Preview by Veeno Dewan
Fans of the sport compact coupe segment have even more choice as Honda announced it will reintroduce an all-new Honda Prelude in 2026. According to the automaker, the Prelude is set to return as a two-door hybrid coupe based on the latest Honda Civic platform. The first Prelude arrived in 1978, making its name a luxury-oriented sports coupe with many fans until its demise as a fifth-generation model line in 2001. Its unique styling and value for money made it a hit.
Honda plans to use the Prelude as a halo car for its electrified vehicle range, marking the year’s 25th anniversary of its hybrid introduction. A fitting rival to the current Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ, two-door coupes, the new Prelude will be a hybrid vehicle, which gives it the upper hand in this segment. The Prelude will be close to the Prelude Concept that did the rounds of the autos shows in 2023. There is sleek swooping bodywork with subtle hints of the Acura NSX supercar in the body lines, wide front stance, and slim lighting units.
The 2026 Honda Prelude will use plenty of chassis architecture and underpinnings from the current generation Honda Civic, which already has sport-tuned suspension and handling dynamics baked in.
Regarding the powertrain, the Prelude is expected to arrive with the European Honda Civic’s HEV hybrid powertrain, which combines a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a battery and pair of electric motors to provide 181 horsepower. In the current Honda Civic, peak figures for this specific hybrid powertrain are rated at 232Nm of torque. This gives the hatchback a good turn of speed with a 0 – 96 kph time of 7.8 seconds.
However, the Honda Civic has many more potent engine combinations, which leaves the possibility open for a more hardcore Prelude variant, such as an “R” or “Type S” version with uprated performance and engine power.
“The new Prelude not only marks the latest chapter in our ever-evolving hybrid story,” said Tomoyuki Yamagami, Chief Engineer and Large Project Leader at Honda Motor, in a statement. “It is also the product of 25 years of pioneering hybrid research and development,” Yamaguni added. “The grand concept of this car was to be like a glider. Gliders have two different characteristics. On one hand, they are designed to glide for as long as possible, but on the other hand, they’re used for stunt flights and must be agile and high-performing. These two characters are also unified in this car to be efficient on the one hand, but also very agile and joyful on the other.”
Yamaguchi also told the media, “While the Honda Civics Type R turbocharged four-cylinder engine would fit under the hood of the Prelude, there’s no immediate plan for such a high-performance model, but this may change.”
For North America, the engine output will be closer to 200 horsepower if the current Honda Accord’s 204 horsepower L4 hybrid unit is used, which has slightly more power. Front-wheel drive is standard, with an all-wheel-drive option. Sadly, the likelihood of a six-speed manual transmission may have to wait. For now, an automatic gearbox will be the only choice.
Regarding the interior, expect all the technology and features found in the current batch of Honda cars and whatever new tech is expected in the coming months as upgrades continue. However, the radical race-style steering wheel may not make it into production.
There has yet to be a firm price, as the Prelude will be introduced in the European market first and then in the United States and Canada in late 2025 or early 2026.
With the Prelude’s drivetrain and chassis derived from the affordable Honda Civic, the price is bound to be reasonable at the estimated US$45,000 mark. Canadian pricing has yet to be announced.
Honda has not released a specific timeline for the Prelude’s European debut or arrival in the North American market, so stay tuned.
