Much has been said about the new Honda Prelude, but however you may feel about the auto-only hybrid coupe, it’s apparently popular enough to already get a special edition in Japan. For the 2027 model year, Honda’s revived two-door is getting a Limited Edition — like, literally, that’s what it’s called. There aren’t any mechanical or performance changes; instead, the LE Prelude features an exclusive deep red paint job with a matching color scheme inside.
That exterior color is called Premium Crystal Garnet Metallic, and it really does bring to mind a bottle of red wine, as does the appropriately named Bordeaux interior trim that sees the lower center console, door card armrests, seat inserts, dash trim, and cursive Prelude script all finished in this purple-red hue. This car also gets red brake calipers and red steering wheel stitching to match.
It starts at the Japanese yen equivalent of about $39,000 (a regular Prelude goes for $43,195 stateside), about $800 more than what a standard Prelude goes for over there. Considering automakers routinely charge hundreds for “not black, gray, or white” paint, $800 for such a nice red and that gorgeous interior feels more than reasonable.
Sales are fine, actually
By now, it feels like every single car journalist I know, myself included, has had a go in the new Prelude, and the consensus is consistently mixed. We pretty much all agree that the handling afforded by that Type R-derived front end is pretty sublime, and most everybody enjoys the way it looks, but Honda’s asking price, its efficient-but-tepid Civic Hybrid powertrain, and (shocker) the lack of a manual transmission are the common negative talking points.
Despite that, early Prelude sales in its home market of Japan are reportedly exceeding expectations, with 2,400 orders placed last September (mostly from older people) — Honda originally projected 300 customers per month. Here in the U.S., a first-month sales figure of 174 cars may have sounded paltry, but Honda later told us that was very much an inventory thing; sales are actually “right on target,” and “early feedback from our customers and dealers has also been incredibly positive.” 1,470 Preludes have been sold in the U.S. through May.
Here in the States, the only non-shade colors available for this car are Boost Blue and Rallye Red. They’re cool, but a little bright and juvenile compared to this Crystal Garnet. Bring it here, Honda, and you might just sell a couple more Preludes than you planned to.
