At least in the States, Honda got some flak for the new Prelude. The coupe, said critics, wasn’t quite sure what it wanted to be. Who is going to buy a performance hybrid coupe with an automatic transmission? In Japan, at least, the answer appears to be quite a few people.
The Prelude Is Being Snapped Up By Older Buyers
According to data from Honda Japan, Prelude buyers, as well as admirers as we recently discovered, are overwhelmingly elderly. They also helped Honda smash sales targets. Initially, the company says it planned for around 300 buyers a month during the first two months the car went on sale (order books opened last month). Then, between September 5 and October 6, around 2,400 buyers placed an order. Dealers have had to suspend new orders while they wait for supply to catch up, and Honda has said it plans to ramp up production to help ease demand.
How old are we talking? Honda says buyers are largely in their 50s and 60s. These buyers are usually looking to use the Prelude as their primary or second car. Pricing is set at 6,179,800 yen, which translates to around $41,000 USD at current exchange rates. That’s also the figure we expect the Prelude to debut with here in the US later this fall.
The Prelude Could Be A Dark Horse In The US Market, But It Still Has A Hill To Climb
Frankly, it’d be shocking to see a similar reception to the Prelude in the US. Buyers in the States have long shown a preference towards crossovers, and while hybrids are popular here, the Prelude’s sporty attitude may not be what those same buyers want out of a hybrid. However, it’s also been some time since Honda has had a small hybrid coupe on sale in the US. Attitudes towards the segment could have shifted in the decade or so since the CR-Z went out of production.
Related: US-Spec Honda Prelude Gains a Key Edge Over Japan’s Version
All of this rides on how much the Prelude costs. American car buyers are cash-strapped at the moment, and many are hunting for the best deal, not the best car. Tariffs and the skyrocketing cost of living mean many simply can’t afford a new car right now. Should Honda be able to make the Prelude feel like a value, or offer incentives towards it, we could see the coupe achieve some degree of popularity here. But make no mistake, the Prelude has its work cut out for it here.
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