Honda’s Limited Edition 2027 Prelude Is Gorgeous, and We Can’t Have It
Honda’s hybrid coupe gets an exclusive red paint job and matching interior, but unfortunately it’s only for Japan.
For Honda fanatics, the Prelude is the ultimate expression of front-wheel-drive sport coupes, blending high-tech features with a sporty driving dynamic. It has always pushed the segment a step further, introducing something new or significantly improved with each generation. For 2027, Honda reintroduced the Prelude as a hybrid model that uses “S Plus Shift” to simulate the feel of a traditional gearbox despite its eCVT. And now the car gets a Limited Edition model with a gorgeous red exterior and interior, but America sadly won’t get it.
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Let’s start with the exterior, because it really is beautiful. Honda calls it Premium Crystal Garnet Metallic, and it shows as a slightly brighter, burgundy-like wine red. It is an upscale, sophisticated paint job that suits the 2027 Prelude’s mature design. Another of the Limited Edition’s unique exterior features is the front upper grille molding, which is painted in body color instead of the standard black chrome trim that separates the upper and lower fascias.
The front and rear bumpers also wear red accents, further distinguishing this model from the standard Prelude’s blue details. The wheels are also unique to the 2027 Prelude Limited Edition, featuring a machined face and black aluminum finish, and a set of red brake calipers with “Prelude” script highlights its performance character.
Inside, you find Bordeaux leather flanked by black trim, including on the front seats featuring perforated surfaces and contrasting red stitching. The Bordeaux passenger-side dashboard also gets an embroidered “Prelude” logo and additional red contrast stitching. There is also red stitching on the leather steering wheel, again giving the Prelude that mix of mature sophistication and playful, sporty attitude.
The 2027 Honda Prelude is on sale now with an MSRP of $38,791, or 6,306,300 Japanese yen. We reached out to Honda to ask whether there is any chance the complete car, the Premium Crystal Garnet Metallic paint, or anything else from the Limited Edition could make its way to the U.S., but we have not yet received a reply.
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Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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