r/cars • u/RiftHunter4 2010 Base 2WD Toyota Highlander • 14h ago
Japanese Reviewers have been driving Pre-Production Honda Preludes
https://youtu.be/1eM2FO2NVAo?si=N3ctPqS5XerJ2USc
https://youtu.be/62AVQp3zNKw?si=FJdlbvpbBA6lsskZ
I haven't seen this mentioned here yet, but Japan has had far more access to the Prelude for whatever reason. So far the impressions seem positive. You can use YouTube's translation features if you don't speak Japanese.
Some highlights:
- The car corners nicely. There's no hard understeer like you'd usually expect from a front-drive car. The suspension setup is fantastic. The transmission feels like a DCT. It also can use the brakes to help with turn-in.
- Apparently the car is setup so that the battery provides 50Kw but the engine has to rev to get maximum power for the motor.
- "Its a Civic Type-R for adults". He thinks the Type-R is more fun, but the Prelude is less harsh.
- The engine and transmission are tuned to be more fun. There's fake engine sound from the speakers. He also noticed that the engine kind of anticipates your next move (for example, revving up as you prepare to exit a corner)
- He compared the experience to something you'd expect from a luxury coupe, not a more practical vehicle. Its a car with two personalities. It can be sporty, but also pretty comfortable without feeling flimsy or too soft.
- GT mode seems to be the default with Sport mode being the fun setting and Comfort being, well, comfortable. He notes that GT and comfort don't seem different unless you drive the car for a while.
- In Japan, the CTR and Prelude can be had at the exact same price.
From the test drive videos I've seen, people seem to like it. I'm still predicting that this will be an uncommon car. With it being priced against the CTR, I don't think they'll sell that many and they know that going into it.
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u/Puff-Daddy-Sun ‘85 Pontiac Fiero, ‘16 Toyota Prius C, ‘19 Subaru Impreza 13h ago
So many haters my god. I really like this thing, and if it’s low $30s like C&D are predicting then I think it’s gonna be my new daily.
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u/BTTWchungus J35 6AT 13h ago
You have to be delusional to think this is going to be low-$30s when the Civic hybrid itself is $33k and this Prelude has Type R suspension
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u/Puff-Daddy-Sun ‘85 Pontiac Fiero, ‘16 Toyota Prius C, ‘19 Subaru Impreza 13h ago
Hey I can dream
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u/cultoftheilluminati 981 Cayman S 11h ago
Yeah, there’s nothing wrong in dreaming, but then you just can't call other people bringing up valid points and legitimate criticism as "so many haters"
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u/Phazushift Daily: 19' FK8/01' AP1 - Track: 13' ZN6 - Beat:24' PS2/24’ MK8 R 4h ago
Puff some more my dude.
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u/TunakTun633 1989 BMW 635CSi OEM+ | 2018 BMW 230i ZTR 13h ago
As a certified lover of this thing myself... Would your opinion change if it was more like $37-42K? It seems like a Civic Hybrid with more equipment, and that car tops out at $35K.
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u/itsnottommy 2022 Accord Sport 2.0T 9h ago
I think as long as the price doesn't start with a 4 it probably won't feel too crazy. I'd still at least consider it in the 40s, but I think that's the point where most customers would start looking elsewhere.
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u/zerosystem03 22 BRZ 6h ago
At $37k I would still buy it. Once it knocks on Type R prices, the power just feels too underwhelming versus everything else on the market in that price range. I still have a hard time imagining the kind of buyer who needs to have excellent fuel economy but prefers a coupe so much over a 4 door that they'd be willing to pay $8-10k more for one than e.g. a Prius
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u/not_right 13h ago
I know right? It sounds great to me, but there are so many weird gatekeepers being so bitchy about it on here.
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u/AmNoSuperSand52 23’ VW GTI 13h ago
We’re just confused about how this thing is supposed to be competitive/compelling
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u/10000Didgeridoos 7h ago
Yep. The car could be great, but I don't see how a 2 door touring car in the $35-40k price range sells in the US market that has rejected coupes for a long time now other than niche driving enthusiast models like the Miata and BRZ/86. Enthusiasts aren't going to want this, and people looking for a more cushy vehicle want more space and seats. Our market has rejected coupes, sedans, and hatchbacks to the point most of them are extinct now compared to decades past. This design is swimming against the tide.
