‘Ushering in a new enthusiast’: After 24 years, Honda brings back the Prelude

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It’s been 24 years since the Prelude was discontinued, and with it went the last of Honda’s dedicated sports coupes in North America. The S2000 was next to go in 2009, and the brand known for making fun cars had little left to offer driving enthusiasts outside of the Type R. The return of the Prelude for 2026 changes all that.

At a time when the hottest trends are the number of cupholders your three-row SUV has and massive screens, Honda’s bringing back a car that has no other purpose other than to be a pleasure cruiser and it’s a hybrid.

Charles Wong, product planner for Honda Canada, says this new Prelude shows Honda’s continued dedication to creating fun-to-drive vehicles.

“We want to appeal to enthusiasts. It might not be the traditional enthusiast that wants a stick shift, but this is ushering in a new enthusiast,” he says.

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We got our first look at what this car could be when Honda revealed the Prelude Concept at the Tokyo Mobility Show in October 2023. Last week, Honda revealed the production Prelude to the North American market at its Canadian headquarters in Markham, Ont.

The Prelude has always been Honda’s technology showcase. In 1988, it was the first car to feature a mechanical four-wheel steering system, a feature now common in some luxury cars. The fifth-generation (introduced in 1996) Prelude Type SH used an innovative torque vectoring limited-slip differential to improve handling and was the precursor to the “Super Handling (SH)” all-wheel drive system used in new Acuras.

The 2026 Prelude continues the tradition with its new “S + shift” system, which has been designed to mimic a traditional gearbox even though it doesn’t actually have one. There’s no gearbox in the new Prelude because it’s equipped with Honda’s innovative two-motor hybrid powertrain.

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The simulated gearshifts happen through the manipulation of the engine revolutions and the electric motor. Honda says it will feature downshift blips, rev-matching and gear holding and it can be controlled via paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

“It doesn’t change the performance; it doesn’t add any horsepower or torque but it creates an immersive driving experience for the driver and passenger,” says Wong.

This same powertrain is currently used in the Civic Hybrid and I’ve sung its praises on here already. Unlike the system used in Toyotas, this one makes much greater use of the electric motor as the main propulsion source. The two-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder gas engine’s job is to keep the battery charged and supply power to the electric motor.

During certain conditions, such as steady-state highway cruising, the gas engine can power the wheels directly. This gives it a smoother driving experience and, with 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque, there’s also plenty of pep.

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The powertrain is also very efficient. The Civic hatchback I drove earlier this year averaged five litres per 100 kilometres over a week of driving and this swoopy, low-slung coupe should produce similar results.

Wong says to expect the driving experience of the new Prelude to fall somewhere between the Civic hatchback and the Civic Type R when it comes to handling. The new Prelude borrows the wider front and rear tracks from the Type R, along with its dual-axis strut front suspension and its brakes with Brembo front calipers painted blue.

The Prelude will also get an adaptive damper system and an all-new “GT (Grand Touring)” drive mode. Grand touring vehicles, usually coupés, are built for long drives, so they should be comfortable but also fun to drive, and that’s exactly what this new Prelude is, according to the company.

Driving home the Grand Touring theme is a new GT drive mode that sits between Comfort and Sport. There’s also an individual drive mode to tailor the dampers, steering, engine response and more to your liking.

The interior is contemporary Honda with thin A-pillars, a low cowl and great forward visibility. But there are some differences such as a raised centre console wrapped with soft-touch leather-like material, finished with blue stitching. There’s more soft material on the dash and “Prelude” script embroidered on the passenger side as well as the headrests of the new sport seats.

All five generations of Preludes that came before this were traditional coupes with a trunk, but the new one is a hatchback, which means there’s a generous amount of cargo space for a sports car. There are even rear seats, but they’re probably best suited for small children or luggage.

“We anticipate a bit more of an older buyer who’s able to take it on weekend getaways on some winding roads to the cottage, and take a golf bag and some luggage,” says Wong.

The new sixth-generation Prelude with its hybrid engine and simulated transmission doesn’t really fit into any normal categories, but it never really has.

“It will appeal to some who grew up idolizing the Prelude and now they’re able to get into it,” says Wong. “It’s defining a new segment for sports cars.”

There’s no official pricing available, but like the driving experience, the company says to expect it to land somewhere between the Civic Hatchback Hybrid and the Type R. So, between $40,000 and $50,000. Official numbers will be available closer to its on-sale date in December.

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