As I was shooting b‑roll of the 2026 Honda Prelude in Hyper Blue, a woman stopped in her tracks, eyes locked on the car and a grin spreading across her face. “I’m sorry to bother you, but what kind of car is this? It’s just darling!” When I told her it was the new Honda Prelude, she blinked hard.
“There’s no way! It looks a little bit like a Porsche. I sent a picture to my sister and told her, ‘This car is so cute, but there’s no way I can afford one.’” I asked what she thought it cost. She peeked inside at the leather, contrast stitching and alcantara. “Oh, there’s no way it’s under $60,000.”
I smiled. “MSRP is $43,650—with every package and the optional color.” Her jaw dropped again when she learned the 200‑horsepower roadster/coupe/sports car (more on this later) was a hybrid and that I was getting 36.2 mpg while carving through the mountains in S+ Shift mode. She immediately called her sister back.
It happened two more times that day and it drove home a simple truth: Honda finally built a car that speaks to a market most brands overlook. Girls just want to have fun—and they can absolutely do that in a Honda Prelude.
This story is 100% human researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. I was Honda’s guest for this event, but all opinions and impressions are my own.
The 2026 Honda Prelude is Simply Done Right. And It’s About Time
When it comes to sports cars, it’s normal for them to be engineered and marketed to enthusiasts. Terms like “torque vectoring,” “horsepower-per-liter,” or “turbo lag” are great keywords to attract those who read car reviews to find out a car’s zero-to-sixty time or top speed. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it can make an otherwise amazing car feel out of reach for people like the two women and one man who approached me about the Prelude. If they don’t understand what “adaptive dampers” are and why they contribute to a “planted and dynamic” ride feel, they might shop for something they won’t have to essentially learn a new language to drive confidently.
That’s where the 2026 Honda Prelude comes in. Don’t get me wrong—there is some incredible engineering in the new Prelude. But what makes it so wonderful and delightfully unique is its uncomplicated nature. For a while, it seemed like the Mazda Miata was the only two-door, affordable, non-turbocharged roadster (in some trims) that people could buy. However, like many manufacturers, if you want the sportiest trim, you’ll have to commit to a manual. I’m a sucker for an excellent manual myself, but sometimes people want something zippy, fun, fast, comfortable and affordable without having to force themselves to be a “real” enthusiast.
The Honda Prelude is just that. In fact, driving the Prelude felt like hanging out with a good friend. It was almost like it could read my thoughts. It brought a smile to my face, it made me laugh and I felt comfortable. I didn’t want to get out of the driver’s seat. Everything about it was so easy, I always felt at ease—I just got in and knew I was going to have a good time. Sort of like when you meet someone and you instantly click. And I haven’t felt that way about a new car in a very, very long time.
Trust Me On This One—It Doesn’t Need a Manual
To preface, I do consider myself a car enthusiast. I love getting nerdy about powertrains and drive trains, and I can keep up with all the nerdy terms and lingo. And I was a bit disappointed that the Honda Prelude, which always had an excellent manual transmission, was going to be auto-only. Most automatic transmissions in sports cars, coupes, or roadsters felt slow, unresponsive and like the car was being held back when I was in the mood for a spirited drive. And that’s what I was expecting to feel in the new model.
Boy, I was not prepared to feel so full from my own words. The shifter is the same one that’s in the Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, but it is not at all the same transmission. The hybrid system is the same as that in the Civic and it generates 200 horsepower in tandem with the 2.0-liter engine—but the transmission is what creates the gap between itself and the Civic hybrid. There are a few drive modes to pick from: GT (or Normal), Sport, Sport+ and Comfort. Then, of course, there’s an S+ button on the command center that essentially acts like a steroid or adrenaline shot for the Honda Prelude.
S+ Mode Turns Everything Up a Notch—Literally
What S+ mode does is set everything to the most aggressive modes possible. The suspension is stiffer, more exhaust sounds are allowed into the cabin, the acceleration is punchier and more responsive and the shifting is more aggressive. But what amazed me—and I do mean truly amazed me—is the fact that it would hang onto the lower gears (increasing available horsepower and torque, making it quicker) longer, as well as shift into higher gears when you needed it.
Every time I thought, “right about now is when I’d downshift and leave it in third,” the Prelude would just do it. And do it exceptionally well. Every time I thought, “Okay, I’m slowing down, so I need to downshift to be able to pass this truck,” the Prelude would do it. It was like it was finishing every thought I had, making it so easy to fall in love with it.
It wasn’t different when it was in different drive modes, either. Every drive mode was a blast, even Comfort.