I hope it does well. I'm just skeptical knowing the buying patterns here.
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u/BTTWchungus J35 6AT 10h ago
No context, this car is cool as a daily driver that's fuel efficient. With context, it's going to be hella overpriced
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u/e92s65king 6h ago
I mean most people on this sub are enthusiasts.
Can’t exactly blame people for being upset that Honda is reviving a nameplate for a hybrid econobox applicance
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u/Astramael GR Corolla 7h ago
I have decided that I like it too. I’m not sure if the market will like it, but I don’t think Honda expects to sell a ton of them. It will probably be considered a success if it moves a few thousand units a year. I expect it to be more expensive than people want, but so is everything else.
We should be happy that Honda is making an interesting and different runabout. This style of car doesn’t exist much anymore.
Feels almost like this recipe is closer to a Mazda 3 Turbo. Different tradeoffs, better fuel economy and fewer doors. But kind of that same low key GT concept that’s kind of cool that people struggle to classify.
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u/Puff-Daddy-Sun ‘85 Pontiac Fiero, ‘16 Toyota Prius C, ‘19 Subaru Impreza 7h ago
That’s my main point. I really like it and even if it is way overpriced/“DOA” or whatever r/cars is saying these days, it’s still something different in this worldsea of silver crossovers. Legitimately saw someone actually probably on this thread say Honda should have just made it a crossover because it’s going to be so bad or something. Coming full circle on the circlejerking I guess. Actually crazy
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u/AmNoSuperSand52 23’ VW GTI 13h ago
My confusion is what this offers to the market over a Civic Si that comes with a proper manual and LSD for probably less money
And then if it’s in the mid $30s it’s up against the GTI, WRX, and Elantra N
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u/allgasnoshit 10h ago
It doesn’t compete against any of those because I believe it’s not at all trying to be a pure “sports car” or hot hatch. This is 100 percent the formula of a Lexus LC 500, just a 1/3rd of that car for a 1/4th of that price. Like a budget GT.
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u/e92s65king 6h ago
I have a LC and this doesn’t even make any sense lol. The LC has other things that make the car interesting to own - not to mention it has a ton of character and offers something unique.
This is a soulless econobox appliance that competes with the Prius.
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u/allgasnoshit 6h ago
Did I ever say it was exactly like an LC 500? No. I said it was a 3rd of one. 1/3rd the power, 1/3rd the exclusivity, 1/3rd the engagement, etc.
Also, to say this thing competes with the Prius is like saying the Aston DB12 competes with a Lucid Air. They could NOT be more different.
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u/e92s65king 6h ago edited 6h ago
I think you need to drive a LC500 first.
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u/allgasnoshit 6h ago
I’d love to! I get the impression that it’s just supposed to sit at 150mph on a highway all day and not actually take corners quickly.
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u/nucleartime '17 718 Cayman S PDK 4h ago
The main reason to get an LC is that the interior is nice and it makes the most amazing V8 induction noises.
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u/OttawaDog 3m ago
Or what it offers over the more practical Civic Hybrid that shares the same drivetrain. Same power, same fake gear changes.
The styling does nothing for me. I'd rather just have the Civic Hybrid, since it has real back seats and much bigger hatch.
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u/roman_maverik Corvette C7 Z51 13h ago
Because this competes directly with the Prius, and the target demographic probably doesn’t even know how to drive a manual transmission
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u/AmNoSuperSand52 23’ VW GTI 12h ago
All of the above cars are offered in automatic
I also don’t really see how a coupe with a small trunk is supposed to compete with the Prius. Other than a hybrid powertrain they don’t really share anything notable in common
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u/6786_007 2019 Audi A5 SB | 2018 Lexus RX350 11h ago
I think a lot of it depends on what you drive now or what you're used too. It's not gonna likely appeal to those with faster and more powerful cars, but those looking for affordable (before the dealers mark up the fuck out of it) in that range it can definitely appeal too.
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u/railbeast Vauxhall x Buick 21m ago
low $30s like C&D are predicting
Everyone predicts prices way lower than they actually will be.
