The return of the Honda Prelude for the 2026 model year has generated a lot of buzz from automotive enthusiasts alike. But while the Honda faithful would have preferred the return of a high-revving VTEC engine and a manual transmission, it seems we’ll have to be content with a hybrid setup and an automatic transmission.
Still, Honda is promising the return of its iconic sports car, with sharp handling, a fun to drive spirit (although I’m curious how they’ll achieve this with an automatic hybrid) and the classic two-door coupe styling. Speaking of which, we’ve received some spy shots of a pre-production prototype driving around out there in the wild. The good news is that the Prelude looks pretty the same as the original concept.
Directly Aimed At The Toyota GR86 And Subaru BRZ
Ever since the Toyotabaru twins have hit our roads, I’ve always said that this is a segment Honda and other carmakers should also tap into. Yet, up until this Prelude was announced, those cars had no viable contender except maybe the Mazda MX-5 Miata.
From a dimension standpoint, the new Prelude does seem to have the shape, size and proportions to be a true GR86 fighter. It doesn’t seem to be much larger than a Honda Civic coupe, which is good news considering that past Preludes were mostly Accord-sized.
Speaking of the Accord, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Prelude used some of that car’s underpinnings, notably its platform (the Honda HA), also shared with the Civic, as well as most of its suspension components. At least, that’s how older Preludes were built, so we could see history repeating itself here.
Familiar Hybrid Engine With A Synthesized Manual Gearbox?
Underneath the hood of the front-wheel drive Honda Prelude will sit Honda’s tried and proven hybrid 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which was recently updated for the Civic hybrid. We could expect output to be in the vicinity of 200 horsepower, given the Prelude has a similar power-to-weight ratio as the 228-horsepower Subaru BRZ.
There’s a glimpse of good news in the transmission department as Honda has hinted at the idea of simulated gear shifts, similar to the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N. The Japanese giant is currently working on its 0 Series family of electric vehicles (EVs), expected to be released in 2026. With it, Honda is apparently developing a synthetic manual transmission as well as an infotainment system that allows the driver to choose which iconic engine note they want to hear. I know, it’s no VTEC, but it could be fun to operate nevertheless.
At this point, it’s unclear if Honda plans on introducing this to the hybrid Honda Prelude, but there are rumors of a fully electric version that could eventually receive this technology.
TopSpeed’s Take
As someone who grew up during the 1990s loving all of Honda’s sports cars, I’m genuinely excited about the Prelude revival. But I’m also very skeptical about the hybrid drivetrain providing the same sort of driving experience as a Toyota GR86 or Subaru BRZ. I’m afraid of being disappointed like I was with the revival of the Acura Integra.
The good news is that we’re seeing a newfound interest from carmakers in bringing back the compact front-wheel drive sports coupe, a type of vehicle that was immensely popular during the 1990s, but that has since vanished from the automotive landscape. Will the Prelude motivate Nissan to bring back the 240SX and Hyundai to release a new Tiburon? Who knows, but the idea of a GR86-fighting Honda sports car is enough to get my pulse running.
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