Sales of Honda’s new Prelude are already off to a disappointing start – SlashGear

When Honda announced the 2026 Prelude, we were among the many interested parties disappointed with the pricing. Its starting MSRP of $42,000 before taxes, title and destination charges makes it noticeably more expensive than comparable models like the Subaru BRZ, Toyota GR86 and Mazda MX-5 Miata. While these three rivals won’t appeal to every potential buyer, they are all driver-focused machines that can be had for several thousand dollars less than the Prelude.

Honda’s hybrid coupe first arrived at dealerships in September 2025, and December is the first full month for which sales figures are available. In one press release Honda announced that it would sell more than 1.4 million vehicles in the U.S. by 2025, but only 204 of those were Preludes. 174 of those sales took place in December, but the short period of availability is insufficient to fully assess demand for the model. Sales of the above competitors were slightly stronger in the final weeks of 2025, and two of them had solid sales during the year. Subaru sold 229 BRZs in December, bringing its annual total to 2,882 units. Mazda sold 482 MX-5 Miatas in December and 8,727 units during the year. Toyota did quite well with the GR86, selling 576 units in December 2025 and 8,090 for the calendar year.

Honda relies heavily on U.S. manufacturing facilities to produce many of its most popular models, but the Prelude is manufactured exclusively in Japan. In addition to shipping costs to the United States and other overseas markets, Preludes sold in the US are subject to 25% tariffs applied to all Japanese car imports. Before the increases implemented by the Trump administration, Japanese cars were taxed at rates between 2.5 and 15%. However, Canadian buyers have a slightly easier time when the exchange rate is taken into account. The Prelude’s MSRP north of the border starts at $49,990 Canadian, which at the time of writing equates to approximately $36,500 USD. Passenger cars imported into the US from Canada are currently only subject to a 2.5% duty, meaning it’s still worth heading north if you want to save on a Prelude.

It’s anyone’s guess how long the 25% tariffs on Japanese imports will remain in effect, but until then, the Prelude is in a difficult position. The price is closer to higher performance sports cars, but offers a hybrid powertrain and a driving experience that prioritizes efficiency and refinement over pure performance. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with that combination, it makes the Prelude a harder sell to the entire spectrum of potential buyers. If prices remain unchanged, it won’t be surprising to see Prelude sales remain in the neighborhood of a few hundred units monthly. However, it is still too early to label the new Prelude as a complete failure. A full year on the market will give us a clearer idea of ​​its appeal, but Honda’s decision to price the Prelude so highly may have severely limited its potential from the start.