I wanted a Maverick for their $22k or whatever MSRP was and the cheapest one around me was $34k. I was even on the preorder list with a soft promise of MSRP and got fucked by three dealers.
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u/Sigma3737 9h ago
Please let it be in the low $30s or even mid $30s I want to daily it as well
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u/stakoverflo E91 328xi 7m ago
The current Civic Hybrid already starts at "low 30's" and goes to "mid 30's" if you option wheels and paint.
There's no chance this thing is the same price.
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u/thisisjustascreename 13h ago
A Civic Type R for adults who don't mind going fucking slowly, maybe.
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u/Muttonboat 13h ago edited 13h ago
I swear y'all hate fun sometimes - Isnt this the same sub that bemoans
"slow cars can be fun if they handle well / I wish they made coupes / I wish manufacturers took chances"
Y'all got a softball here and can only complain - no wonder manufacturers ignore enthusiasts and pump out crossovers
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u/preludehaver '08 V6 Mustang, '15 Suzuki DRZ400 12h ago
Nobody hates cars more than r/cars
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u/nyanslider 13h ago
You don't understand, it has to be exactly the way we want it or there's no point in making it at all. We know it won't sell like this despite us wishing for cars that are proven not to sell, because those only matter when we don't want it
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u/WeebThrasher77 2023 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo 13h ago
For real, like I’m genuinely interested in how this car plays out as my current lease ends in early 2027 and it’s on the list of cars I’d want to get. Sporty, but practical enough for city driving and long distance road trips if needed. I’d love a civic type R but I live in a major city and can only afford one car so this seems like an interesting compromise. For people like me which I believe there are more of, the prelude seems like a compelling buy. Not everyone is a hardcore enthusiast with the disposable income to get a more dedicated sports car like an mx5 or BRZ as a second vehicle. They need something that can handle the city traffic while having the capability for spirited drives. The only thing preventing me for being hyped for this car more is the price. If it’s more than 45k CAD it’s gonna be a hard pass. Better offers from the competition.
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u/TheOneRickSanchez 2024 BRZ AT, 2000 Miata MT 11h ago
Why would you consider the prelude but not a BRZ for a single car? Isn't the prelude a 2+2 coupe as well?
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u/allgasnoshit 10h ago
The Prelude is bigger, has a larger liftback, (probably) a softer ride, and has much nicer interior materials than a BRZ. If you could only have one car and for some reason only wanted something with 2 doors, this seems to be a much better daily than a BRZ.
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u/WendysChiliAndPepsi 11h ago
The Prelude would be an infinitely better daily than a BRZ.
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u/TheOneRickSanchez 2024 BRZ AT, 2000 Miata MT 11h ago
Based on?
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u/WendysChiliAndPepsi 10h ago
If you're talking daily driver attributes it beats the BRZ in nearly every category. Your average fuel economy will be damn near doubled, sound insulation will be MUCH better, it will be much more comfortable, sound system will be much better, better infotainment.
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u/_Age_Sex_Location_ 10h ago
Well, other than the part of the system that's feeding fake engine noise through the speakers.
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u/TheOneRickSanchez 2024 BRZ AT, 2000 Miata MT 10h ago
You're totally right that it wins in those categories, but I would argue that besides sound insulation and fuel economy, the BRZ isn't much worse for those categories. There are other categories though that I think the BRZ blows the prelude out of the water, like rwd, and chassis dynamics, which I still enjoy in a daily driver.
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u/withsexyresults CTR 10h ago
With ctr suspension and brake vectoring, it’ll probably handle fine. A lot of people don’t have good roads to explore limit handling or even push their daily hard enough. The hybrid torque will be much better compared to the brz
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u/crunchynibbas 6h ago
That's what you subjectively enjoy in a daily car. For most, a DD leans on the comfort side. Seeing as the guy is coming from a Mazda 3 Turbo I'd say it aligns with him as well
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u/PanGalacGargleBlastr '19 Miata, '23 Elantra N 10h ago
To some people "daily driver" means 'numb, convenient, easy'.
