Honda Prelude Review & Prices

The Honda Prelude is sporty, comfortable and fun-to-drive coupe with an efficient hybrid engine, but it’s best used as a two-seater, and it could do with a more exciting engine under the bonnet.

If you think you’ve heard the name ‘Prelude’ before, you’d be right. The last model bowed in 2001, but now the four-seater coupe is back, based on the excellent Civic hatchback. It’s like the big, baggy skater jeans which went out of style in the 2000s, before making a comeback in recent years.

The thing is, there aren’t many cars to compare the Prelude against. The BMW 2 Series is around the same price, but the Ford Mustang is far more expensive. The Toyota GR86 and Audi TT are no longer on sale, while the Mazda MX-5 RF is a two-seater.

Unlike the rear-wheel drive BMW, the Honda is front-wheel drive - and hybrid-powered. That may not sound very sporty, but the Prelude is more closely-related to the outstanding Honda Civic Type R hot hatch than it is the plain-Jane Civic, and you can tell from behind the wheel.

Honda Prelude: facts and figures

Engine: 2.0-litre, inline four-cylinder petrol, hybrid
Drivetrain: CVT automatic transmission with simulated gear shifts, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 184hp
0-60mph: 8.2 seconds
Top speed: 117mph
Efficiency: 54.3mpg

There are a load of suspension bits and pieces borrowed from the Type R, which combined with the Prelude’s short wheelbase means it feels notably grippy and agile when chucking it into corners on a country lane. It’s remarkably smooth on a bumpy stretch of road, too.

That comfort extends to town driving, where the Prelude’s adaptive suspension does a great job of absorbing bumps and pot holes at lower speeds. Being a hybrid, you have extra pep away from the lights thanks to the electric motor.

Visibility is good over the bonnet, but terrible over-the-shoulder, which hampers you at junctions or when pulling onto the motorway. Speaking of which, it’s just as comfortable when cruising at higher speeds, too.

It’s a shame the 2.0-litre hybrid engine can’t match the excitement (and performance) levels the chassis can, with a modest 180hp and a CVT automatic transmission for a low top speed of 117mph. There are quirky simulated gearshifts, a-la Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which uses the physical engine to trick you into thinking you’re using a traditional gearbox.

The Prelude certainly looks sporty, with a sleek silhouette and a particularly low roofline, but it’s somewhat awkward at certain angles. The front end is a bit too busy; pointy between the slim headlights, while the rear looks bulbous if you’re standing in the wrong place.

At least the cabin looks great, with a sporty two-tone colour theme, soft-touch plastics higher up and a row of physical controls for the air con and heater. Honda has been a bit too liberal with the gloss black, scratch-prone plastics in places, though, and the gear selector is unintuitive.

Step down into the low-slung seats and you’ll find the Prelude’s interior feels properly sporty. There’s lots of adjustment, but extra-tall drivers might feel your hair ruffling the roof. The back is awfully cramped, and the 264-litre boot is massively behind the BMW 2 Series - as well as most small hatchbacks.

Verdict:

The Prelude is an odd car to try to recommend. It’s excellent in some ways, more comfortable than a BMW 2 Series and far more practical than a Mazda MX-5 (but that isn’t hard). It’s not the seriously sporty, ‘Civic Type R coupe’ you might expect it to be, that being said.

Have a look at the latest Honda Prelude deals on Carwow, or Prelude lease deals instead. There are used Honda Preludes to choose from as well as other used Hondas for sale through our trusted dealer network. Remember, Carwow can help you sell your current car, too.

There’s only one trim level for the Honda Prelude, starting at almost £40,000 in the sole Advance version. With all of the options chosen that’ll rise to about £45,000 - which is far more expensive than the mechanically-similar Civic hatchback. A BMW 2 Series starts at £39,000, and it’s arguably the more desirable car with a far posher badge.

It may be pricey, but the Prelude is well-equipped as standard with heated front seats, keyless entry-and-go, wireless phone charging, adaptive LED headlights, Bose surround sound and adaptive cruise control.