2026 Honda Prelude

2026 Honda Prelude Talking Cars (MP3) · Apr 22, 2026

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Concept

hybrid

A hybrid uses both a gas engine and an electric motor. That can help with efficiency and make the car feel smoother, especially at low speeds.

Term

automatic

An automatic transmission changes gears for you. You don’t have to use a clutch pedal to drive.

Car

Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is one of Honda’s most common compact cars. Here, they’re using it as a clue about what the Prelude is related to or built from.

Car

The Honda CRX was a small, sporty Honda that people associate with a fun, lightweight feel. In this discussion, it’s referenced as an example of Honda using the same basic idea in different body styles.

Car

Honda Accord

The Honda Accord has had coupe versions in the past. The hosts mention it to show that coupes used to be more widely available, not just niche.

Concept

coupes going away

They’re talking about how fewer cars are being made as traditional coupes these days. SUVs have become more popular, so coupes are rarer.

Car

Renault Wind

The Renault Wind is a small convertible, meaning you can drive with the top down. It’s built to be compact and easy to handle compared with larger convertibles. People may mention it when talking about which specific Renault model they’re looking at.

Car

Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry has historically been offered in coupe forms in some years, and the hosts cite it as an example of mainstream coupes that used to exist. It supports their argument that coupes were once more common across brands.

Car

Civic Si

The Civic Si is Honda’s performance-oriented trim of the Civic, typically emphasizing a driver-focused setup and—on many generations—a manual transmission option. Here, the hosts connect the Prelude’s controls and some powertrain choices to the Civic Si, including mention of a “stick shift turbo.”

Car

Integra coupe

The Integra is another Honda model that people often associate with a sporty two-door. Here, they’re saying the Prelude feels like it could have been that kind of car, but it ends up mixing pieces in a way that doesn’t satisfy either side.

Term

stick shift turbo

This means a car with a manual gearbox (“stick shift”) and a turbo engine. Turbos can make power feel stronger, and a manual lets you control the gears yourself.

Concept

parts bin car

A “parts bin car” is a vehicle that heavily reuses components from other models rather than being engineered as a fully unique platform. The hosts use this idea to criticize the Prelude’s identity—mixing Civic-derived efficiency and chassis elements in a way that feels contradictory to the car’s intended role.

Term

manual

A manual transmission lets the driver select gears using a clutch and gear lever, generally offering more direct control than an automatic. The hosts note Honda historically offered the Prelude with a manual, which ties into their broader critique of how well the new car’s “mix-and-match” approach lands.

Term

four-wheel steer

Four-wheel steering means both the front and rear wheels can steer. At low speeds it helps you turn and park more easily, and at higher speeds it can make the car feel steadier. It’s like giving the car extra “steering help.”

Term

analogue brakes

“Analogue brakes” here is used as a contrast to more digital/assist-heavy braking feel, implying a more traditional, direct pedal response. Enthusiasts often prefer predictable, mechanical-feeling braking over systems that can feel overly managed by electronics. The key point is driver feel and feedback.

Term

moon roofs

A moonroof or sunroof is a panel in the roof that lets in more light (and sometimes air). The hosts are saying this car doesn’t have one, so the roof stays fully closed. That can change how the cabin feels and how the car is built.

Term

S Plus shift system

This is a shifting feature that tries to make an automatic-style drivetrain feel like it’s changing gears. Instead of a true manual, it “acts” like one through software. The discussion is basically whether that imitation is satisfying to car people.

Concept

simulates gears

Some cars can pretend to shift by changing engine speed and behavior, even if the transmission isn’t truly doing manual gear changes. It can make the car feel more engaging, but it might not feel as authentic as a real manual. That’s what the hosts are arguing about.

Term

fake engine noises

Some cars add artificial sound to make the engine seem louder or more exciting. The hosts are saying enthusiasts often don’t like that because it doesn’t feel authentic. They want the real sound and real response from the car.

Term

rear cross traffic warning

Rear cross-traffic warning helps you when you’re backing out of a parking space. It watches for cars coming from the sides and warns you so you don’t miss them. It’s meant to prevent “I didn’t see them” moments.

Concept

twisty roads

Twisty roads are the kind of roads with lots of curves. They’re where you really notice how a car handles—how it turns and stays stable. The hosts are saying the Prelude felt good in that kind of driving.

Term

beginner's track day car

A beginner track-day car is one that’s not too difficult to drive fast on a racetrack. It should feel stable and easy to control so new drivers can learn safely.

Term

leave it in D

“Leave it in D” means keep the automatic transmission in its normal driving mode. The hosts are saying you don’t have to fiddle with settings to enjoy it.

Car

Honda Civic Hybrid Touring

They’re comparing the Prelude to a cheaper Civic hybrid version. The idea is that you can get similar fun and more everyday practicality for less money.

Term

pop-up headlights

Pop-up headlights are headlights that move up from the front of the car when you turn them on. They’re mentioning this because the older look is part of why the car reminds them of a Prius.