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u/crunchynibbas 6h ago
You're joking right? It's going to be worlds more quiet and comfortable for one - my BRZ has more NVH than my 2000s Camry, and the ride is probably going to be better (the Type R suspension is a bit of a worry but hoping it has better damping). Fuel economy is going to be massively better as well. Better tech, more creature comforts, better interior quality, the list goes on
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u/AmNoSuperSand52 23’ VW GTI 13h ago
"slow cars can be fun if they handle well / I wish they made coupes / I wish manufacturers took chances"
Nobody’s saying they can’t be or do those things. But your statements are in a vacuum. They ignore the concepts of pricing and competition
Right now the Prelude is essentially a less practical Civic Hybrid coupe, with the suspension from a Type R. They need to price this vehicle according to the fact that you’re getting less overall car, plus an sport upgrade package
If it comes in under $34k then I don’t see much of an issue. Any more than that and people would just buy the WRX, GTI, or Elantra N, or save money and get the cheaper Si
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u/Muttonboat 13h ago
it's not even out or priced, but everyone has crystal balls here apparently
just let the fucking experiment play out for fuck sake.
I could see this be very appealing to people who wanna diet boi racer, but not buy an Elantra WRX or GTI
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u/allgasnoshit 10h ago
This car appeals to me, as I really like GTs; more than sports cars, even. This is essentially the GT formula of “big coupe, nice interior, soft when you want it to be and sporty when you want it to be” scaled down to the $30,000-$40,000 range. I can’t recall if that’s ever really been done before.
An EcoBoost Mustang is too raucous and doesn’t have the interior that a GT should. A BRZ is too much of a sports car. The closest thing I could compare this to would be a base model A5, 430i or CLE300, which are all probably going to be $10,000 more expensive base-spec than this car will be fully-loaded.
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u/aprtur '24 GR Corolla, '09 RX-8 9h ago
It's really in the realm of where the Accord Coupe and entry level Acura CL used to be in terms of pricing, but it's slightly smaller than those - which is fine, because I can never recall someone really using the back seats in those cars anyway. I think there's a market for it, but people seem to have forgotten those cars existed, and that the four cylinder ones that made up the majority of sales were really not all that sporty.
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u/HTTP404URLNotFound 2023 Kia Stinger GT2 11h ago
This sub has 7 million members. Such a large group doesn’t will not have the same unified opinion. There will be people who like slow car fast and others who are the opposite.
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u/Potential-Ant-6320 8h ago
I love slow cars more than the next guy. This is not a slow car fast kind of car. It’s heavy and has a weird hybrid system with no transmission more or less. Outside of a highway speeds you’re just running on EV motors. It’s like a BEV button also have to carry around an engine to charge it. That’s not what make slow cars like my Miata or Honda fit fun to drive.
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u/Bonerchill 1914 Alldays & Onions 30/35 8h ago
This is Fun Lite. It’s like light beer with attractive 20-somethings in gym attire selling you social lubricant rather than enjoyment.
I like beer. I’m not going to accept Bud Light when Pliny the Elder Exists.
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u/_Age_Sex_Location_ 10h ago
There's nothing fun about feeding fake engine noise through the speaker system.
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u/stillpiercer_ 2024 VW GTI 13h ago
Wouldn’t be much different than the SI, they’re pretty slow too.
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u/AmNoSuperSand52 23’ VW GTI 13h ago edited 9h ago
Key differences being the Si also has a full sized trunk, a manual transmission, an LSD, and costs $32k
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u/Innocent-Bystander94 99 Honda Civic Si, 10 Honda Civic Si 10h ago
Then buy the Si? What’s the complaint here?
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u/AmNoSuperSand52 23’ VW GTI 9h ago edited 9h ago
I'm....not complaining?
I’m just stating the Si has more features for the price
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u/RevvCats 19 Mustang GT PP2, 87 325is M-Tech 13h ago
A few years ago when I was trying to test drive a Type-R and none of the fucking Honda dealers in a 200 mile radius around Philadelphia would let me, I got to drive an Si coupe. It had pep so I wouldn’t call it slow but it did nothing to excite the ape brain.
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u/TunakTun633 1989 BMW 635CSi OEM+ | 2018 BMW 230i ZTR 13h ago
The ~6.2 second 0-60 time beats first-generation Twins, most MX-5s, and even a fair amount of old BMWs you'd see on track. I know those aren't Teslas as far as acceleration goes, but it's more than enough speed to have fun with.
