- Honda will resurrect a classic name for 2026 with a new Prelude coupe
- A front-wheel-drive hybrid with suspension borrowed from the Civic Type R, it balances daily livability with driving fun
Honda today revealed the long-awaited return of an iconic car from the brand’s history. After nearly a quarter-century off the market, the Honda Prelude will return for 2026.
In case you’re too young to remember, the Prelude name has a long legacy at Honda. From 1978 until 2001, the Prelude was a 2-door coupe that balanced everyday livability with sporty character. The heart of the Honda lineup for generations of Americans was the compact Civic, the midsize Accord, and the sporty Prelude. All three will be back together in Honda showrooms when the 2026 Prelude arrives this fall.
Honda calls the new Prelude a grand tourer – a classic European term for a vehicle almost as fast as a sports car but slightly more tuned for daily comfort. The term fits. The new Prelude borrows its suspension and steering setup from Honda’s most high-performance car but pairs it with a hybrid powertrain that should produce plenty of stoplight-to-stoplight fun but never challenge Porsches or other high-end sports cars.
That’s precisely what most of us old enough to remember the originals want in a Prelude. Pricing has yet to be announced. Honda says it will come in a single trim level.
Direct-Drive Hybrid Powertrain, Adaptive Suspension
- It uses a pair of electric motors and a 4-cylinder engine, but most of the time, the engine acts as a generator
- Suspension and steering components come from the race-bred Civic Type R
Under the hood of the Prelude sits a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with no turbochargers. That last bit of information might be a surprising note in a sports car, but it makes sense given how the Prelude works.
This is Honda’s first direct-drive hybrid. Most of the time, the engine acts solely as a generator powering a pair of electric motors that drive the front wheels. Honda doesn’t need turbochargers to create low-end torque because the Prelude has the always-on torque of electric motors. The engine supplements their power at higher speeds.
The combination produces 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque. But it will likely feel much more powerful thanks to the instant power of electric drive.
That unique setup means it lacks a conventional transmission. But an S+ button on the center console lets you mimic one if you want the tactile and aural sensation of shifting.
In true GT style, the chassis is sportier than the engine would lead you to expect. A suspension and steering setup borrowed from the Civic Type R means luxury-sports-car-style adaptive damping that adjusts for road conditions to keep the handling crisp.
It has a shorter wheelbase than the Type R, which could even make the Prelude more fun in tight corners. No one outside Honda has driven it yet, but we will bring you details soon.
Fastback, Double-Bubble Look, Two-Tone Interior
- The car’s Civic roots are obvious in its shape, but an aggressive fastback slope and double-bubble roof add sports car flair
- A two-tone interior with well-bolstered sport seats is driver-focused, with tiny rear seats
If we asked you to design a sporty coupe from the bones of the current Civic, you might well draw up the Prelude.
Up front, thin lights squint above a tiny smile-like grille that — forgive me, Honda — looks almost Prius-like. But wider haunches and a steely-raked liftback make it far sportier and almost call to mind the Nissan Z.
A double-bubble roof gives it classic sports car panache.
Inside, designers seem to have nailed the grand tourer aesthetic. The seats are well-bolstered like sport seats but far more plush, suggesting it can coddle you on your commute and support you through spirited driving.
But it won’t suit as a family car. Our Lyn Woodward is 5-foot-5 and found her head scraping the glass in the rear seats.
The Civic family resemblance comes through in honeycomb grillework over the vents.
The cabin emphasizes the driving, not the technology, with a reasonable 9-inch touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a Bose Centerpoint sound system keep the tech up to date, but it’s not the focus.
Interior options will include black with blue stitching or a two-tone cream-and-blue scheme.