Car

Z

They’re talking about the Nissan Z as a more hardcore sports car. Even though it has strong power, it can feel tougher and louder to drive than the Prelude.

Term

heavy clutch

A heavy clutch means the pedal is harder to push. That can make the car feel more work to drive, especially in traffic or when shifting a lot.

Term

smooth powertrain

Smooth powertrain means the car delivers power in a gentle, easy-to-feel way. It usually translates to less vibration and a more comfortable ride.

Term

engine's not screaming

They mean the engine doesn’t sound stressed or overly loud. A quieter, calmer engine usually feels more comfortable day-to-day.

Concept

consideration set

A consideration set is just the short list of cars you’re actually thinking about buying. The hosts are saying the Prelude might not fit neatly into the “sports” list or the “efficient” list for some shoppers.

Car

Mustang

They bring up the Ford Mustang as a more traditional choice for people who want a sporty driving feel. It’s being used to show what the Prelude isn’t trying to be.

Car

Prius

They mention the Toyota Prius as the go-to example of a very efficient car. It’s known for hybrid tech that prioritizes saving gas.

Car

Integra

They mention the Acura Integra as another car people might consider if they want something more efficient. It’s grouped with other practical models rather than the hardcore sports-car picks.

Car

Honda Crz

The Honda CR-Z is referenced as a past Honda model that returned with a hybrid system paired with a manual transmission. The hosts point out it wasn’t as efficient as a Prius and wasn’t really a pure sports car, but it had an appealing “something different” character.

Term

used market

The used market is where you buy cars that someone else already owned. The idea is that this car may be pricey when new, but later it could be a better deal.

Car

Porsche Cayenne

The Porsche Cayenne is an SUV made by Porsche. It’s meant to be more practical than a sports car, but still feel sporty to drive. People bring it up because it’s a Porsche you can use day to day.

Term

car seat

A car seat is the safety seat for a child. They’re saying the car might be great to drive, but if you need to fit a car seat in the back, you’ll want to check space and usability.

Concept

cost per pound of car analysis

This is a simple way to compare cars: take the price and divide it by how much the car weighs. The goal is to see if one car is “overpriced” compared to another when you account for weight.

Car

Porsche 944

A Porsche 944 is an older sports coupe that many people like because it feels smooth and “tight” to drive. Here, the hosts are saying it feels more comfortable and quieter than the newer car they’re reviewing.

Concept

grand tourer

A “grand tourer” is basically a car meant for comfortable road trips. The hosts are saying the car is being sold like that, but it doesn’t feel luxurious or relaxed enough to match the idea.

Term

road noise

Road noise is how loud the outside sounds are once you’re inside the car. Quieter cars tend to feel more comfortable, especially on highways.

Term

heated steering wheel

A heated steering wheel is a steering wheel that warms up so your hands don’t get cold. The hosts mention it because they think the car’s price should include comfort features like that.

Car

Mazda MX-5 / Miata

The Mazda MX-5 (Miata) is a small two-seat convertible roadster. It’s designed to be fun and easy to drive, especially on twisty roads. That’s why people sometimes suggest it as an extra car for weekend enjoyment.

Term

cargo cover

A cargo cover is a panel that goes over the trunk so people can’t easily see what you’re carrying. The host says it’s worth paying extra for if you want more privacy.

Concept

personal luxury coupe

A personal luxury coupe is a car that’s more about comfort, style, and feeling upscale than about being a hardcore sports car. The hosts are saying this kind of “nice and stylish” approach is coming back.

Concept

imported into a market with totally different regulations

If a car is built for another country, the U.S. may require different safety and emissions rules. When that happens, the car can cost more to bring over, or it might not be offered at all.

Concept

small volume vehicle

A small volume car is one that doesn’t sell in huge numbers. When that’s the case, the cost to make it legal and safe for the U.S. is harder to justify, so you may see fewer versions available.

Concept

crash tested

Before a car can be sold in the U.S., it has to pass safety rules. That usually means crash testing and paperwork, and it can be costly—especially for cars that aren’t sold in huge numbers.

Concept

certified

“Certified” means the car has been approved to meet U.S. rules. If a model is rare or comes from another market, getting it approved can be a lot of work and money.

Car

Volkswagen GTI

The Volkswagen GTI is a popular sporty hatchback. They’re saying that even though a manual version might exist elsewhere, it can be difficult to offer in the U.S., especially when it requires extra effort to certify.

Term

snow tires

Snow tires are tires made to grip better in winter. They help a car handle snow and ice more safely than regular tires.

Concept

long range EV tests

“Long range EV tests” refers to how EVs are evaluated for real-world driving distance, especially under conditions that stress the battery (like highway speeds and sustained loads). The hosts debate whether testing should match typical daily use (short commutes) versus extreme or less-common scenarios.

Concept

real-world driving vs test scenarios

This segment contrasts real-world driving patterns (like commuting around 40 miles per day) with test scenarios that emphasize long-range capability. It’s a discussion about how EV range results can be interpreted differently depending on whether you prioritize everyday use or less common long-distance trips.