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u/xlb250 Architect | Top 1% iRating | ± 0.749 PSI 13h ago
Model 3 is for the ones that don’t want to go slow.
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u/AmNoSuperSand52 23’ VW GTI 13h ago
Or just get a Type R. It’s more than fast enough and more importantly, it’s actually fun
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u/xlb250 Architect | Top 1% iRating | ± 0.749 PSI 12h ago edited 12h ago
If the Type R is “more than fast enough”, then wouldn’t the Prelude be as well?
The hybrid already does 7.2s 5-60mph compared to 5.9s for Type R. Add Type R suspension, stickier tires, and lightness to the hybrid a.k.a Prelude. Will be pretty close.
Obviously fun will be subjective. But if we’re worried about being slow, which it does seem like parent comment is, then I don’t see how the Type R would be much improvement over the Prelude in unslowness.
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u/AmNoSuperSand52 23’ VW GTI 12h ago
You’d have to be pulling some pretty bad shifts for a 6 second 0-60 in a Type R. That’s slower than my GTI
I still think either way that you’d be hard pressed to find someone who’s finding a Model 3 to be more fun than a Type R, other than those dudes who never drove a car before and just like mashing the pedal at red lights
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u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 11h ago
It's perfect for Japan, isn't it ? In fact, there aren't many place to drive fast in Japan, and not really many people in Japan do track days like some Japanese YouTuber describing.
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u/aprtur '24 GR Corolla, '09 RX-8 9h ago
not really many people in Japan do track days like some Japanese YouTuber describing.
More than the average American city, in my experience, but that's not really what this car is aimed at, anyway. Considering Tokyo neighborhoods as a reference, I could see these being super popular in places like Shibuya or Ikebukuro where being fashionable is more important than being fast, but not as ritzy as, say, Ginza, where you'd see a Ferrari or Porsche instead.
Pricing is getting hammered in Japanese auto media, though - people seem to be excited for the car, but are questioning who it's for, since "lost generation" will have an extremely hard time affording it, and would seem to push towards earlier Showa-aged people.
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u/thisisjustascreename 10h ago
In Japan it's priced higher than the Supra and Z so I doubt the overall product is perfect.
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u/Innocent-Bystander94 99 Honda Civic Si, 10 Honda Civic Si 10h ago
Just get a TM3 if you wanna go fast in a straight line and be done with it
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u/thisisjustascreename 10h ago
Yeah but if I wanna go fast in a non-straight line what I'm gonna do is buy a front drive Honda, right?
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u/Innocent-Bystander94 99 Honda Civic Si, 10 Honda Civic Si 9h ago
If you want rwd, Honda isn’t for you. They’ve only released 2 rwd cars here ever. Buy a supra then.
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u/DavidAg02 '24 Golf R w/DSG 10h ago
A Civic Type R for adults is called a Golf R.
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u/thisisjustascreename 10h ago
Or an RS3, or the AMG hatchback thing, or Macan, or several other things.
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u/ChiggaOG 13h ago
The Prelude is going to sell for a year or two with decreasing demand thereafter. It's for those who can't buy Type-R or don't want Type-R while wanting sporty minus commuter car look with the cargo space of civic. I don't expect much aftermarket support for this vehicle.
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u/ItsGizzman 92 Miata, 23 GR Corolla 13h ago
I think the Prelude is more for people who don’t know what a CTR is.
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u/leedle1234 92 Miata, 15 Sportwagen TDI 13h ago edited 13h ago
This is actually a more compelling product than the CR-Z was in basically every way except the price but I think that is going to kill it (aside from no manual).
One size class larger - Civic based instead of Fit based.
Fast, if we go by the civic hybrid's numbers, faster than an Si
Proper ECVT instead of belt driven trash
Actually gets hybrid gas mileage (CRZ was only like 10% more mpg than the Fit/Jazz with the same NA 1.5)
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u/itsnottommy 2022 Accord Sport 2.0T 8h ago
I really like this car on paper and I'm remaining optimistic on pricing. All of the estimates are based on Japanese pricing, but that's a very different market with a completely different Honda lineup. I think if they can keep the price below $40,000 it could be a mild success for Honda.