I Loved the Interior Styling, Layout and Visibility, Too
One place that sports cars or roadsters often fall short is the interior. Most manufacturers make me feel as though the interior design, layout and materials are afterthoughts. An enthusiast would likely say, “You’re not buying the car for the interior. You’re buying it for the drive and powertrain.” But in the new Honda Prelude, you get all of it. You get alcantara, leather, beautifully embroidered headrests, a “Prelude” logo stitched into the dashboard above the glovebox, handsome contrast stitching on the door panel’s elbow rests and steering wheel, a premium sound system, a customizable digital gauge cluster and so much more.
There are back seats, but they’re similar to the back seats of a Mustang. You only make people sit back there if you don’t like that. Otherwise, it was great for keeping my filming equipment and snacks from rolling around too much.
It felt so much nicer than a car of its price range, which makes it so much more attractive to a wider range of buyers. I imagined being in one with my best friend, singing along to our 2010s pop playlist, giggling while taking the corners a bit faster than I would in my Subaru Forester—all while enjoying the mileage that comes with the hybrid system. I mentioned it before, but even though I was driving the Honda Prelude pretty hard, I was getting 36.2 mpg. Those are almost Toyota RAV4 hybrid numbers. Toyota RAV4 hybrid numbers in a sporty coupe/roadster. Think about that for a second.
I Keep Saying Sports Car, Coupe, or Roadster—But Which is Correct?
This is going to be a little nerdy, but bear with me. In car-people language, the lines between a coupe, a sports car and a roadster can get blurry, but each has a distinct look and feel. A coupe is defined mostly by its shape—two doors, a fixed roof and a sleek profile—think models like the BMW 4 Series or Audi A5. A sports car, then, is built around speed and handling, prioritizing power, precision and track‑leaning capability, like a Toyota GR Supra or Porsche 718 Cayman.
A roadster, by contrast, is all about lightness, joy, usually a convertible and in most cases, affordability: typically two seats, two doors and a focus on playful, engaging driving rather than outright speed—classic examples include the Mazda MX‑5 Miata or BMW Z4. With that in mind, the Prelude lands in an interesting middle ground.
Honda calls the Prelude a sports car, but in practice, it leans closer to a roadster in spirit. The proportions, the two‑door layout (I don’t count the rear seats because they’re basically unusable) and the modest-but-engaging hybrid powertrain all point toward a car designed for fun, not dominance. It’s less about lap times and more about that breezy, effortless feeling you get from a great roadster—just wrapped in a sleek coupe body instead of a soft top. So, maybe I’ll call it a sports roadcoupe.
Is it Worth the Pretty Penny? Well, It’s Up Against Some Stiff Competition
Sitting with other auto writers on this drive was interesting. We all loved it, a lot more than we thought we would, but many kept making remarks about the price and how it would be the only thing that would hold it back. I found myself thinking that the MSRP of $43,650 puts it in some interesting territory.
For instance, the Mazda Miata 35th Anniversary Edition, which is the top trim, starts at $36,250. The Subaru BRZ Yellow.Series starts at $39,360. Toyota’s version of the BRZ, the GR86, starts at $34,900 for the Premium trim. You see what I’m getting at here. The only competitor that’s more expensive than the Honda Prelude is the BMW Z4, which has a price range of $56,100 to $79,675.
What I found more interesting, though, is that for a little over $3,000 more, you can get a Honda Civic Type-R, which generates more horsepower, has a comfortable second row and a much larger trunk, starting at $46,895. However, most of the models I listed above were either manual-only or had way more track-oriented and complicated drive modes that non-car people would feel isolated by (save for the BRZ or GR86, I’d argue).
Is it worth it? If you want to break into the sports car/roadster/coupe game without feeling pressure to elbow your way into an intimidating and competitive enthusiast base, this is a good one. If what you want is a cute little car that’s effortless, fun, engaging and makes it easy for you to work your way up to its competitors, then absolutely. It’s hard to argue with the design, technology and mileage. The mileage is the Prelude’s sharpest weapon when it’s put up against the competition.
Here’s Why I Recommend the Honda Prelude, Despite the Price
For once, there’s nothing else like the Honda Prelude out there. It’s the car equivalent of a person you can go months without speaking to and then everything just snaps back into place when you finally talk on the phone with them. It requires nothing extra from you to make it an excellent car. You don’t have to drive it differently (you can, but you don’t have to) to “properly” enjoy it. You don’t have to take it to a track to enjoy it to its fullest potential. It doesn’t require expensive and specific maintenance and it doesn’t require special fuel, either. It’s literally as simple as getting in and going.
It’s something I feel has gone by the wayside in this industry and it’s truly a breath of fresh air. It’s the car I’d want if I didn’t already have a WRX, because it reminds us that enjoying a Sunday drive doesn’t have to be complicated. It can (and should) be simple. I will absolutely be recommending the darling little Prelude to all of my girly pops who want something fun, affordable and efficient that they can take out for a girl’s night without the kids. Finally, there’s a car on the market for the girls. If you aren’t an enthusiast when you buy it, you’ll certainly become one afterward.