Concept

zero to 60 times

Zero to 60 is a simple test of how fast a car can accelerate from stopped to 60 mph. It’s a popular number people talk about, even if it doesn’t match everyday driving.

Term

horsepower

Horsepower is a measure of an engine’s power output and is often used as a headline performance number. The hosts mention it to make an analogy: people get excited about big numbers even when they don’t reflect most drivers’ needs.

Car

Mercedes-Benz B250e

The Mercedes-Benz B250e is an electric Mercedes meant more for everyday driving than long road trips. The point here is that some EVs with less range can still fit many people’s routines.

Company

consumer reports

Consumer Reports is a well-known car review and testing organization. Here they’re saying they adjust their testing/scoring so the results reflect what most drivers actually care about.

Concept

300 mile EV

A “300 mile EV” is an electric car that claims it can go about 300 miles on one charge. The point here is that many drivers don’t use anywhere near that much range every day.

Concept

40 miles a day

“40 miles a day” is basically an estimate of how far many people drive in a typical day. If that’s true, then you don’t always need the biggest range number to be satisfied.

Concept

EV market was filled with these compliance cars

A “compliance car” is basically a vehicle that exists mainly to satisfy rules or regulations. Even if it’s discounted, people may not want it if it doesn’t fit real needs like enough range.

Concept

EV incentives ("99 dollars a month")

They’re talking about deals that can lower the monthly cost of an EV, like “99 dollars a month.” The point is that even with discounts, people still won’t buy an EV if it doesn’t fit their needs.

Concept

EV range

Range is how many miles an EV can go before it needs charging. Even if a car has a big number on the sticker, your actual driving and charging habits can change what you really get.

Term

plug-in

“Plug-in” means the vehicle can be charged from an outlet. If you’re using a temporary setup (like an extension cord) and it’s cold, charging and battery behavior can be less predictable.

Concept

road-trip range testing

Road-trip range testing focuses on how an EV performs when you’re traveling longer distances, often with different speeds, temperatures, and repeated charging stops. The discussion contrasts this with EPA-style testing, arguing that road-trip conditions better reflect how people actually use EVs.

Concept

EPA tests range

The EPA estimates EV range using standardized driving cycles that mix city and highway behavior. That means the published number is a controlled estimate, not a guarantee of what you’ll see on a specific road trip with your exact speed, weather, and accessory use.

Term

plug it in

With an EV, you don’t buy gas—you charge. For everyday driving, you can usually just plug it in and be ready for the next trip.

Concept

high-speed highway driving reduces EV efficiency

EVs can use more energy when you’re driving fast for long stretches. Since you’re not slowing down much, you don’t get as much “free” battery recharge from regenerative braking.

Concept

regenerative braking

When you lift off the accelerator or brake in an EV, the car can slow down while also recharging the battery. It works best when you’re stopping and slowing often, not when you’re just cruising at steady highway speed.

Concept

range anxiety

Range anxiety is the stress of wondering if you’ll run out of battery before you reach a charger. It often comes from the gap between advertised range and what you actually get on your drive.

Term

high speed charger

A fast charger helps you add battery much quicker than slower chargers. If your navigation can find one on your route, it makes long trips easier.

Company

Google built-in ones

They’re talking about EVs that use Google’s navigation features inside the car. That can make it easier to plan a trip and find chargers when you need them.

Car

Dodge Charger

The Dodge Charger is a larger sedan that can be built for performance. It’s the kind of car where features like navigation and route guidance matter during driving. People may mention it when talking about how the car helps you plan or follow a trip.

Car

Honda Prelude

The Honda Prelude is a Honda sports coupe. The hosts mention it as one of the kinds of cars people might have in addition to other cars.

Car

Miata

The Miata is a small, fun Mazda roadster. The hosts are basically saying some people end up collecting multiple fun cars.

Company

cr.org

cr.org is where Consumer Reports shares its car testing and survey results. The hosts are saying they use that data to understand what people care about when buying.

Concept

range tests

Range tests are evaluations of how far a vehicle can go before it needs recharging, typically under controlled conditions. For EVs especially, range testing helps translate real-world usage into a number buyers can compare.

Concept

EV

EV means electric vehicle—cars powered primarily by electricity stored in a battery. The hosts mention survey data about what holds people back from buying an EV, which is useful context for understanding consumer decision-making.

Concept

nonprofit

A nonprofit is an organization that exists to serve a mission, not to make money for owners. The hosts say that helps them stay more independent when doing car research.

LIVE

Hey, welcome back. I'm Keith Barry. I'm Steph Schrader. And I am Jake Fisher. And we are

uniquely equipped today to talk about a very unique car that is in sort of right out there.

I can see it out the window. We bought a Honda Prelude for our test program because you said

we should. We should. And you wrote the first drive. I like kind of weird cars and what seem

like questionable business decisions. And you know all about Honda's performance vehicles and

history. So I think we're an interesting group of folks right here to talk about this. So what

is this car? It's 200 horsepower. It's a hybrid. It's an automatic. It's a Civic. It's a coupe.