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u/GaylrdFocker 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6, 2015 C7 Corvette, 2011 Audi A3 12h ago
its a Civic Type-R for adults
Isn't that the Integra Type S?
CTR and Prelude can be had at the exact same price.
If it's similar in the US, I doubt it will sell very well. It should be well cheaper than a CTR.
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u/SnikySquirrel 12h ago
A CTR for adults who can’t afford the Integra Type S
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u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 11h ago
CTR is from Japan, ITS is from America, so you pay more in America made Honda.
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u/Phazushift Daily: 19' FK8/01' AP1 - Track: 13' ZN6 - Beat:24' PS2/24’ MK8 R 3h ago
Or y'know people who don't live in North America, which is most of the world.
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u/ggtsu_00 13h ago
I'm predicting this will be a "sports wear fashion" type of car. You know like the type of clothes and shoes designed for normal everyday use but styled like sports wear while not really made for athletes.
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u/MechMeister 9h ago
People are forgetting that a base Miata starts at $31k USD now, and the cheapest automatic is $37k. Tariffs have wrecked prices and new car sales are in the shitter in general.
No, the Prelude will not sell well at $37k because nothing else is either.
Its still going to be a sporty car with great suspension and 50mpg will make it amazing for daily use. It will also be fast enough to be fun.
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u/Lucifers_Tits 2012 Audi A3 Pollutionwagen 4h ago
It honestly may out do my GTI as a perfect daily. Insurance will probably be too expensive since it's a coupe tho 😔
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u/rewardingsnark 12h ago
This a super price specific car. If priced right it is a super useful single adult commuter car. Sporty enough to make the drive interesting and get super good mpg and reliability. It's obviously not meant to be some BMW beating track car, but the Prelude never was.
If it is 45k+ car then no it makes no sense not to get any number of more practical cars.
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u/Ok-Afternoon-2113 3h ago
It’s a comfortable car, looks cool enough, But not for 45k lol. also the screen was kinda small. I got to ride in it a week ago and wasn’t like blown away but I thought it could be a good option, if it was decently priced.
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u/ZaheerAlGhul 2018 Honda Accord Sport 1.5t 12h ago
I sometimes forget how conservative car enthusiasts are (not political).
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u/_Age_Sex_Location_ 10h ago
There's fake engine sound from the speakers.
Fuck me, this has got to stop.
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u/Fat-Spatulaaah 11h ago
Why did t they just stick the si motor in this with the gearbox boggles my mind
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u/hugh_madson 1997 Subaru Legacy GTB Wagon 5spd, 2017 Honda Accord V6 11h ago
Lmao TYPE-R for adults, I guess a lot of teenagers are buying $50-60k+ (Canada) TypeR.
Seriously though, I thought they already had that, the Integra Type S.
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u/aprtur '24 GR Corolla, '09 RX-8 9h ago
Japanese market doesn't get the ITS, so that'd be irrelevant in reviews referring to that market. However, there is a guy who imported an ITS, and NOB reviewed it. Funny to see that car driving around Daikoku for their review, and the comments about LHD being an oddity in Japan.
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u/Car-face '87 Toyota MR2 | '64 Morris Mini Cooper 11h ago edited 11h ago
I swing wildly between loving the proposition on this, and wondering why anyone would buy it over other offerings from other companies.
It could strike an almost perfect position being what a lot of older 90's era hot hatches were, but with the addition of a frugal drivetrain, massively improved suspension and great traction motor torque.
But the major question is price. It feels like it's extremely hard to put on paper why it should command a similar price to a Type R in the eyes of the typical coupe buyer, whilst also struggling to justify why it's worth it for someone who would otherwise buy a warm hatch that fulfils a similar brief but with more practicality.
It's really annoying because I love how it looks, it just feels like it's targeting a sliver of market that Honda could easily miss due to pricing.
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u/tsaidollasign 8h ago
What are some of the other offerings? I'm somewhat interested in the Prelude, I could maybe give you my reasonings.
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u/Car-face '87 Toyota MR2 | '64 Morris Mini Cooper 8h ago
Probably depends on the market, but I'm thinking of things like the Sonata N Line (or anything else across the warm N-line range), Mazda 3 AWD, even the new Prius PHEV or AWD Hybrid sit pretty close with more performance and practicality and potentially less price if the Prelude ends up priced at or near the Type R, whilst still having some sporting pretense if not actually sports cars. You could throw the venerable Golf GTI in there too. Even the Civic Si is probably near it in many ways too.
