Honda Prelude Aussie pricing confirmed: Legendary sports car returns as petrol-electric hybrid
Honda has confirmed pricing for the all-new Prelude, with the hybrid coupe set to return to Australia after more than two decades priced from $65,000 drive-away.
Revealed at the Melbourne Motor Show, the reborn Prelude will be offered in a single, high-spec grade and is available to order now via Honda’s agency sales model, with five exterior colours included at no extra cost.
The new model – which is previews in our video above before pricing was announced at the Melbourne Motor Show – marks the return of the Prelude nameplate to the Australian market for the first time in more than 25 years.
It is positioned as an electrified sports coupe aimed at buyers considering cars such as the Mazda MX-5 (priced from $42,640 plus ORCs) and Toyota GR86 (from $43,490 plus ORCs).
READ MORE: Have they got it wrong? Just as EV sales boom, Sony and Honda abandon plans to build electric cars together
READ MORE: Dead before arrival: Honda kills off pioneering 0 Series sedan and SUV just months before radical EVs are due to launch
READ MORE: Honda Super-One EV confirmed for Australia: Tiny city car will be a fun and different drive promises Honda
Power comes from Honda’s e:HEV hybrid system, paired with a new S+ Shift function designed to simulate the feel and sound of conventional gear changes.
The system uses throttle mapping and sound tuning to replicate shift ‘kicks’ and rev-matching behaviour under braking, in an effort to retain driver engagement despite the move to electrification.
The Prelude also adopts a chassis setup derived from the Civic Type R, with Honda targeting a more dynamic driving experience than typical sports coupes.
Honda Australia says the model blends heritage design cues with a more aerodynamic modern shape, while introducing new technology aimed at enhancing driver involvement.
Honda Australia director Robert Thorp said the new Prelude had been developed to carry the spirit of earlier generations into the electrified era.
“The 2026 Prelude is a bold reinterpretation of an iconic driver’s car for the hybrid era,” he said.
“A truly connected and exhilarating drive that combines Honda’s award-winning e:HEV hybrid powertrain with the debut of our innovative S+ Shift technology and the performance-led Type R chassis.”
The Prelude will be sold under Honda’s One Price Promise, which fixes national pricing, and is backed by the brand’s Road Ahead Guarantee that includes a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, five years of roadside assistance and capped-price servicing.
The all-new model is now on sale following its Melbourne Motor Show debut, with Honda positioning the hybrid coupe as a niche performance offering within its increasingly electrified local line-up.
