One of the first owners of the new Honda Prelude hybrid coupe in Japan has driven more than 5,600 miles over 11 months, offering a candid look at what happens after the excitement of a new car begins to fade. While he praises the Prelude’s fuel economy, comfort and relaxed grand tourer character, several everyday features have started to wear on him.

Three Honda Prelude Features That Became Frustrating

The owner’s complaints are not centered on the Prelude’s powertrain or ride. Instead, the biggest frustrations involve the Bose premium audio system, wireless charging and Honda’s S+ Shift system.

These are relatively small annoyances compared with the car’s overall strengths, but they have become increasingly noticeable after months of regular driving.

Bose Audio System Creates Cabin Rattles

The Prelude’s Bose premium audio system uses eight speakers and delivers strong bass, but the owner says increasing the volume exposes an unexpected problem.

At volume 15, the doors and interior panels begin rattling and buzzing along with the music. Rather than simply producing more bass, the cabin effectively adds its own percussion. The owner believes additional sound insulation or vibration damping could have helped.

Wireless Charging Is Slow and Runs Hot

The Prelude’s wireless charging system has also become a major source of frustration. After leaving his phone on the charging pad for an hour, the owner says it gains only about 10% to 15% battery and becomes noticeably warm.

He also criticizes Honda’s wireless charging setup more broadly. Instead of relying on the pad, he now uses a USB-C cable.

According to the owner, wired charging provides 30% to 45% more battery in the same amount of time while keeping the phone cool.

S+ Shift Quickly Lost Its Appeal

Honda introduced S+ Shift as one of the Prelude’s headline features. The system simulates gear changes, adds synthesized engine sounds and is designed to make the company’s e:HEV hybrid drivetrain feel more like a conventional performance car.

For this owner, however, the novelty lasted about a month. He says the simulated engine sound never convinced him, while the overall effect was too mild to remain interesting.

He also says S+ Shift causes the engine to rev higher and use more fuel, giving him another reason to leave the feature switched off.

S+ Shift Is No Longer Exclusive to the Prelude

The system also lost some of its appeal because it was initially exclusive to the Prelude. Less than a year later, Honda added S+ Shift to the Civic e:HEV RS and the updated Vezel e:HEV in Japan.

For the Prelude owner, that change makes the feature feel less distinctive than it did when the coupe launched.

What the Owner’s Experience Shows

S+ Shift was positioned as one of the Prelude’s key features, yet it is also the feature this owner abandoned most quickly. His experience highlights how some technology can make a strong first impression before becoming less important during everyday driving.

The Prelude’s hybrid setup remains smooth and efficient without S+ Shift, while features such as simulated gear changes and synthesized engine sounds can become occasional-use functions rather than everyday necessities.

As S+ Shift expands to additional e:HEV models, the owner’s experience raises a clear issue for the feature: whether it continues to evolve or simply becomes another shared technology across Honda’s lineup.