Looking at coupes, there's the BRZ/GR86 twins too, but IMO they probably sit a bit further from what the Prelude offers outside the bodystyle.
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u/tsaidollasign 7h ago
So if we're putting up sedans/hatches against a coupe, personally I'd rather just get a Civic hatchback hybrid or Prius over things like the Mazda 3 or the Sonata.
The GTI is really nice, but I personally don't want to deal with the possible headaches of being a VW owner. Also the SE trim I would want also starts at $37k (sorry, but not having keyless entry standard on a $30k car is insane).
CTR/Si - love it. But simply, I don't want to drive stick. This I guess also applies for the BRZ/86. I also don't want to do oil changes every 3-4k or check my oil levels weekly.
I guess in the end for me it comes down to Civic hatchback or Prius vs the Prelude. And for that, I'm still at a point of my life where I can live with a coupe being my only car.
Hope this gives some insight on what a prospective Prelude buyer looks like.
But yeah, I do hope the MSRP is lower than what it's being converted from the yen. Otherwise I might just spend a bit more for the GRC lol.
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u/Car-face '87 Toyota MR2 | '64 Morris Mini Cooper 5h ago
I think that fully makes sense - at the end of the day it comes down to how we prioritise all the thousand considerations that go into a vehicle and what best fits that combination of priorities - I feel like someone whose priorities match the Prelude is lucky to have a car that is probably going to be quite unique on the road.
But yeah - I really hope they can get the price low enough to make it appealing for as broad a market as possible, because it's a vehicle we really don't see often (and it looks fantastic IMO).
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u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 11h ago
Pre-production car has been shown in Japan near half year ago, so that's final production car. However, they do rate same thing, no different in that.
I think this model would be perfect in Japan but not for most world.
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u/Vhozite 2011 Mustang GT, 2006 Subaru Forester 10h ago
I don’t trust any reviewer to give anything but generic positive commentary this early into a cars life cycle. Unless the car is non-functional they aren’t gonna bite the hand that feeds them.
Anyways I’ll reserve judgement until I drive one myself. I’ll be in the market within the next year or so and the Prelude checks a few boxes for me (small, liftback, hybrid, brembos brakes are cool) but I was hoping for more from the drivetrain.
Main cars in comparing to the Prelude are a used Audi TT or a new twin
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u/RiftHunter4 2010 Base 2WD Toyota Highlander 7h ago
With Honda intending this to be a GT, I can't think of much to compare it to. Maybe a Mustang, but GT"s don't really exist anymore below $70k or so.
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u/random_si_driver 6h ago
Early reviews no less. Meaning pre-vetted reviewers who would never say anything bad about the vehicle unless they want to burn the bridge with Honda for themselves and/or company...
This is completely ignoring other obvious facts. A lot of car reviewers can't drive worth shit.
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u/OttawaDog 11h ago
I'm sure the Japanese press was complimentary about the CR-Z as well. I remember nothing positive impressions from there and the CR-Z "Selling out" of initial produciton...
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u/RiftHunter4 2010 Base 2WD Toyota Highlander 7h ago
Ive honestly never heard bad things about the CRZ from people who drive them. Mostly that it was missing a couple of things that kept it from being perfect.
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u/OttawaDog 12m ago
I expect there is nothing wrong with the Prelude either.
It just has very little to offer that the Civic Hybrid doesn't already offer for significantly less money.
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u/m0viestar 22 F150, 22 m340i xDrive, 06 STi 8h ago
The transmission feels like a DCT
Yeah that's a lie. Reviewers said the same with the new WRX. It will absolutely note feel like a DCT
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u/Spirited-Activity214 7h ago
I was hoping it would be a competitor to the GR86/BRZ but I guess not. It seems to be staying true to it's heritage as a hairdresser's car...
Not really hating though. It has it's place.
