Honda Prelude vs BMW 4 Series

The Honda Prelude starts from $65,000 before on-road costs, while the BMW 4 Series opens at $83,500. That makes the Honda Prelude the more affordable entry point by $18,500.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $71,500 and $91,850 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Honda Prelude by roughly $4,700 in fuel alone.

Both the Honda Prelude and BMW 4 Series hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Honda Prelude packs more ADAS features with 6 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 4 in the BMW 4 Series.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 8 in the Honda Prelude and 6 in the BMW 4 Series.

The Honda Prelude features a 9-inch touchscreen paired with a 10.2-inch digital dash, while the BMW 4 Series gets a 10.3-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Honda Prelude stands out with wireless charging, Bose audio and ambient lighting that you will not find on the BMW 4 Series. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Honda Prelude uses a Inline 4 producing 110kW and 182Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout.

The BMW 4 Series responds with a Petrol making 135kW and 300Nm, paired to a auto driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds.

The BMW 4 Series has the clear power advantage at 135kW vs 110kW. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Honda Prelude measures 4,693mm long on a 2,735mm wheelbase, 77mm shorter than the BMW 4 Series at 4,770mm (2,851mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the BMW 4 Series generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 281L in the Honda Prelude and 440L in the BMW 4 Series, giving the BMW 4 Series a 159L advantage.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $1,226/year for the Honda Prelude and $2,166/year for the BMW 4 Series. That is a $940 annual difference in favour of the Honda Prelude.

Estimated annual total: $1,226 (Honda Prelude) vs $2,166 (BMW 4 Series). The Honda Prelude saves you roughly $940 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Honda Prelude) vs 5 years / 999,999km (BMW 4 Series). Both match on warranty length.