Honda’s latest mannequin for 2026 wears one of many firm’s oldest mannequin names: Prelude.
“The Honda Prelude debuted in the late 1970s, so what you see here is the sixth generation and the latest iteration of the Honda Prelude,” stated Alvin Tsang with American Honda public relations.
That first one appeared as a 1979 mannequin, when Honda was simply hitting its stride as an auto model. The Prelude joined the Civic and Accord in showrooms, at a time when issues like SUVs had been nonetheless properly off sooner or later for Honda.
The Prelude proved to be common, with Honda promoting 171,000 of them between 1979 and 1982. Four extra generations got here alongside, earlier than the Prelude quietly disappeared in 2001.
Twenty-five years later the Prelude is back. It’s a two-door coupe, as all the time, however this time it is each inexperienced and imply below its trendy pores and skin.
“Pairing the award-winning powertrain out of the Civic Hybrid along with the chassis dynamics from the Honda Civic Type R, which is a very track-focused vehicle,” Tsang defined.
Basically, a sporty automobile that is straightforward on fuel, like the unique. Not super-sporty with solely 200 horsepower, however take into accout, that admittedly tiny 1979 Prelude had solely 72 horsepower.
As for dealing with, the suspension from the Civic Type-R provides it nice dynamics, as soon as the hybrid engine and motor get the automobile in control. Practicality is available in a respectable dimension cargo space below the hatch, and there are two rear seats, simply barely. More of a “2+2” in automotive parlance.
Honda is advertising the reborn Prelude as a premium sport coupe in only one configuration for an MSRP of $43,650 together with vacation spot. Pretty a lot something a driver would want comes customary, and there aren’t any choices. Combined EPA gasoline financial system is 44 mpg.
Over the years, Honda has used the Prelude mannequin to point out off rising applied sciences, and this new one follows swimsuit.
Generation quantity three (1988-1991) launched the choice of four-wheel steering, a first for a manufacturing automobile. The subsequent era of Prelude (1992-1996) continued four-wheel steering as an optionally available function, however achieved electronically as a substitute of mechanically. That era additionally noticed the adoption of Honda’s VTEC valvetrain system.
What does era six carry to the expertise social gathering? Well, a new method to make the driving expertise extra partaking in comparison with most hybrids. Press the S+ Shift button on the console, and software program simulates a quick-shifting eight-speed computerized transmission. It actually works, whether or not you utilize the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel or not.
Nevertheless, this isn’t a really high-performance automobile, simply a very sporty one. And as Honda strikes additional into the hybrid energy enviornment, the Prelude makes for a further providing.
“There’s the Accord Hybrid, the Civic Hybrid, the CR-V Hybrid,” Tsang famous. “Now on top we’ve got the Prelude Hybrid.”
You could not have seen one on the street but. Honda’s solely planning on promoting about 4,000 per 12 months. But once you do see it, and that Prelude title, it could strike you as one thing you bear in mind from Honda’s historical past.