Honda Prelude vs Mazda BT-50

The Honda Prelude starts from $61,100 before on-road costs, while the Mazda BT-50 opens at $36,400. That makes the Mazda BT-50 the more affordable entry point by $24,700.

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 $67,210 and $40,040 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Honda Prelude by roughly $3,990 in fuel alone.

Both the Honda Prelude and Mazda BT-50 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 Mazda BT-50.

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 Mazda BT-50.

The Honda Prelude features a 9-inch touchscreen paired with a 10.2-inch digital dash, while the Mazda BT-50 gets a 7-inch display and 4.2-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Honda Prelude stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging, Bose audio and ambient lighting that you will not find on the Mazda BT-50. The Mazda BT-50 counters with Apple CarPlay. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Honda Prelude gets leather upholstery while the Mazda BT-50 offers cloth. Climate control is 2-zone in the Honda Prelude and 1-zone in the Mazda BT-50.

The Honda Prelude uses a Inline 4 producing 135kW and 315Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.2 seconds.

The Mazda BT-50 responds with a Diesel making 120kW and 400Nm, paired to a automatic driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 10.9 seconds.

The Honda Prelude has the clear power advantage at 135kW vs 120kW. In the real-world sprint, the Honda Prelude is 2.7s quicker. 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, 627mm shorter than the Mazda BT-50 at 5,320mm (3,125mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mazda BT-50 generally means more rear legroom.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $1,226/year for the Honda Prelude and $2,024/year for the Mazda BT-50. That is a $798 annual difference in favour of the Honda Prelude.

Estimated annual total: $1,226 (Honda Prelude) vs $2,024 (Mazda BT-50). The Honda Prelude saves you roughly $798 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 (Mazda BT-50). Both match on warranty length.