It's like $43,000. What is this? What is this car?

The good question, you know. So I mean, think it through. Like you look at kind of the Honda's

like parts bins from like, you know, yesteryear, right? There was lots of different interesting

variations that like I grew up with, you know, whether or not it's the Honda CRX, which was

like the two seat version of the Civic, the Prelude, which is kind of like the kind of like

a coupe. I mean, there was an accord. Yeah, it was an accord coupe too. Yeah. Remember, there's

like a cord coupe LXI, you know, which was a hatchback and a two door. And they have all

these different versions of these cars. Now we're in this world where everything is an SUV,

right? There's different flavors of SUVs, like there used to be different flavors of cars.

And what's interesting is, is that because cars are so much going away, what really has gone away

was coupes. I mean, there used to be a lot of coupes. I'm so happy to see another coupe.

Well, this is the thing, right? It's they didn't Mitsubishi it name, use the name.

Oh, yes. It's the Prelude Cross. Oh, thank you that to the wind. It's not to be tires.

So look, I mean, it wasn't too long ago that where there was like Camry coupes and Ultima

coupes and everything. And the Civic with the 10th generation or the 11th generation of the Civic

was the first time they didn't have a coupe. So they could have come up with a 11th gen Civic

coupe called it a Civic SI coupe, called a Civic SI coupe. And but that would be a car that would

probably sell for like $34,000 by kind of giving it different styling and some leather. Now they

got a car that could sell for about $10,000 more. And that's really what this is, right? I mean,

this is a I mean, look, I driving the car last night, I've got a Civic SI. It's very similar.

The controls are pretty much similar. It is sure it's got some nicer leather interior and stuff

like that. But it is a Civic coupe at a higher price point. It could have been an Integra coupe.

Yeah, that could have been an option. That's what everybody wanted when the Integra was released.

A lot of people were like, where's the two door? Yeah, where's the two door and where's that? So we're

in this weird situation. There's this Honda parts bin of this fantastic hybrid powertrain,

which they don't put in the Integra. And then they have this fantastic stick shift turbo that

they put the SI, but they do put in the Integra, but not in the prelude. And you've got this

amalgamation of stuff, which is this car. Now, now look, I mean, I think one of the

disappointments for me, I'll take it right up is something I never really talk about, which is

styling and why it doesn't actually have styling cues of the preludes that went out. I don't

understand why it looks just like a Prius. I don't understand. So Steph, you actually, you

spent a lot of time with this car, right? Yeah. What have you found? I mean,

the prelude has always been kind of a parts bin car, right? Like originally, it took a lot from

the Accord. This one takes a lot from the Civic, but the items that they chose for this are just

kind of a contradiction. They've got this more sporty, kind of a stiffer suspension from the

Civic Type R. They've got this super efficient drivetrain from the Civic Hybrid. And it just

seems like, I know they tried to retune everything for the prelude, but... Exactly, yes. Well,

I mean, this almost feels like the two door Integra that everybody wanted, except you've got

these contradicting things. And, you know, it's not quite sporty enough, powertrain wise to kind

of fit that. It's not quite luxurious enough to justify the price or, you know, the positioning

that Honda was kind of aiming for, which was more of a grand tourer. And, you know, the original

preludes were never that high-powered, but, you know, they were pretty nice inside. You could get

them with a manual. And like, something that Honda historically did was use the prelude to

debut new tech or new features. Here's a four-wheel steer version. Yes, four-wheel steer,

analogue brakes, moon roofs. You can't get a moon roof or sunroof or any kind of hole in the roof

on this. And a lot of the people were like, but this is the model that debuted that for Honda.

You know, and so this one, their special thing was the S Plus shift system.

Yeah. Yeah. Which, you know, it simulates gears, but when you're going after the enthusiast market,

enthusiasts want something real. They want, you know, this is the market that's always like,

does it come in a manual? Does it come in a manual? Does it come in a manual? Yeah. Well, and they also,

you know, things like, you know, fake engine noises, like they reject that. Yeah. They want

something that's real and it's not. Yeah. But like all that aside, though, I gotta say, because I came

to this car, like I read what you wrote, which I normally don't do. I normally try and go,

no, no, no, no, no. No, I normally don't read what anyone. Is it just her? No. I mean, I don't read

anything that any, I know, I know, I don't read anything that anyone's written before. Well, yeah,

you don't want to color your. Exactly. That's what it is. Yeah. When a car shows up, I kind of go

into it and think, okay, and the first thing was, how do I get into this thing? And because I

hadn't read anything, I wanted to figure out it has those stupid door handles. So I was automatically,

I was kind of, and then I tried to back it out of a parking space and the whole three quarter view

is like the minuscule back seat. And I think I even took some video of it. There's my rear

three quarter view. I'm going to put it into reverse. And yeah, there's a little window there.

