- The new Honda Prelude is available to order in Japan starting at ¥6,179,800 yen ($41,700).
- The hybrid coupe costs more than the Nissan Z, and even the GR Supra in its home market.
- Honda is also offering a limited edition with a black roof and mirrors for ¥6,480,000 ($43,700).
Update: The 2026 Honda Prelude has officially debuted in Japan, arriving with new photos and a full breakdown of local pricing.
After years of rumors, teasers, and pre-production prototypes, the reborn Honda Prelude has finally been revealed in production form in Japan, ahead of its debut in Europe, North America and other select markets around the world. The hybrid coupe is priced from ¥6,179,800 yen ($41,700), making it one of the priciest models in Honda’s domestic lineup.
A High-Performance Price Tag
Designed as a sportier and more premium two-door counterpart to the Civic, the Prelude shares the same basic platform but positions itself as a step up in style, handling, and equipment. The premium pricing reflects that positioning, placing it above the performance-focused Civic Type R hatchback.
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More specifically, the Prelude is available in a single trim level priced at ¥6,179,800 ($41,700). Buyers can choose Flame Red or Crystal Black Pearl at no extra cost, while Meteoroid Gray Metallic adds ¥38,500 ($260), and the Moonlit Pearl finish comes with a premium of ¥82,500 ($560). The coupe comes standard with black 19-inch alloy wheels featuring blue brake calipers and matching exterior accents.
There is also a more exclusive Honda ON Limited Edition, featuring a black finish on the roof and mirror caps, exclusively combined with the Moonlit Pearl shade. This one is listed for ¥6,480,000 ($43,700) and includes a few dealer-installed accessories.
For comparison, the Civic e:HEV that’s built locally with a similar hybrid setup is priced between ¥4,094,200-4,403,300 ($27,600-29,700) in Japan. The Civic Type R is priced from ¥4,997,300 ($33,700), but interestingly, today, the Racing Black Package edition climbed to ¥6,179,800 ($41,700), putting it on par with the Prelude. Even the larger U.S.-built Accord e:HEV sedan comes in lower, with prices ranging from ¥5,599,000 to ¥5,999,400 ($37,800–40,500).
More Expensive Than The Fairlady Z And GR Supra
While the Honda Prelude doesn’t have a direct rival, its pricing does raise some eyebrows when compared to other Japanese sports coupes. Surprisingly, the hybrid costs more than the locally-made Nissan Fairlady Z, which starts at ¥5,497,800 ($37,100) and comes with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that produces 400 hp (298 kW / 405 PS), or double the Prelude’s expected output.
In fact, it also edges out the Toyota GR Supra, built in Austria at the same Magna Steyr facility as the BMW Z4, which starts at ¥4,995,000 ($33,700) with its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 255 hp. With that pricing, it’s fair to say more than a few people will be asking what the heck Honda was thinking.
The automaker will start accepting orders in Japan from September 5, with the first production run set at 300 units per month. Whether those disappear in a flash or end up lingering on dealer lots will be a pretty good litmus test for how well Honda has read the room.
Inspired by Gliders
The Prelude is described as a “specialty sports model”. Its exterior design takes cues from gliders, an engine-less aircraft that rely on air currents to stay aloft. This influence is visible in the low nose profile, lines, and wing-shaped LED headlights that stretch across the front and meet at a slim, black chrome-plated grille.
Inside, the model shares elements with the Honda Civic and Acura Integra, but also features its own unique flourishes. The layout is a 2+2 configuration, designed with both aesthetics and functionality in mind. Yoshihisa Yanagimoto, the project’s packaging lead, describes the Prelude as “a car you want to drive when going out with someone special.”
The front seats are different, with the driver’s seat focused on delivering support and the passenger seat offering a “comfortable, enveloping feel”. The hatchback-style tailgate provides access to a spacious cargo area that can further expand by folding down the rear seats.
As expected from the price tag, standard equipment is generous. Highlights include a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9-inch infotainment display with Google built-in, an eight-speaker Bose premium sound system, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, and heated front seats upholstered in leather and suede. Buyers have two options for the upholstery, combining deep blue and white, or black.
Powertrain and Other Specs
The Prelude is powered by the Honda e:HEV self-charging hybrid system, combining a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors. Judging from the Civic Hybrid that uses the same setup, the combined output will most likely be 200 hp (149 kW / 203 PS).
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In order to make it more exciting to drive, the company added the Honda S+ shift system, using sound effects and torque mapping to simulate gear changes despite the lack of a mechanical gearbox. Furthermore, the Prelude carries adaptive dampers and chassis components from the Civic Type R , including wider tracks, Brembo front brakes, and a dual-axis front suspension system, though all have been tuned specifically for the hybrid coupe.
How Much Will in Cost the USA?
Since the above price figures are for Japan, it’s hard to pin down exactly what the Prelude will cost in the States. Still, if the Japanese pricing is any indication, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the hybrid coupe crest the $40,000 mark here, making it at least $10,000 more than the mechanically related Civic hybrid.
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However, final pricing will also depend on where the Prelude is manufactured and how Honda chooses to position it in global markets. The Japan-built Civic Type R, for example, costs $12,700 more in the U.S. than in Japan.
On the other hand, the U.S.-built Accord is about $3,500 cheaper for American buyers than for Japanese ones. Meanwhile, the Civic, currently made in Japan but soon moving to Honda’s Indiana plant, carries a $3,000 markup in the U.S. market.
We’ve reached out to local Honda representatives for comment and will update this story if they respond.
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