Summary
Sharing its name with Honda sports cars of the 1980s and 1990s, the Prelude is a petrol-electric hybrid coupé that first arrived on UK roads in early 2026. It joins a small field of three-door coupé models on sale in the UK, competing against the Alpine A110 and BMW 2 Series Coupé.
Powered by the same hybrid engine as the current iteration of the Honda Civic, the Prelude has picked up plenty of reviewer praise for its composed and agile driving dynamics, as well as its handsome exterior design, but those same reviewers found the car’s performance rather underwhelming.
“If you’re after a fun weekend toy, you’ll be better served elsewhere”, explains Tom Jarvis of Auto Express. The prelude can complete a 0-62mph sprint in just over eight seconds, which isn’t particularly fast by modern sports car standards.
“It’s not quick, rear space is tight, and the price is on the high side”, concludes Parker’s Keith Adams. “But if you’re after something elegant and different that still loves a good road, the Prelude deserves a place on your shortlist.”
Although the Prelude is now available to order in the UK, and there are a number of UK-based reviews published on the model, we are holding off on giving the coupé a full Expert Rating score for the moment. We will update this page in the coming weeks once we receive running cost estimations for the model. Check back soon!
Prelude highlights
- Attractive exterior styling
- Refined hybrid engine
- Comfortable driving experience
Prelude lowlights
- Not as fast as it looks
- Tight rear space limits practicality
- Rather sluggish auto gearbox
Key specifications
Body style: Three-door liftback coupé
Engines: petrol-electric hybrid
Price: From £39,595
Launched: Winter 2025/26
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Featured reviews
“The Honda Prelude returns after 25 years, with Type R suspension and glider-inspired styling.”
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
Read full review
Evo
Ethan Jupp
“The new Honda Prelude ticks so many of the coupe boxes; eye-catching looks, superb handling, and just enough practicality to make it easy to live with every day. However, the hybrid powertrain takes the shine off what could otherwise have been a superb, relatively attainable performance car.”
Score: 8 / 10
Read full review
Auto Express
Alex Ingram
More reviews
Auto Trader
Score: 7 / 10
“The new Honda Prelude is certainly stylish, efficient and fun to drive, but we fear the enthusiasts it plays to may be put off by the sluggish automatic ‘gearbox’ and lack of outright performance.”
Author: Dan Trent
Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“It fits perfectly within the lineage of Preludes that came before it – elegant, intelligent, and just a little contrarian. For those who take the plunge, it will likely prove a long, rewarding relationship rather than a fling.”
Author: Keith Adams and Tim Pollard
Read review
Heycar
Score: 8 / 10
“The returning Honda Prelude is far from conventional as far as sports cars go, using a modestly powered hybrid powertrain and ‘fake’ gears. It works better than you might imagine, though, and the handling is brilliant.”
Author: Matt Robinson
Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“In its revived Honda Prelude, the Japanese brand has taken a very unconventional approach to building a sports car and just about pulled it off. You’re only occasionally left wanting for a bit more power but more importantly its handling is brilliant.”
Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Prelude is a welcome addition to the market, and one that’s both in keeping with Honda’s engineering and efficiency-led ethos. It’s a new coupe in a market that’s sorely lacking in options – and for that alone, its maker should be applauded. That it’s also rather good makes it all the more satisfying.”
Author: Keith Adams
Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Embrace it for being willfully different, as well as meticulously engineered, interesting to look at and precise to drive.”
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of February 2026, the Honda Prelude has not been assessed by Euro NCAP.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of February 2026, the Honda Prelude has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
No data yet
As of February 2026, we don’t have independently verified data available for the Honda Prelude. Check back again soon.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of February 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Honda Prelude to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Prelude, we’ll publish the results here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Honda Prelude
| Overall rating | C | 50% |
| New car warranty duration | 3 years |
| New car warranty mileage | 60,000 miles |
| Battery warranty duration | 8 years |
| Battery warranty mileage | 100,000 miles |
Honda’s new car warranty is fairly boilerplate, and similar to what’s offered rival brands in a similar price bracket as the Prelude.
The duration is three years, with a limit of 60,000 miles. In addition to the standard new car warranty, this hybrid coupé has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Honda Prelude
As of February 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Honda Prelude. However, recall information is updated regularly, so this may have changed.
You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Honda dealer.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at a new or used Honda Prelude, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Alpine A110 | BMW 2 Series Coupé | BMW Z4 | Mazda MX-5 | Porsche 718 Boxster | Porsche 718 Cayman | Toyota GR86
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Honda Prelude at The Car Expert
Buy a Honda Prelude
If you’re looking to buy a new or used Honda Prelude, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.
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Lease a Honda Prelude
If you’re looking to lease a new Honda Prelude, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.
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Subscribe to a Honda Prelude
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