New Honda Prelude cuts a classic dash

By Charlie Calderwood

| 30 Jun 2026

Classic & Sports Car – Future classic: Honda Prelude

“That’s a beautiful car,” says an elderly pedestrian passing as I step into the new Honda Prelude.

Later, when I am stuck in traffic on the A1, the driver of a beaten-up Ford Transit gestures at me to roll down the window: “Nice car, is it electric?”

A new car with such swoopy, impractical styling? Even mainstream drivers sit up and take notice.

Before the Honda Prelude, the only new coupes from non-premium auto makers in the 2020s have been the Toyota GR86 and Ford Mustang.

The latter is already off-sale, and both were heavy facelifts of older models.

White van man’s confusion is warranted, though, because the Prelude has an odd – if en vogue – powertrain.

The new Honda Prelude is much more than a swoopy Civic; it blends Type R-inspired components with innovative hybrid power

Borrowed from the Honda Civic, its 2-liter, naturally aspirated, Atkinson-cycle engine only drives the wheels via the single-speed transmission when cruising.

The rest of the time it charges a battery that powers the car via a front-mounted electric motor, and at times will drive in electric-only mode.

This means it performs like an EV, feeling quicker off the mark than its 8.2 secs 0-62mph time suggests, but matched by the growl of an internal-combustion engine.

There’s no real reason for the revs to rise with acceleration – it’s done for effect, and can be accentuated by engaging a simulated eight-speed gearbox controlled by paddles.

The Honda Prelude’s cabin is plush, but is it enough to tempt BMW loyalists from the 220i Coupe?

This is only a briefly entertaining gimmick, however, and you’ll likely drive it like an auto most of the time.

Beyond its elegant, long-tail styling, the real party piece is the Honda Prelude’s front-drive chassis.

The starting point is the Civic, uprated with components that mimic – though don’t exactly copy – those of the recently discontinued Type R.

Like that car it is brilliantly agile, but it doesn’t break your spine over every pothole.

Whether on tight back roads or high-speed sweepers, the Prelude is a joy, with one of the best steering racks going.

The various drive modes offer real differentiation, too: Comfort is noticeably more floaty than Sport, for better and worse.

The new Honda Prelude is a fun and engaging car – but a Type R could really set hearts ablaze

Basically, it does what the old Honda Prelude – and so many classic coupes before it – used to: takes ordinary running gear of the day, adds sharper driving manners and wraps it all in a good-looking body for those who don’t regularly use back seats.

The new Honda Prelude is not a true sports car, though its chassis is at least the equal of the rear-drive BMW 220i Coupe and I’d argue the Prelude is more fun in real-world driving conditions.

The challenge for its maker will be that its £41k price-tag matches that of the Munich offering, and buyers in this segment tend to be badge-conscious.

It’ll be their loss if they don’t at least try one before going for the obvious option, and if Honda ever offers a Prelude with a traditional engine and a manual ’box, it’ll be a slam dunk.

Images: Jack Harrison

Factfile

Engine 1993cc ‘four’, plus electric motor; 181bhp @ 5900rpm; 232lb ft @ 4500rpm
Transmission single-speed auto, FWD
0-62mph 8.2 secs
Top speed 117mph
Mpg 54.3
Price £40,995

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