I drove Honda's new Prelude. It may matter more to Honda than to buyers.
I drove the Honda Prelude for a week. It's a bit of a misfit in the carmaker's lineup, but golly, is it fun.
Honda has reintroduced the Prelude as a $44,000 hybrid coupe after a 25-year hiatus. The car is a fun and spunky vehicle, but its limited availability suggests Honda may view it more as a halo car than a volume seller. The Prelude, which was popular in the 1990s among enthusiasts who enjoyed modifying cars, is not cheap. My tester, a Boost Blue model, has a price tag of $43,650, including destination, with optional summer tires pushing the price to $44,850.
The car's hybrid powertrain and $44,000 price tag may not appeal to budget-conscious buyers or those seeking affordable coupes. Performance enthusiasts may also be disappointed, as the Prelude lacks speed compared to more powerful cars like the Tesla Model 3. However, the Prelude compensates with impressive handling, direct steering, and the Brembo brakes.
It also features a surprisingly convincing manual-like driving experience through its S+ Shift system. Fuel economy is another strong point, with the car averaging 43.5 mpg on a mostly highway drive. However, the backseat is nearly unusable due to the sloping roofline and limited headroom. As for the target audience, it's unclear who would buy this car.
The Prelude is an expensive two-seater with a luxury interior, and it doesn't compete well against similar vehicles like the Ford Mustang, Mazda MX-5 Miata, or Toyota GR-86. Honda may not need many buyers to justify the car's existence, as the limited supply suggests that the Prelude is more of a showpiece to attract attention to the dealership.
Written by urgent.news from Business Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
