go-kart like from where the driver sits, low down in the cabin. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/2026-honda-prelude-13.jpg) Honda Prelude Mash the throttle and the four-cylinder starts to yell in that very characteristic way, with the CVT pretending to change gears at a close ratio to each other, at least giving some aural relief from an engine which could easily sit at a fixed RPM and become truly annoying One of the Prelude’s – and Civic hybrid’s – strong points is the calibration of its regenerative braking, which in regular form is intuitive, though this can be over-ridden by the driver to provide more or less assistance, the highest level of which is almost enough to bring it to a complete stop. Switch into the ‘S+’ faux shifting mode and the car’s characteristics change again, requiring manual shifting via the paddles, and the engagement of the hybrid system to mimic a dual-clutch automatic. The strong points of the regen calibration go out the window here, as there’s surprisingly little engine braking felt in the manual shifting mode. Truth be told, it’s not a feature I actually enjoyed too much, but that’s personal preference. While all the power goes to the front tyres they never feel overloaded – not a huge shock given the relatively low outputs – and they can always cope with however much braking and steering is required. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/2026-honda-prelude-1.jpg) Honda Prelude The chassis continues to be a strong point in the Prelude, as even the base Civic is regarded as one of the best-handling and most engaging cars in its class, something they haven’t really changed the recipe for in the coupe. Teamed with the adaptive dampers and Type R parts, you could easily argue that on the same tyre as its rivals, the Prelude could keep up with or outrun its more potent, rear-drive rivals. I’ve never driven one, but I can see why the Civic Type R is regarded as the big daddy of front-drive hot hatchbacks if these are the characteristics they share. It’s probably a worthwhile time to talk about hot hatches, as – due to its front-drive platform – the Prelude is more akin to being a Volkswagen Golf GTI or Hyundai i30 N rival than the sports coupes it’s lumped in the same category as. By not providing the rear-wheel drive experience of its rivals in style, the comparison gets opened up to why you wouldn’t buy a similarly priced, and far quicker, hot hatch. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/2026-honda-prelude-8.jpg) Honda Prelude A Golf GTI, for example, starts from $59,890 before on-road costs and can be had in some states for the same $65,000 drive-away figure as the Prelude. An i30 N hatch is $52,000 plus on-roads, while the GR86/BRZ are about $46,340 to $52,790 plus extras. Though the Prelude is very well equipped and its cabin is a lovely place to be, it doesn’t add up in the practicality stakes. It’s unlikely that someone in their late 20s to early 30s like me who has a child will be the prime buyer for a Prelude, but being one exposes some of its greatest weaknesses. In short, you effectively can’t put a child seat in the back if this will be your daily driver, unless you’re a gymnast who dislikes your kids. My five-year-old daughter’s booster seat wouldn’t fit in the rear seat as the slope angle of the roof meant the headrest hit the rear window before it could fully shut, ruling that out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/2026-honda-prelude-5.jpg) Honda Prelude Reverting back to her ISOFIX-equipped seat, it could be secured using the two anchor points on the passenger side of the back seat, but half of it ended up on a plastic hump in the middle of the two spaces. On top of this, the top tether point was slightly askew, and my wife had to have her seat uncomfortably far forward for them both to fit in the car. Again, it’s unlikely that anyone with young kids will be buying a Prelude, but when you can get a Golf GTI/i30 N/GR86/BRZ for less yet have more space all round, it starts to become a bit of a tough sell. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/2026-honda-prelude-10.jpg) Honda Prelude If there’s any major redeeming feature of the Prelude it’s that the ongoing running costs are unlikely to hurt the hip pocket too much. Throughout its week in my possession it was hard to exceed a fuel consumption average of more than 5.0L/100km even when driving with a lot of gusto, a figure which would only come down once that first period of ownership is over and it starts to be driven more like a commuter car. Think of it a bit like skim milk: you’re getting more of the taste of the real thing, but a bit less guilt, and it is probably a bit better for you. ## Should you buy a Honda Prelude? The buyer profile of a Honda Prelude owner would be an interesting one to study, because in my head it’s an easy thing to imagine. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/2026-honda-prelude-3.jpg) Honda Prelude I picture someone in their 40s who owned an older Prelude when they used to be cheap, either now in a DINK situation or with no kids needing to be carted around, who wants to relive some of that 1990s nostalgia. The Prelude is a very, very good car to drive and quite a few people pointed out how good it looked to them, assuming it was not only more expensive than it is but also that it was rear-drive and turbocharged. And that’s where it becomes a bit of a hard sell, effectively being a two-(usable) seater with a modest amount of storage space, with plenty of comfort for front passengers and an engine which will be hard to get in trouble with. It’s simultaneously a reflection of how Honda can do basic things (like a chassis and a hybrid powertrain) very well, but then totally overlook practicality and sense with a price that high. If you are wanting to buy a Honda Prelude, be sure to cross-shop its rivals, particularly those you might not expect. [Honda Prelude to cost VW Golf GTI money in AustraliaAustralian pricing for the Honda Prelude has been locked in, and though it’s not as high as first feared, it won’t be a best-seller any time soon.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/icon/cropped-favicon-67e51c4f-3fcc-4464-8b42-1afa057ff4aa.png)Torquecafe.comJordan Mulach![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/thumbnail/2026-honda-prelude-australia-2-805a68fc-da6f-445c-84e6-aeb9e320b5f4.jpg)](https://torquecafe.com/honda-prelude-to-cost-vw-golf-gti-money-in-australia/)