It might have been one of the worst-kept secrets in the auto industry…but now it’s official. Honda has confirmed the once-iconic Prelude will make its return in the form of a new “grand touring sports coupe” later this year. And it will have a lot in common with the Civic Type R. But it will be the first Prelude ever to electrify. More from Headlight.News.
A cutaway reveals the 2026 Honda Prelude’s front suspension.
After months of teasing us with terse news releases and carefully cropped pics, Honda has finally confirmed that it will revive the legendary Prelude nameplate for the 2026 model year – but it will be a very different vehicle from what fans might remember.
No, it won’t stray far from its roots as a grand touring sports coupe. But the 2026 Honda Prelude will be the first-ever version of that nameplate powered by a hybrid drivetrain.
And while we’ll likely have to wait a bit for hard details, we’re confident the emphasis won’t be on fuel efficiency. Yes, the powertrain certainly will deliver good mileage but, as is becoming more and more the norm in today’s auto industry, Honda will also take advantage of the hefty instant torque electric motors can deliver to put more of an emphasis on performance.
What we know
The new Honda Prelude will feature Brembo brakes.
For starters, Honda confirmed that the 2026 Prelude will have a lot in common with the sporty Civic Type R, including its “suspension, wide front and rear tracks and Brembo front brakes,” the automaker said in a news release.
Honda also revealed that “The first-ever electrified Prelude will be powered by the ultra-smooth, responsive and powerful Honda two-motor hybrid-electric system found in Civic hybrid,” albeit we expect the system to be retuned to punch out more instant torque and horsepower than the Civic gas-electric system now delivers.
How can we confident? For one, consider this bit of news from the release: “The award-winning hybrid system will be paired for the first time with the innovative new Honda S+ Shift system, an innovative new drive mode that further advances Linear Shift Control to enhance Prelude’s sporty yet comfortable GT experience.”
More about the hybrid drivetrain
Prelude’s drivetrain will feature the new Honda S+ Shift system.
Honda was the first automaker to introduce a hybrid drivetrain into the U.S. market with the original Prologue, an aluminum-bodied 2-seater that delivered as much as 70 mpg but sacrificed performance. In more recent years, Honda has pushed to strike a better balance between power and fuel efficiency – as have competitors such as Toyota.
In the Civic, the two-motor hybrid system makes as much as 150 horsepower in the Sport package. Meanwhile, Honda’s latest Accord Hybrid musters up to 204 hp.
Of course, with electric motors, it’s the instant torque that really matter when you’re looking for neck-snapping launch feel.
One thing to consider: Honda is clearly suggesting that the new Prelude will provide an alternative to the Civic Type-R. That sport package makes a hefty 315 hp. But whether the new sport coupe will come close remains to be seen.
More Honda News
- First Drive: Honda Gets Dirty with CR-V Trailsport
- Check Out the Production Version of Honda’s 0-Series EVs
- Honda Slows EV Plans Due to “Market Slowdown”
The new 2026 Honda Prelude and the original 1978 model.
A long history
The Prelude nameplate dates back to 1978, the early years for Honda in the U.S. market. A total of five generations were rolled out before the Japanese automaker sent the nameplate into retirement back in 2001.
During that run, Prelude went through a number of different design iterations but it was typically served up as a sporty near-midsize package borrowing key components from the Accord, rather than the smaller Civic, as will be the case with the 2026 Honda Prelude.
- One thing we don’t expect to see revived on the new Prelude: a stick shift. The Japanese automaker only offers that option with conventional gas-powered models.
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