Its been a long time since the Honda Prelude was part of the automotive market, but this nameplate is making a comeback to be a unique hybrid sports car.
Honda has sold coupes for many years, but they aren’t all created equal. While we love the Civic Coupe and what it brings to the table, the Prelude was one of the most intriguing and unique coupes of its day. That day will come around again when the Prelude returns or the 20206 model year. This time, the Prelude will be a hybrid coupe that will give Honda shoppers an excellent alternative to the Civic.
Prelude pros and cons
It might seem a little premature to talk about the pros and cons of a car that isn’t part of the market yet. The new Prelude should give us some of what we want, but there might be some items to be aware of.
Pros
- A return of the Honda sports coupe
- Efficient hybrid powertrain
- Distinct and unique in the market
Cons
- Might not be very powerful
- Won’t have four-wheel steering
- No US version announced yet
A concept model makes the global tour
We know the Honda Prelude will be a production sports coupe from the brand, and it will arrive in the 2026 model year. This means the concept model that’s been on tour around the globe is likely to be as close to a production version as you’re likely to get. Some items might not show up on the production model, such as the large wheels, Brembo front brake calipers, and carbon-fiber aero features. Still, these items could be part of a performance package for the Prelude when it arrives on the scene for the 2026 model year.
This new car should have an athletic design that signals the early versions of the Honda sports car. We expect this new Prelude will have incredible handling and an advanced tech package that makes it a cut above and ahead of some of the models currently in the Honda lineup.
The new hybrid powertrain will be a huge part of whether or not this new Prelude is an appealing car. The cutting edge build means it should be a fun car to look at and hopefully it will be just as much fun to drive. The pressure rests squarely on the powertrain and whether or not it’s good enough.
How much power should it have?
The new Honda Prelude should have the same powertrain that’s found in the Civic Hybrid, but that might not be the case. If Honda wants this new sports coupe to set itself apart from the rest of the market, it needs to have something special under the hood. The current Civic Hybrid’s powertrain is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and two electric motors that send 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. The new Prelude needs to exceed this power significantly if it is to be taken seriously as an exciting new sports coupe.
The Prelude needs to stand out
Does it make sense for Honda to make another hybrid car that’s the same size as the Civic Hybrid? Not really, but that’s what we expect. This new Prelude might have the same size and build as the Civic, which doesn’t allow it to stand out. This could be part of why there isn’t a US version of this car announced yet. Still, Honda could have something sneaky up its sleeve to give us a car that will stand out and be different enough to make it desirable.
Tech we know
We don’t expect to see any great advancements in technology when the Prelude arrives. This new Honda sports coupe should have similar equipment and technology to the Civic, which is once again part of the conversation. Of course, if the Prelude comes with the same tech, we won’t be surprised or disappointed. This is one area in which copying the Civic makes perfect sense for this new Honda sports coupe.
The new Honda Prelude is exciting to think about, but we might not see it in the United States. Hopefully, it will be different enough to be exciting in the markets where it sold, and we have our proverbial fingers crossed that a version will arrive in America. The expected starting price of the Prelude is $30,000, which puts it just above the Hybrid Civic models. Could the Prelude be a continuation of Civic trims into a new vehicle name? It’s certainly possible.
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