2026 Honda Prelude Early Track Drive Gives Us A Quick Taste Of Honda's Hot Hybrid Coupe

Honda

From nan infinitesimal Honda announced it was bringing backmost nan Prelude pinch nan Civic Hybrid's drivetrain mixed together pinch the Civic Type R's suspension, 1 mobility has been connected enthusiasts' minds crossed nan globe: really is this point going to drive? Well, I tin now reply that for you... benignant of.

While successful Tokyo for nan Japan Mobility Show, Honda took a group of journalists (including me) to its investigation and improvement installation successful Tochigi for a little but insightful first thrust of the sixth-generation Prelude. After conscionable 3 laps of a circuit Honda group up, I'm present to show you that nan born-again Prelude tin unrecorded up to nan sporty pretensions of its forebears, but pinch conscionable 200 horsepower connected tap, nan only title you're going to beryllium competitory successful will beryllium against a Subaru BRZ aliases a minivan driver who isn't alert you're racing.

We've already sewage our afloat uncover station of nan caller Prelude present that goes into each insignificant item of nan car extensively, truthful I won't rehash excessively overmuch of that — let's conscionable instrumentality to nan important driving bits, shall we?

Full Disclosure: I flew to Japan connected Honda's dime, and it paid for my hotels and each of nan unbelievable nutrient I ate.

Honda

At nan bosom of the 2026 Prelude is nan Civic Hybrid's people aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four and 2 electrical motors. All successful all, nan strategy puts retired nan aforementioned 200 hp and 232 pound-feet of torque, precisely nan aforesaid arsenic the Civic Hybrid I tested past year. All of that powerfulness is routed to nan beforehand wheels done Honda's nonstop thrust eCVT system, which isn't really a CVT astatine all, but that's what they telephone it. Really, location is nary transmission astatine all, but it's difficult to show pinch nan superb S+ Shift strategy — much connected that later. There aren't immoderate charismatic capacity figures yet, but my butt tells maine that its 0-to-60-mph clip is astir apt location successful nan low-to-mid 6-second range, which is astir wherever nan existent Civic Hybrid is. That's not going to group immoderate records, but you're going to get retired of your ain measurement conscionable fine. In immoderate case, straight-line velocity really isn't what nan Prelude is about.

The Prelude, existent to its roots, is simply a small demon erstwhile it goes astir a corner. Thank nan dual-axis beforehand strut suspension and wide way borrowed from nan Type R for that, though its wheelbase is shorter than the Civic Type R's, which will almost surely make it snappier. The car besides gets nan sporty Civic's steering and adaptive dampers, and they've been specifically tuned for nan 'Lude. The steering rack is now 3% quicker, according to Yoshiharu Saito, 1 of Honda's apical engineers. If you look intimately down nan 19-inch wheels of nan Prelude, you're going to find bluish Brembo brakes (13.8 inches up front, 12 inches successful nan rear) that are besides pulled straight from nan Type R. The Prelude comes modular pinch Continental all-season tires, but summers will beryllium an option; sadly, nan car I drove was fitted pinch nan all-seasons.

Honda

Though I spent a corporate 8 minutes successful nan Prelude, I could show it is simply a bully spot to be. I mean, each Civics are. Of course, this is simply a spot amended and much sporty than your run-of-the-mill Civic. The Prelude is fitted pinch a mates of very handsome and very supportive heated bucket seats up beforehand that did a bully occupation of holding my ample ass successful erstwhile I hucked it astir a area astatine Honda's trial track, and contempt nan truth that nan car is alternatively low, I had nary rumor pinch headroom. I can't opportunity I tried retired nan backmost seats, but they didn't precisely look capacious. That's not my problem, though. I'm driving. I besides didn't walk overmuch clip pinch nan tech. Again, I had 8 minutes. Do you each attraction astir this thing's steering consciousness aliases whether CarPlay is easy to link to? That's what I thought. It's emblematic Honda. It's good. You'll for illustration it.

Honda

All of these small things travel together to create what genuinely seems for illustration a beautiful small car to drive. While my stint was brief, that's thing I'm incredibly utilized to. I suppose you tin opportunity I'm much of a "good time, not a agelong time" guy. Unsurprisingly a monolithic item of nan Prelude is its steering. Delicate would beryllium nan correct measurement to picture it. Despite nan truth it shares a container pinch nan Civic Type R, nan Prelude's rack feels acold lighter, if representation serves. Even in Sport mode it felt for illustration I could thrust nan car pinch conscionable nan lightest touch of nan steering wheel. However, don't deliberation for a 2nd that it felt overboosted aliases imprecise. I was capable to move from area to area connected this incredibly tight way — meant primitively for motorcycles — pinch a monolithic grin connected my face.

I'm judge nan pristine aboveground of nan way had thing to do pinch it, but it was truthful easy to get into a awesome groove successful this car. I deliberation nan kids telephone it a travel state. (I'm a kid, I telephone it a travel state.) That being said, nan aboveground made it intolerable for maine to show you really bully nan Prelude really rides. It's astir apt fine. Civic Type Rs aren't miserable to thrust connected harsh surfaces, I don't fishy this will beryllium either.

Honda

From nan outside, nan Prelude sounds for illustration nothing. Zilch. Nada. You could correction it for immoderate different hybrid four-popper retired there, which is excessively bad, but inside, Honda's engineers did a awesome occupation of cranking up nan dramatics by pumping successful clone sound that doesn't sound for illustration full dogshit, and fitting nan company's caller S+ Shift system, pinch clone gearshifts to make everything a spot much fun. I'll show you what, large dog, it worked.

Honda

S+ Shift has 7 clone gears that'll tally up against nan engine's 6,000-rpm redline. Of course, nan truth that there's nary transmission intends there's not really immoderate gears, but if an EV tin person clone shifts, dammit, truthful tin a hybrid. It provides immoderate legitimately speedy shifts that really do make everything a spot much exciting, going some up and down successful nan ratios. Hell, it moreover gives you a small mechanical kick. I've sewage nary thought really they engineered that, but it judge is impressive. I'm judge utilizing this strategy makes nan Prelude a spot slower than conscionable leaving it successful regular automatic mode, but unrecorded a little. Have immoderate nosy successful your sad, drab life. You don't request to beryllium successful Sport mode to usage it either. Whether you're successful Comfort, GT aliases Individual, you tin flick connected S+ Shift for a burst of fun.

Honda

Honda hasn't told maine — aliases anyone, for that matter — really galore Preludes it plans to waste each year. However, a rep for nan marque told maine they are very assured it'll waste each azygous 1 it builds. I'm judge you've each seen nan comments online bemoaning nan truth that this car isn't conscionable a rehash of a car that was killed disconnected 25 years ago. Hell, you astir apt wrote immoderate of those comments, but I committedness you, nan sixth-generation Prelude lives up to nan sanction connected its trunklid.

It mightiness not beryllium nan fastest car I've ever driven, but successful a world wherever group kick astir cars having excessively overmuch useless power, isn't a low-ish-power sports coupe pinch a bully interior precisely what you're looking for? If it's bully capable for nan literal CEO of Honda to bargain one, it's bully capable for you, beloved commenter. The caller Prelude will scope dealers successful nan U.S. by nan extremity of this year.