If I crane my neck around, but it doesn't really tell me much. And

there we go. And thank goodness it has the rear cross traffic warning because if you're

parked next to an SUV, you're not going to see anything when you're pulling out of a parking

space. But then I drove it and I got on some of the twisty roads around here and I got around

the track and stuff. And I was like, I don't know why, but this thing kind of makes sense.

Something about it, I like it. You like weird cars. Well, then I had to wonder if it was just

me kind of overcompensating because I love the Strangest because it's so cool that this huge

conservative company decided to sell this thing and whether they're bringing like 4,000 of them to the US.

Yeah, I mean, it's a super limited release. I liked it too. When I was actually filming the

video for it, I was just left it, didn't try to play with the fake shifters, didn't try to do

anything, just left it in D and just hooned around. And I'm just like, this thing would be a great

beginner's track day car. Go learn more about handling, learn more. And it's just,

leave it in D, have fun. It handles like a dream. Yeah, I think this is a car that you can like

if you ignore the other products that Honda makes. You have to divorce that out of your head.

You have to imagine that there is no civic hybrid touring for $10,000 less that pretty much gives

you the same enjoyment and more space and an actual backseat and it saves you money. You have to ignore

the fact there's a civic SI for $10,000 less that gives you an actual sporty driving experience,

the same handling and all those things. You have to ignore those things, put those out of your

memory. You have to forget that there's an interior. You're almost in Type R territory.

You could get the Type R drivetrain, the manual. Yeah. And if you want a backseat,

I mean, I get it for people who want a coupe, but then, you know, this isn't the intended vehicle.

So then if it's coupe, then it's all about like how it looks. Yeah. And it looks like a Prius.

I'm sorry. It looks too short. That's the civic baseline. The front end of it.

It was a very Prius up front. It's very Prius up front. Remember the pop-up headlights or the

little, the kind of, yeah. Because if you look at like the last generation Pri, even when they

got rid of the headlights, it looks more like a Civic. Yeah. You know, it's kind of got that

longer hood. It doesn't have that slope. And yeah, if it's styling you're at, don't look like a Prius.

But I want to go back to this. What you were talking about is kind of the first,

because I'm thinking about other cars, not just Honda of who else is going to shop this. So,

you know, there's the Toyobaru. There is the Prius. Honestly, the Prius is actually a pretty

fun car to drive these days. And let's do a few numbers here, right? Yeah. Prius, you could get

for, I mean, with leather, you're talking like $10,000 less. You're talking more fuel efficiency,

faster, more room. It's kind of like on numbers. I mean, it's not the driving enjoyment,

absolutely. But then, of course, those are Civics, you know. But I want to talk with you about this,

compared to the Z. Yeah, the Z starts around the same price and you get twice the horsepower.

It's 400 horsepower. Yeah. But the Z has that, the Z to me, you're fighting with it when you're

driving it. It's got that heavy clutch. This is like a car that I think if I were maybe,

maybe if I'd had knee surgery, maybe if I didn't want to. Yeah, you can still enjoy it. Exactly.

This is a very different animal than the Z. Yeah. I mean, Z is, I mean, look, again, the Z is harsh,

right? The Z is noisy. Yep. It's firm, all those kinds of things. This is a very pleasant driving

experience. I mean, it is, it's pretty quiet. It's smooth powertrain. The engine's not screaming.

It's more coddling than the Z's rough. I mean, again, it's a different animal, I think, than a

sports car. Well, so here's my problem with the Prelude as it sits, is it's not really focused

enough. So if you are wanting a sporty driving experience, you're going to look at things

like the Mustang or the Toyo Brew or the Z or this or that. If you want something that's more

efficient, you are going to look at the Prius, you are going to look at the other Civics, maybe

even the Integra, which is, you know, in the mid-thirties. Yeah. Yeah. I think you're exactly

right. It's just kind of like, I mean, it runs me a little bit. Remember the CRZ? Of course. So

CRZ came back and it wasn't really a sporty car. It was kind of like, it was a hybrid,

but it was a stick shift. That was cool. It was less efficient than a Prius,

even though it was only two seats. It didn't quite make any sense, but maybe this is the beauty of

this car. It's that, you know, to your point of liking something different, it is something

different. There are lots of other cars. $42,000. You don't need to sell a whole lot of them. No,

no. Here's what I think, you know, the last time I flew, you know, if you've been on like an

international flight lately, like three quarters of the plane is first class seats now. And if you

go to, you know, somewhere, you know, somewhere with a lot of shops, you're looking around and I'm

thinking, who the heck could afford this stuff? But there's like more than six billion people in

the world. There's more than 4,000 people with the money and the interest in this. And I just think

it's, I just think it's cool. I mean, it, it's, I always wait for them to upgrade me. Yeah, exactly.

Exactly. And it's funny because they will. So you might want to wait till this goes

on the used market. Exactly. This is going to be another one of those cars that enthusiasts like

us are like, man, if this shows up at a car max for 20 grand in five years. In 10 years, people are,

it's going to be like the CRZ. People are going to ask, oh man, why didn't more people buy this? And,

you know, all of us old farts will be like, it was $42,000. It'll be perfect for us because we

won't, you know, the stick shift will be tired of it. But I don't know if they let the, they let

the team that, no, I don't know. They let the team, no, my tendonitis will be, that's the problem.

