There’s some good news and potentially upsetting news on 2026 Honda Prelude pricing.
While we finally saw the final, production version of the 2026 Honda Prelude back in September, we still had to wait a few more months for the actual launch. Now that the sixth-generation Prelude is set to hit dealerships in the next several weeks, there’s one last piece of the puzzle falling into place: How much will it cost? We’ve been placing bets on that from the reveal, and the answer is…well, pretty much what we expected.
The 2026 Honda Prelude starts at $43,195, which places it squarely between the Civic Hybrid Sedan on which its based and the Type R halo car. In fact, that amount works out to about $10,000 more than the $33,490 (at time of righting) Civic Hybrid Sport Touring. As for the Type R, Honda’s all-new Prelude falls about $4,000 short of that model’s $47,095 asking price, assuming you can get it at MSRP.
Fundamentally, the 2026 Honda Prelude offers up the same powertrain as the Civic Hybrid Sedan. You get a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine tied to two electric motors, making 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque in total. That also means the Prelude lacks a conventional transmission, but it does have a party trick in the form of Honda’s “S+ Shift” drive mode. Pressing that circular button on the center console will force the two-motor hybrid system to mimic a performance-minded automatic transmission so it feels significantly sportier than the four-door option.
The 2026 Honda Prelude also borrows bits and bobs from the top-end CTR, including its dual-axis front suspension, wider front and rear tracks, and larger Brembo brakes. This car also gets adaptive damping with Comfort, GT, Sport and Individual drive modes.
Despite the price, one area the hybrid Prelude does remarkably well is fuel economy. Not only do you get the more flavorful coupe styling, but Honda also promises EPA-estimated mileage in the 46 Highway / 41 City / 44 Combined mpg ball park. While it is $8,000 more than one of its closest rivals, the Toyota GR86, you could at least save a little cash in the form of fewer trips to the pump.
We’ll have more coverage on the 2026 Honda Prelude soon. In the meantime, check out our reveal video with Nathan below:
