Compare the2026 Honda PreludeVS 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Prelude are reminded to check the back seat. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Honda Prelude has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Prelude deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Prelude’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The MX-5 Miata’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Prelude has standard Low Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Prelude’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Compared to metal, the Prelude’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Mazda MX-5 Miata has a metal gas tank.

Both the Prelude and the MX-5 Miata have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The Honda Prelude weighs 746 to 895 pounds more than the Mazda MX-5 Miata. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

Warranty

There are almost 2 times as many Honda dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Prelude’s warranty.

Reliability

The MX-5 Miata’s redline is at 7500 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The Prelude has a 6250 RPM redline.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 46 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Mazda is ranked 6th.

Engine

The Prelude’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 19 more horsepower (200 vs. 181) and 81 lbs.-ft. more torque (232 vs. 151) than the MX-5 Miata’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Prelude gets better mileage than the MX-5 Miata:

			MPG
Prelude
	Auto	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	46 city/41 hwy
MX-5 Miata
	Manual	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/34 hwy
	Auto	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/35 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Prelude’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Prelude’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Prelude uses regular unleaded gasoline. The MX-5 Miata requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

The Honda Prelude comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the MX-5 Miata.

The Prelude has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Prelude’s brake rotors are larger than those on the MX-5 Miata:

	Prelude	MX-5 Miata
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	11 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Prelude has larger tires than the MX-5 Miata (235/40R19 vs. 195/50R16). The Prelude’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the MX-5 Miata (235/40R19 vs. 205/45R17).

The Prelude’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the MX-5 Miata Sport’s standard 50 series tires. The Prelude’s tires are lower profile than the MX-5 Miata Club/Grand Touring’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Prelude has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the MX-5 Miata Sport. The MX-5 Miata’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

The Honda Prelude’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Mazda MX-5 Miata only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

The Prelude has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The MX-5 Miata’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Prelude has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Prelude’s wheelbase is 11.7 inches longer than on the MX-5 Miata (102.6 inches vs. 90.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Prelude is 5.1 inches wider in the front and 4.3 inches wider in the rear than on the MX-5 Miata.

Chassis

The Prelude uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Prelude has standard seating for 4 passengers; the MX-5 Miata can only carry 2.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Mazda. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 5% lower rating, Mazda is ranked 10th.

Ergonomics

The Prelude’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The MX-5 Miata has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Prelude’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The MX-5 Miata’s power windows’ switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

On a hot day the Prelude’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the MX-5 Miata can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Prelude’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The MX-5 Miata’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Prelude’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The MX-5 Miata Sport/Club’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Prelude has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The MX-5 Miata has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Grand Touring.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Prelude has standard extendable sun visors. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Prelude’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The MX-5 Miata’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

The Prelude’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the MX-5 Miata Grand Touring.

The Prelude’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Prelude has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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