But no, the, they let the team that design the element out of like the containment facility

they've had them in for 15 years. And they were like, all right, we're going to give you one more

chance. Don't insult the elements. No, I'm not. Honestly, it's awesome. I actually kind of like

the styling. There were, the nose, I think should be a little less Prius, but like,

I think I like it because a couple of us got catfished with the script on the back,

mistaking it for a Porsche, because Porsche has the same like script that they have, you know,

Carrera, Cayenne, this, but it's, you know, it's got the roof line. It's not very prelude.

Doesn't give off prelude vibes. But, you know, in a bubble, I think it looks kind of cool.

Huh. And in a bubble economy, it would have been a cooler car. But Vonda is not in that world

anymore. I don't know. I think it's, am I going to take it for the weekend and head up? Yes,

I will fight you. Yeah, probably. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's probably going to get signed out a decent

amount. But I also think that folks who have, if you need to put a car seat in the back,

if you need to put people in the back, if you need to put, you know, it's, it is not, and driving

around in a smaller car around here, it's great because there aren't other cars on the road. And

then the second you park, you know, you're driving and you're getting passed by an F-250 and you're

looking up at the chassis and you're thinking maybe, maybe this car is a little small for the,

and I hate to say that because I love small, nimble cars. Yeah, I'm a small car person. So this is

firmly in my wheelhouse and I'm still going like... Defensively. Well, not, not size-wise,

just kind of cost-wise and just, yeah, I'm just like... We should do a cost per, we should have a

need to run a cost per pound of car analysis or inch, you know, and see like how much this is,

how where this fits. Honestly, I think how a lot of consumers think about things like,

I'm gonna pay 43, I want something bigger. Yeah, you know. I want something more luxurious that

the problem I had was they're, they're kind of positioning it as a grand tourer, but I don't

get that vibe at all. You know, my cage 944 has a smoother ride and... Probably less road noise.

Yeah. Well, no, no, it doesn't have any windows. Windows help. It doesn't really have that like

smooth... It's got a smooth drivetrain, but you know, not really an exciting one.

And just the things that are missing just kind of grind on you for the price point. Like,

the back seat is black cloth. It doesn't match the like pretty two-tone on our... Oh, yeah.

There's no heated steering wheel. No, I would say though, the good news is because Jake decided

that we were gonna buy one is that we get to drive it in this vacuum and not think about that price

once we're done reviewing it. And we can just sort of enjoy it because it's... But if you're out

there naturally purchasing it, I imagine this might be a third car for a lot of people who buy it,

not for a lot of people, but for the people who buy it, it might be like, oh yeah, I grabbed one of

that. I got one of these. I've always liked that. I've always wanted a, you know, I think of a third

car, like a Miata would be a better third car. I agree with that, but it was cheaper also. Yeah.

I could live with it as an only car, but you know, a single person, not a lot of stuff.

It does have an amazing amount of cargo space, and it's actually pretty roomy up front. Like,

if you have to carry anyone or anything in the back seat, no. But like, you know, for me, I would

just, you know, get the cargo cover, $150 extra, it is not included. I would get the cargo cover,

so my stuff's a little more private and, you know, have a ball. It has all those things.

The return of the personal luxury coupe. Yes. But it's a great advertisement for

a civic hybrid hatchback touring. Yeah. Great advertisement for that car. And I'm sure that

folks who know the import, export, tariff, you know, whatever you need to do in order to get a

car approved for sale in the United States, understand why. This reminds me of sometimes,

like, if you look at it, you know, I, if you're looking for a new vacuum and you look at like

a Miele vacuum in Europe, they're like a hundred bucks, and here they're like 450, because everything

has to be changed for the, I imagine that this car is a very different value proposition. If it

doesn't have to be imported into a market with totally different regulations, then, no, you're

right. And this is the problem with any kind of small volume vehicle that you're absolutely right.

It's got to get crash tested. It's got to get certified and all these things. And I guess,

you know, I mean, I think we could almost say thank you for Honda for going through that to give

someone the choice of that they want this car. I mean, you look at like Volkswagen. The Sharoko.

Oh yeah, we could have a Sharoko. Remember? Yeah. But you know, we don't get, we don't have a

GTI stick shift because it's too much of a pain to have, you know, a stick shift and a GTI,

even though it's certified for GTI. We don't have a prelude stick shift.

But all those cars that we wish that, you know, finally a company did it and we're like,

I mean, they did it, but they missed the mark for, you know.

There's a reason that, yeah, it's such an interesting vehicle. I'm very curious

when we're going to start seeing them used. Who's going to start, who's going to buy them?

I mean, I don't really think New England is the target market for them, but I could see.

Probably drive as decent. You get snow tires. I mean, again, firmly committed to the personal

luxury, you know, sport compact coupe thing. Not a whole lot. Yeah. It's personal.