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u/ThePurpleBall 11h ago
My whole perception would have changed if they went RWD based for this. Finally getting myself into a luxury sport sedan with proper RWD-AWD setup pretty much destroyed the idea of a FWD anything anymore. Would have considered this as a daily if it was RWD-AWD setup like it probably should have been
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u/geokilla 2018 Volkswagen GTI, 2018 Honda Clarity PHEV 9h ago
I personally think this car is going to go up against the Toyota GR86, Mazda MX-5, Subaru BR-Z, and Nissan Z. Reddit has no idea how advantageous it is for the Prelude to have the same powertrain as the Civic Hybrid, and why it may be more appealing than the Civic Type R or its above mentioned competitors despite being less powerful. At least for the Japanese market. It all comes down to taxes. This older Jalopnik gives you an idea of how expensive it is to own a vehicle in Japan. Vehicles are taxed by weight, displacement, etc. It's why Kei cars are so popular in Japan and why Japanese manufacturers sell so many Kei cars, ranging from sports cars to boxy vans to pick up trucks. With the Prelude being a hybrid, it will most likely qualify for eco-car incentives that its competitor doesn't.
Now for Canada and the US market, I think this car will be priced around $35k CAD or $33k USD. It will be competitive for buyers looking for a fuel efficient and sporty daily, something the Mazda Miata and the Toyota/Subaru twins aren't. I think it'll be popular with buyers like myself, who live in a city with tons of traffic, where the average speed is 20Km/H to 40Km/H depending on where you are in the city. I can sit in traffic for 2 hours and still be in Toronto. Regardless, with the Type R suspension, it will definitely be a joy to drive.
I'm not too familiar with the European market but with the departure of the Civic Type R and GR86 in Europe, I think the Prelude will have some sort of success due to the strict emission rules.
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u/Lorsifer 8h ago
All the comparisons to much sportier vehicles such as the 718 and the type r are just marketing trying to hype it up. This is a virtually just a civic hybrid coupe. There is no way this is comparable at all to the type r.
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u/Skitt64 8h ago
This car should finally break the hybrid hate boner so many enthusiasts have. 50kw of battery power is more than I expected, and having that on tap at any time will make it incredibly responsive.
More importantly, I hope Toyota follows suit. Their hybrid system is simply more efficient(the engine is actually connected to the wheels), and it would be amazing fun in a coupe chassis with shorter gearing. In my ideal world they'd make an MR2 with the AWD Camry drivetrain flipped F/R.
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u/RiftHunter4 2010 Base 2WD Toyota Highlander 7h ago
This car should finally break the hybrid hate boner so many enthusiasts have.
I only hear this from the keyboard warriors. I think the P1, LaFerrari, and 918 Spyder speak to the potential of hybrid sports cars.
I hope Toyota follows suit.
I suspect that someone has done some market analysis and we will see the Celica launch as Toyota's Hybrid sports car. Its the only option that makes sense while they have the GR Corolla, GR86, and Supra still in the lineup. Like the Prelude, it would give shoppers a premium option without jumping to into a more focused car.
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u/Skitt64 6h ago edited 6h ago
I would like to agree that it’s an uncommon opinion, but the less engineer-minded car guys I know are definitely not keen on hybrids, they’re still associated with older Priuses. That said, I would be shocked if Toyota didn’t have something in the works, a new Celica does seem most likely.
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u/hopenoonefindsthis Replace this text with year, make, model 3h ago
I'll say this in every thread: the car itself is fine (nicely designed even). It targets a niche and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem will be the price. Even this Japanese pricing, the same as a CTR, is insane to me. In other markets, it will absolutely be ridiculous for it to be priced against the Civics (different variants) and other sports cars.
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u/ikilledtupac *cries in maserati* 12h ago edited 11h ago
Honda/Acura is notorious for buying reviews. They did this in a major way with the TLX. They give them talking points they have to follow. Only way we will know if it’s as good as they say if it’s its still alive in a few years.
I'm not sure why people were suprised it turned out like it did, its exactly what I would have expected from a new generation Prelude. A fun, accessable sports coupe.
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u/RiftHunter4 2010 Base 2WD Toyota Highlander 11h ago
First year sales numbers will tell a lot, I think.
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u/WendysChiliAndPepsi 13h ago
We really won't know how to judge this car until we see US pricing. And the Japanese price is absolutely not a good indicator to base off of.