- Honda will resurrect a traditional title for 2026 with a brand new Prelude coupe
- A front-wheel-drive hybrid with suspension borrowed from the Civic Sort R, it balances every day livability with driving enjoyable
Honda right now revealed the long-awaited return of an iconic automotive from the model’s historical past. After practically a quarter-century off the market, the Honda Prelude will return for 2026.
In case you’re too younger to recollect, the Prelude title has an extended legacy at Honda. From 1978 till 2001, the Prelude was a 2-door coupe that balanced on a regular basis livability with sporty character. The guts of the Honda lineup for generations of Individuals was the compact Civicthe midsize Accord, and the sporty Prelude. All three will likely be again collectively in Honda showrooms when the 2026 Prelude arrives this fall.
Honda calls the brand new Prelude a grand tourer – a traditional European time period for a car nearly as quick as a sports activities automotive however barely extra tuned for every day consolation. The time period matches. The brand new Prelude borrows its suspension and steering setup from Honda’s most high-performance automotive however pairs it with a hybrid powertrain that ought to produce loads of stoplight-to-stoplight enjoyable however by no means problem Porsches or different high-end sports activities automobiles.
That’s exactly what most of us sufficiently old to recollect the originals need in a Prelude. Pricing has but to be introduced. Honda says it can are available a single trim degree.
Direct-Drive Hybrid Powertrain, Adaptive Suspension
- It makes use of a pair of electrical motors and a 4-cylinder engine, however more often than not, the engine acts as a generator
- Suspension and steering elements come from the race-bred Civic Sort R
Underneath the hood of the Prelude sits a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with no turbochargers. That final bit of knowledge is likely to be a stunning observe in a sports activities automotive, however it is smart given how the Prelude works.
That is Honda’s first direct-drive hybrid. More often than not, the engine acts solely as a generator powering a pair of electrical motors that drive the entrance wheels. Honda doesn’t want turbochargers to create low-end torque as a result of the Prelude has the always-on torque of electrical motors. The engine dietary supplements their energy at increased speeds.
The mixture produces 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque. However it can possible really feel far more highly effective due to the moment energy of electrical drive.
That distinctive setup means it lacks a standard transmission. However an S+ button on the middle console enables you to mimic one if you’d like the tactile and aural sensation of shifting.
In true GT fashion, the chassis is sportier than the engine would lead you to count on. A suspension and steering setup borrowed from the Civic Sort R means luxury-sports-car-style adaptive damping that adjusts for street situations to maintain the dealing with crisp.
It has a shorter wheelbase than the Sort R, which might even make the Prelude extra enjoyable in tight corners. Nobody outdoors Honda has pushed it but, however we’ll carry you particulars quickly.
Fastback, Double-Bubble Look, Two-Tone Inside
- The automotive’s Civic roots are apparent in its form, however an aggressive fastback slope and double-bubble roof add sports activities automotive aptitude
- A two-tone inside with well-bolstered sport seats is driver-focused, with tiny rear seats
If we requested you to design a sporty coupe from the bones of the present Civic, you would possibly nicely draw up the Prelude.
Up entrance, skinny lights squint above a tiny smile-like grille that — forgive me, Honda — seems nearly Prius-like. However wider haunches and a steely-raked liftback make it far sportier and nearly recall to mind the Nissan z.
A double-bubble roof offers it traditional sports activities automotive panache.
Inside, designers appear to have nailed the grand tourer aesthetic. The seats are well-bolstered like sport seats however much more plush, suggesting it may coddle you in your commute and help you thru spirited driving.
But it surely gained’t swimsuit as a household automotive. Our Lyn Woodward is 5-foot-5 and located her head scraping the glass within the rear seats.
The Civic household resemblance comes via in honeycomb grillework over the vents.
The cabin emphasizes the driving, not the know-how, with an inexpensive 9-inch touchscreen. Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a Bose Centerpoint sound system hold the tech updated, however it’s not the main target.
Inside choices will embody black with blue stitching or a two-tone cream-and-blue scheme.