There you go. Kind of luxury. It's not really luxury. Definitely a coupe. So it's a personal

coupe. It's a personal coupe. I agree with that. All right. So if you disagree with us,

leave a comment, yell at us, send something. Tell me I'm wrong. Yeah. Tell us all we're wrong.

I mean, the whole reason we bought this car is just read her first before you tell her she's wrong.

But yeah, there's a great first drive on cr.org. A lot of photos, a lot of video of it. So to learn

more, what we have to say, I'm glad we bought this car. So I'm glad, well, you bought someone

someone bought this car. Someone anonymously purchased it at a local Honda dealer. And I

guarantee they thought it was us because I don't think anyone else was like first in line, like,

I need that car. I think we did have to search a little bit. Yeah, I think Joey got it.

Awesome. So send your complaints, whatever, to talkingcarsaticloud.com. Also send your questions

because if you send a question and we use it on the show, we're going to send you swag.

And I don't know if it's if it's swag, it'll fit in the in the prelude. But

there I went the whole way without saying prelude. And then I just and I and I

couldn't do it. I'm sorry I couldn't. Anyhow, our first question is from Jim. And even though Jim

has a little bit of a criticism for us, we're still can we still give him swag? We can still

give him swag. Okay, good. Jim, you're getting swag, even though you have you have some criticism

for us. So Jim asks, what is with consumer reports focus on long range EV tests? My

understanding is that on average, we drive about 40 miles a day. So should testing not focus with

this reality in mind? I have friends who go out and pay $50,000 plus for an EV with 300 miles of

range, and then drive it to work for groceries, not on the highway for long distances each day.

It's a bit like the crazy focus on ever lower zero to 60 times or the excitement of a car with

500 horsepower, 100 to 150 miles of range is more than enough for 95% of driving. So why focus on

the 5% of use cases? Jim, I'm with you on the horsepower, the zero to 60. Also, I think we

found the IMEV driver. Yeah, we found the fellow Mitsubishi owner. We found the Mercedes B250E

driver. I mean, I know people who buy a pickup, and all they do is pick up their kids from

school. Exactly. Not anything that you need the towing capacity. It's in the name. Yeah. If you

give someone a lift, you need a lift. Exactly. It's in the name. Jeeps that stay clean, please use

your Jeep. They're so much fun for that. So this is actually a great question because you're right.

He's Jim is Jim is sort of Jim is right in a way, but also Jim is wrong. And we're going to explain

why Jim's wrong. Jim is right and wrong at the same time. The super superstition theory that we

have. Yeah. I mean, first of all, like, Jake, you do you help design you and Alex help design our

let's go back to your point, like people buy things that they don't need. Okay, let's let's

get a pickup truck that could tow 10,000 pounds. Most of the time, you're not chowing 10,000 pounds.

You got something that could go off road. You've got all wheel drive. You don't necessarily use

it all the time. The rear seat in your car, you probably aren't using a lot of people only use

5% of the time if that you buy things that you might need as opposed to things that you need

every day. So let's separate those two things. Now one, I completely, as you said, I completely

agree. This whole race to zero to 60 times is nuts. And I think where I mean, really like is

zero to 60 in three seconds versus four seconds, like going to make that much of a difference to

the average consumer, not so much. But I think this really were, you know, back in the name,

like you said, and in the name consumer reports, we're here to kind of represent what consumers

are looking for. So one is consumers don't really aren't looking for that four seconds versus five

seconds. We made changes to actually change the way we're scoring vehicles for acceleration times

that you're not getting extra points for this family sedan or SUV that goes four seconds, zero

to 60. It's got to get out of its own way. But you know, if it doesn't, then sure, but all those

videos have taken like, like shooting off into the stratosphere because people don't know.

So that's for sure. But in terms of the idea of like a 300 mile EV and went and again, he is

completely right. Most people only drive probably have 40 miles a day. Totally right. This really

comes down to our surveys, asking people what they look for an EV. And even specifically,

we asked questions like, what's holding you back from getting an EV? Why aren't you getting an EV?

And this is the number one thing is that for a while, the EV market was filled with these

a lot of people call them compliance cars, right? There's EVs, they got 80 miles.

Nobody was buying these, even though they were heavily subsidized. So then they were actually

quite like, there wasn't a lot of interest in that 99 dollars a month, some of them. Yeah.

When there was longer ranges, people again, they said, it's holding me back that short range.

I want to get something that's longer range. And when they started producing the longer range

vehicles, they sold more. So it's really what people want. Now, do they need it? Well, honestly,

here's the thing about range is that, yeah, okay, fine. My commute is, you know, 20 miles each way

and 40 miles a day or 50 miles a day. You don't want to rent a separate car to get to grandma's.

