The 2026 Honda Prelude just made its North American debut, and it uses the excellent two-motor hybrid system. That means it has excellent fuel economy to go with its 200 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque, right? Right?! It looks that way. Although Honda’s press release didn’t disclose any fuel economy ratings, the future vehicles page on its consumer site may have just revealed it.
A quick look at the 2026 Honda Prelude page under future vehicles, and some numbers are indeed there. The first paragraph notes 46/41 mpg city/highway. However, it did not disclose a combined rating. Clicking on the asterisk at the end of the first paragraph, the disclaimer notes that these numbers are based on 2026 EPA mileage ratings. That suggests the ratings are already finalized, meaning that the combined rating should be 44 mpg.
If that’s the case, that makes the Honda Prelude’s mpg ratings identical to the Accord equipped with 19-inch wheels. The EX-L trim has an EPA rating of 51/44/48 mpg. Meanwhile, the EPA rates the Civic Hybrid sedan at 50/47/49 mpg, while the hatchback checks in at 50/45/48 mpg. That puts the Prelude on the lower end of the spectrum. However, that’s above the larger CR-V, which has a rating of 43/36/40 with FWD, or 40/34/37 with AWD.
Honda Prelude: Unmatched MPGs
Regardless, the Prelude offers impressive efficiency, especially by sports car standards. When we take a look at its closest competitors, nothing comes close to the Prelude. The Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ? Way lower at 20/27/22 mpg. Mazda MX-5 Miata? 26/34/29 mpg. What about front-drive sport compacts? The Golf GTI has an EPA rating of 24/32/27 mpg. Civic Si? 27/37/31 mpg. Yeah, the Prelude dominates the mpg game.
The Prelude comes standard with Goodyear Eagle Touring all-season tires. Meanwhile, it offers Continental ExtremContact Sport 02s as a summer tire option. However, expect the stickier tires to drop the mpg ratings.
Source: Honda
