The all-new Honda Prelude is now on sale in Japan, its first market worldwide. At the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, we saw the new sports coupe finished in a menacing Crystal Black Pearl that sharpens its assertive presence.
The latest Prelude may effectively fill the void left by the Civic Coupe, which bowed out at the end of the Civic’s tenth generation, but its dimensions and proportions make it clear that it spiritually marks the return of the fabled pre-2000 three-door coupe.
While Honda has engineered it on the Civic’s platform, we noticed the design has an authentic three-door coupe character. The low bonnet with a raised central section, muscular wheel arches, fast-sloping roofline, and rear section that extends outward give the all-new Honda Prelude a dynamic stance.
The latest sports coupe is the only current Honda model with flush-integrated pop-out door handles, a feature that reminds us of the Honda e.
The interior of the all-new Honda Prelude does have references to the latest Civic, which is expected as it sits on a modified version of the family car’s platform. Even so, it maintains a distinctive identity. Honda has taken a restrained approach to the design, and while we appreciated the clean layout and thoughtful ergonomics, we would have liked the sportiness to extend beyond the seats and blue stitching.
Honda uses the same 200-horsepower hybrid powertrain as the Civic e:HEV in the all-new Prelude, which means a manual transmission is not available. The system combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine that produces 104 kW (139 bhp) and 182 Nm of torque with an electric motor that develops 135 kW (181 bhp) and 315 Nm of torque.
The company has not revealed the performance figures, but it does state an impressive WLTC fuel economy rating of 23.6 km/l, just 2.5% lower than the Civic e:HEV’s 24.2 km/l.
In the UK, the all-new Honda Prelude retails from £40,995, and will reach dealers in early 2026. Honda will begin the global rollout of its latest sports coupe, starting with North America this autumn, followed by Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia next year.
Since 2014, I’ve worked as an international automotive editor, attending global motor shows, industry events, media drives, and tracking the latest developments across the sector, with a particular focus on electrified vehicles.