You don't want to rent a separate car to get. And you also, what happens when grandma gets

sick? Yeah. And suddenly I got to get out there, or my kids get sick, or I got to go pick up my kid

and take him to the doctors. Suddenly your flight gets canceled. You've made it to the airport and

back, but you have to go back the next day, which may have happened to me in our in a car, which

shall remain nameless, but that I had to, I had to stop on the way, or you with your plug in,

plugging in the fiat with an extension cord. Well, because it almost froze to death. Yes,

right? Or you get stuck in traffic and it was a cold day. So people buy, they want what they might

need as opposed to what they need every day. And it's not without merit, because you never know

what's going to happen. And, you know, if we're buying vehicles that just in case I need to go

off road on the way to work, or I need to forge a stream or something, we've got that. Well,

what happens if grandma gets sick? Well, yeah, you don't buy a forerunner for your commute. You buy

that one weekend in big bin that you're going to have a fantastic time and make all these great

memories. And same goes with EVs. You do buy it for your commute, but you also want to be able to

get places. And I like the fact that we we test it. And I know you said that I know Alex has said

this and folks have said this, that the real reason why we test range the way we do, it's

different from the way the EPA tests range. Because the EPA, as far as I understand it, when

they test range, it's more about this mix of city and highway driving. And nobody, Jim is right,

nobody drives an EV for its full range, like city and highway driving and doesn't plug it in.

The cool thing about an EV is that you never have to, if you're just commuting with it, you just,

you just plug it in. But we're, we're testing it specifically for road trips because EVs behave

differently when they are driven long distances at speed. And this is what's interesting about it

too, is that for many years, we all are used to city and highway mileages. And what we all know

from internal combustion engine cars is cars get better fuel efficiency on the highway.

With EVs. They get better fuel efficiency on the highway. They get better fuel efficiency

in on the highway. That's right. So in the highway, you might get your 40 miles per gallon,

but in the city, you're only getting 30. It's the opposite when we find with EVs around. They

actually do better. They actually, that's steady, long, high speed stuff. They don't do very well.

Getting the benefit of regenerative braking, you know, slowing down unless you have nightmare

traffic on the way, which in that case, I'm sorry. You hope for that to get longer range. That's not

highway. Technically, it's highway. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that's, I think that's the reason why

we do it is because if a company is saying, this car has a 400 mile range and you think, okay,

grandma's house is 380 miles away, great, I'll buy this car. And then as you're halfway there,

it says that your range is, you know, smaller and smaller and smaller and smaller. That's what

we're trying to do is protect people against those. We're not saying you should go out and buy the

longest, you know, longest range, but and then again, there's the, you know, what happens when

you got to go to grandma's house or, and it's a real cold day. Yep. And we've seen

with certain situations, you could almost cut your range in half if it's really cold weather. So

you did not margin. And you want that extra pad because, you know, my mom lives in East Texas.

There was one time where she's in the hospital, drop everything, drive five hours, infrastructure

is not built out in a lot of places still and people really worry about that. And so to have

that extra padding of like cold weather, remote locations and be able to charge and something

I've noticed on a lot of the EVs that have a, you know, kind of especially like the Google built-in

ones, the route planning is fantastic. It will say, well, here's the high speed charger on your route,

go here. And it's nice to have that option when, you know, stuff happens.

Which we also factor into our range testing is whether it has that ease of charging, that sort

of thing as well. So yeah, Jim, I totally agree. We agree with you. And also here's why we do it

this way. A lot of people don't have a second car, you know. Or a third car. Or a fourth car.

And a prelude and a miata. We've got a fifth car. I don't, I think we need to have an intervention.

Yeah, fifth car is, yeah. So yeah, great. No, no. But as long as it's not a prelude.

But yeah, so we've got a bunch of answers to questions like that at cr.org. We've got our range

tests. We have our secret sauce from our statisticians who aren't just figuring out how to score the

cars, but they're also asking individual buyers what they're looking for. So I think it's, I think

it's, it's, it's, it's a really interesting question to kind of peek behind the curtain.

You have, oh yeah. Well, and if there's, if there's a question that we're not addressing,

because, you know, we do have survey data saying people ask this, people, this is what's holding

back a lot of people from an EV. If there's something we're not addressing, please tell us.

Yeah. Fill out our surveys. Exactly. Because we're not going to, we're not here to tell you

what to buy. We're here to help you find what to buy. Thanks for your questions. You can send

yours to TalkingCars at iCloud.com. You get swag. And we get to talk about what we do all day.

And also speaking of the work we do, I don't know if you know this, but we are, we're a

nonprofit. So there's a, there's a reason you don't, when you look at Consumer Reports magazine,

you don't see advertising. We do things very differently. We don't go on press junkets. That's

why we had to buy the prelude. But that costs money. So we've got a donate button. If you're

watching us on YouTube, help us out, help us keep these surveys, help us do the stuff that

nobody else is doing because nobody else can do it. And those donations are how we can do this

work objectively without any of that outside influence. So it's a real special place.

Thank you for TalkingCars with us. We'll talk again soon.

0:00

30:57

analogue brakes

twisty roads

Volkswagen GTI

real-world driving vs test scenarios

Mercedes-Benz B250e

EV incentives ("99 dollars a month")

Google built-in ones

Miata

About this episode

Original notes