[ĐÁNH GIÁ XE] Honda Prelude 2026: Beautiful, economical, easy to drive but difficult to call "excellent"

Honda Prelude was once expected to be a true Honda sports coupe in the era of electrification.

In theory, this is a car that brings together all the attractive elements: stylish design, new hybrid powertrain and role as a “halo car” – a model that showcases the company’s leading technology. However, after initial practical experiences, Prelude shows that not all promises are fully realized.

Soft design, different from the majority

Prelude’s most obvious strength lies in its appearance. Instead of pursuing an aggressive, muscular style like many sports coupes today, Honda chose a soft and elegant design. The reverse-swept headlights create a gentle feeling, and the seamlessly sloping windshield and fastback tail create a balanced and modern overall look.

The long taillight strip is reminiscent of the Porsche Taycan, combined with the lowercase “Honda” logo to create a unique impression. Compared to rivals such as the Toyota GR86 or Subaru BRZ, Prelude stands out thanks to its elegant appearance rather than its aggressiveness.

The cockpit is neat but the technology is not commensurate with the price

Inside the cabin, users can easily recognize the “breath” of Civic through the honeycomb air conditioning vent design and characteristic mechanical knobs. Although the driver’s seat is designed to be sporty and tight, it still retains comfort for long trips, in stark contrast to the rear seats that are almost just for “showmanship” because the space is too narrow.

The biggest disappointment lies in technology: the 9-inch central screen has poor display quality and the rear camera is blurry – an unacceptable standard on a new 2025 car model. In addition, soundproofing is also a big minus point when noise from the road and wind enters the cockpit quite clearly.

Operation: Fun to drive, but not “cool” enough
On mountain passes, the Honda Prelude shows smooth cornering ability, stable body and good steering feedback. While not as sharp as the Civic Type R or as nimble as the Civic Si, this hybrid coupe still provides a pleasant and confident driving experience. However, the noise level from tires, wind and road surface is quite obvious, reducing the experience on long journeys. The suspension system and 19-inch wheels make the car react stiffly when going through bad road surfaces, contrary to the “grand tourer” image that Honda promotes.

Hybrid powertrain: Efficient but lacking emotion

Prelude has a 2.0L hybrid powertrain with front-wheel drive, producing 200 horsepower and 232 Nm of torque. Acceleration is not overwhelming, with an estimated 0–100 km/h time of about 6.5 seconds, but in return the throttle response is quick and smooth thanks to the electric motor. The “direct-drive hybrid” system that replaces the traditional gearbox operates smoothly, but the S+ gearshift simulation mode is still not convincing enough, creating a feeling more like a video game than a real gearbox.

Fuel economy – a rare big plus
Despite its sporty coupe appearance, Prelude still achieves a fuel consumption of about 44 mpg (about 5.3 liters/100 km), this is an impressive number in the segment, and is also a clear demonstration of Honda’s hybrid capabilities, although still slightly lower than the Civic Hybrid.

Biggest problem: Price
Overall, the Prelude is a beautiful car, good to drive, economical and well finished. However, with a starting price of 43,195 USD (1.12 billion VND), this hybrid coupe model is significantly more expensive than pure sports competitors such as GR86, BRZ or Mazda MX-5 Miata.

With this amount of money, users have the right to expect more than a “two-door Civic Hybrid” whose finishing is not really perfect. The Prelude fulfills all its promises of a beautiful and sporty car, but from an economic perspective, this price is perhaps the biggest barrier preventing the legendary car from reaching the hearts of the majority of consumers.

TH (Tuoitrethudo)