- Honda will resurrect a traditional identify for 2026 with a brand new Prelude coupe
- A front-wheel-drive hybrid with suspension borrowed from the Civic Kind R, it balances each day livability with driving enjoyable
Honda right this moment revealed the long-awaited return of an iconic automobile from the model’s historical past. After almost a quarter-century off the market, the Honda Prelude will return for 2026.
In case you’re too younger to recollect, the Prelude identify 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 center of the Honda lineup for generations of People was the compact Civic, the 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 automobile virtually as quick as a sports activities automobile however barely extra tuned for each day consolation. The time period suits. The brand new Prelude borrows its suspension and steering setup from Honda’s most high-performance automobile 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 vehicles.
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 is going to 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 Kind R
Beneath the hood of the Prelude sits a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with no turbochargers. That final bit of data is likely to be a stunning notice in a sports activities automobile, 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 is going to seemingly really feel far more highly effective because of the moment energy of electrical drive.
That distinctive setup means it lacks a traditional transmission. However an S+ button on the middle console helps you to mimic one if you need the tactile and aural sensation of shifting.
In true GT type, the chassis is sportier than the engine would lead you to count on. A suspension and steering setup borrowed from the Civic Kind R means luxury-sports-car-style adaptive damping that adjusts for highway situations to maintain the dealing with crisp.
It has a shorter wheelbase than the Kind R, which might even make the Prelude extra enjoyable in tight corners. Nobody outdoors Honda has pushed it but, however we’ll convey you particulars quickly.
Fastback, Double-Bubble Look, Two-Tone Inside
- The automobile’s Civic roots are apparent in its form, however an aggressive fastback slope and double-bubble roof add sports activities automobile 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 virtually Prius-like. However wider haunches and a steely-raked liftback make it far sportier and virtually recall to mind the Nissan Z.
A double-bubble roof offers it traditional sports activities automobile 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 possibly coddle you in your commute and help you thru spirited driving.
However it gained’t go well with as a household automobile. Our Lyn Woodward is 5-foot-5 and located her head scraping the glass within the rear seats.
The Civic household resemblance comes by means of in honeycomb grillework over the vents.
The cabin emphasizes the driving, not the know-how, with an affordable 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.
