One of Honda’s iconic vehicles took another step closer to a return to the streets. The automaker showed off the latest version of its Prelude concept at an event in Japan, including the first look at the interior.
Honda’s hype machine rolled out the arriving-later-this-year Honda Prelude, including the first look at the interior.
It wasn’t too long ago that fans of the sleek little two-door got excited with the reveal of the Prelude concept. Honda rolled out the electrified concept at the Japan Mobility show in October 2023, creating a huge buzz from those clamoring for its return after a 23-year absence.
Last December, Honda gave mavens what they wanted, announcing plans to bring the Prelude back to the company’s lineup as a performance-oriented hybrid for multiple markets, including the U.S., later this year.
After showing a tarted up version of the Prelude in January at the Tokyo Motor Show, the company revealed the interior of the coupe at the Red Bull Showrun x Powered by Honda. And it’s so very typically Honda on the inside.
What’s new
The new model, which is slated to arrive in the final months of this year, gets a simple, easy-to-use cabin with a mix of buttons, knobs and a touchscreen. The Prelude’s set up is very reminiscent of the new Civic Hybrid’s interior.
Shown in right-hand drive form for Japan, the new Prelude interior draws heavily from the new Civic Hybrid.
However, the Prelude and Civic are not the same and neither are the materials used in each with the former enjoying more upscale materials and colors. The layout features the typical Honda touchscreen mounted in the center of the dashboard, but the center console sits at a 45-degree angle next to the driver.
This gives the pilot easy access to the push-button gear selector as well as the drive mode toggle switch and other switches for the parking brake and other controls, including the “S+ button.”
Honda says the button is part of a new feature called “S+Shift” which allows one of the two electric motors to provide power to the drive wheels most of the time. Honda says this trait also aims to eliminate the rubber band feel that can be found on some CVT transmissions which makes the Prelude smoother to drive than before.
The seats in the Prelude appear to be different as well, featuring pronounced seatback side bolsters as well as the side of the bottom. They are meant to aid in keeping the driver planted during sportier, more aggressive maneuvers.
The new Prelude’s seats feature plenty of bolstering to keep the driver in place during aggressive moves.
More Prelude News
- Honda Prelude Concept Debuts in Tokyo and Could Signal a Production EV or Hybrid
- Honda Surprises with Prelude Appearance at LA Auto Show
- Honda Announces the Return of the Prelude
Welcome back
The last new Prelude rolled off the assembly line 25 years ago. The original was one of the brand’s most popular models in the late ’70s through the early 2000s. The sporty coupe was quick and nimble, and originally based off the Accord before getting a much-needed push in a different direction in the mid-1990s. The last one was produced in 2001.
The new version draws some inspiration from the original, picking up on the wide, low shape of the last-generation Prelude, with an sweeping roofline that flows out of its steeply raked windshield.
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