2026 brings back Honda’s sporty Prelude after 25 years
Published 10:00 pm Sunday, July 26, 2026
Honda resurrects its famous Prelude nameplate for 2026 after a 25-year hiatus, and reintroduces it as a two-door hybrid sport coupe with front-wheel drive and beautiful, creamy styling.
A 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine joins forces with two electric motors to deliver 200 horsepower, 232 pound-feet of torque, and a 0-60 mph time of about 6 seconds.
Meanwhile, a satisfying EPA-estimated fuel economy rating can be enjoyed: 46 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 44 mpg combined.
Prelude’s transmission is a direct-drive setup with active involvement from the electric motors. Sport coupe enthusiast drivers having to survive without a manual transmission will appreciate Honda’s new S+Shift Mode, with paddle shifters that mimic the characteristics of a dual-clutch automatic. The shifters can be used to control the car’s braking and power.
S+Shift Mode is activated by a push botton on the center console, along with Comfort, GT, Sport, and Individual driving modes and the Prelude’s gear shift controls.
My test Prelude was finished in captivating Boost Blue paint, turning heads everywhere, in a good way. Boost Blue is a premium color, a $455 option that magnifies the car’s already exhuberant personality. Well worth it.
Prelude’s interior is modern and practical. Technically, there’s seating for four, though the back seats are suitable mainly for little kids. Rear seats do fold down easily in a 60/40 split that creates a cargo area with rear access from the car’s liftback hatch. The area is cavernous.
Interior features throughout are arranged neatly and logically for attractiveness and convenience. A 9-inch touchscreen in the upper center dash includes a multiview camera and provides controls for the 8-speaker Bose premium audio system.
The climate system has its own landscape across the lower center dash, and the controls are exclusively physical: large buttons and knobs with lighting and quickly visible markings.
Front seats are heated but have manual adjustment and no power availability. The seats are comfortable and the cabin is quiet over freeways and highways. Seats are also generously bolstered, assuring plenty of support when the Prelude tackles twisty roads with its characteristic fervor.
2026 Honda Prelude
Base Price: $42,000
Price as Driven: $43,650
