HONDA

2026 Honda Prelude

It won't be as sporty as it looks, unfortunately, with an efficient hybrid powertrain hiding underneath that sleek body. But to its credit, the last Prelude only made 200 horsepower when it left the American market at the end of 2001. The final production version should look very similar to the concept, which is a win in our book—but it's still unclear if Honda plans to sell it here in the US.

The Prelude concept previewed the model's return as a two-door hybrid coupe. The automaker has a habit of making its production models closely resemble concepts—as seen with the Civic—and we expect that to happen with this new model.

The concept had the classic short rear deck and long hood proportions of a coupe. A simple lower front grille opening sat below sleek headlights, while a full-width rear light bar in a black surround under a black deck-lid spoiler complemented the clean styling.

Honda never showed the Prelude's cabin on the concept. Some Honda cues will carry over, and it could have unique Prelude branding and special seats inside.

If the latest rumors are true, the new Prelude should be similar in size to the Toyota GR86 sports car. The Honda will be about two inches longer than the Toyota at 169.3 inches while having the same-sized wheelbase—101.4 inches—and nearly identical heights at 51.2 and 51.6 inches, respectively. The Honda is about a half-inch wider than the Toyota and has a 2+2 layout for four passengers.

According to reports, Honda wants to position the new Prelude as a premium option above the Civic and Toyota GR86. In Japan, the GR86 costs ¥2.9 to ¥3.6 million ($18,738 to $23,261 at today's exchange rate). The Prelude will cost a bit more, ranging from ¥4.2 to ¥4.5 million ($27,138 to $29,077) in that country.

Honda has confirmed the coupe will have a hybrid powertrain with two electric motors. The latest report says the Prelude will use the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder e:HEV engine that powers the Accord and Civic hybrids. However, the Prelude will produce a bit more power than that pair, estimated at 207 hp. The new Civic Hybrid makes 200 hp, which is more than the new Civic Si, while the Accord has 204 hp.

If the Prelude arrives in America, and Honda still wants to outclass the Toyota, it could start somewhere in the $30,000 range as the GR86 begins at $30,395 in the US (the price includes the $1,095 destination charge). However, the Toyota makes 228 hp from its 2.4-liter flat-engine, so it would be cheaper and more powerful than the Honda but less efficient.

Honda took advantage of an event in Japan to reveal to the world the cabin of the Prelude, a new model that will be officially presented later this year, but will only arrive in Europe in 2026. In the images we can see a mix of the interior of a Civic and an Acura Integra. From the images, we see that the Prelude will have an automatic transmission and it is already possible to see the button that activates the technology called Honda S+ Shift.

This system will simulate the sound and feel of rapid automatic gear changes, Honda reports.

In the video below, recorded by a Japanese YouTuber, you can see the interior of the Prelude in detail.

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