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It’s been 25 years for the reason that Prelude nameplate was final seen in a Honda showroom. Standing on a easy, closed check circuit in Japan, it’s clear the title is all that hyperlinks this new automotive to its high-revving, VTEC-powered ancestors.
The unique Prelude was a technical flagship for Honda, a showcase for sharp, naturally-aspirated, front-wheel-drive dealing with. This new sixth-generation automotive is a hybrid, sharing its e:HEV powertrain with the common-or-garden Civic and CR-V.
On paper, it appears like sacrilege. However Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe has been adamant that the model’s “pleasure of driving” philosophy have to be carried into its electrified future.
The Prelude is the primary actual check of that promise – a hero automotive designed to show that effectivity and driver engagement can co-exist. The query is, can a hybrid coupe with a simulated gearbox ever be a ‘actual’ Prelude?
How a lot does the Honda Prelude price?
Honda Australia has confirmed the Prelude will launch domestically in mid-2026, however is but to lock in pricing.
Nevertheless, we all know it’s at present supplied in Japan as a single, high-spec variant. The Japanese home market value is ¥6,179,800, which on the present change charge is slightly below A$64,000.
Extra telling is that that is an identical to the value of the Civic Kind R Racing Black Package deal in Japan.
In Australia, the Civic Kind R is priced from $72,600 drive-away. Given the Prelude shares a major quantity of the Kind R’s high-cost componentry—just like the dual-axis entrance suspension, adaptive dampers, and Brembo brakes—it’s secure to imagine it is going to be positioned as a premium providing.
Count on the 2026 Honda Prelude to land in Australia with a drive-away price ticket someplace between $65,000 and $70,000.
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What’s the Honda Prelude like on the within?
Hop inside and also you’ll instantly see the Eleventh-generation Civic. The clear horizontal dashboard, the honeycomb mesh air vents, and the clicky, high-quality local weather controls are all lifted straight from the Honda elements bin.
That’s not a nasty factor, because the Civic inside is without doubt one of the finest in its class for ergonomics and construct high quality. However the Prelude makes an attempt to justify its premium price ticket with quite a few key upgrades.
The usual 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and 9.0-inch central touchscreen are acquainted, together with Google Constructed-in with native Google Maps and Google Assistant, in addition to wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The principle occasion is the seating. The Prelude will get distinctive leather-trimmed sports activities seats with fastened headrests, aggressive bolstering, and a perforated houndstooth sample.
They’re heated as normal, and obtainable in both a conservative all-black or a much more placing two-tone blue and white.
These seats, mixed with a flat-bottom leather-wrapped steering wheel, do lots to make the cabin really feel extra ‘sports activities automotive’ and fewer ‘commuter hatchback’.
Honda says it even designed the seats asymmetrically, with the driving force’s aspect extra closely bolstered for cornering and the passenger aspect barely softer for consolation.
It’s a strict 2+2 seater, and also you’d must be legless or a baby to slot in the again. The rear pews are finest regarded as a fantastically upholstered parcel shelf, which is not any actual shock for this phase.
It feels premium, however whether or not it feels $65,000-premium when the sprint structure is shared with a $45,000 Civic is the query patrons should reply.
From a practicality standpoint, the Prelude encompasses a liftback rear, opening to a 428-litre boot (based mostly on US specs). That is monumental for the category, simply beating the 237L in a Toyota GR86.
The 60:40 split-fold rear seats broaden the house additional, with Honda claiming it’s massive sufficient for 2 medium suitcases or perhaps a pair of surfboards.
What’s beneath the bonnet?
Overlook high-revving VTEC or a detuned Kind R turbo. The 2026 Prelude is powered by the identical e:HEV hybrid system discovered within the Civic and CR-V.
It pairs a 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder petrol engine (104kW/182Nm) with a two-motor hybrid system. The principle electrical drive motor produces 133kW and 315Nm of torque. Mixed system outputs are 147kW of energy and 315Nm of torque, despatched completely to the entrance wheels.
Whereas the ability determine is modest—lower than the 170kW/250Nm Toyota GR86 – the torque determine is the headline. That 315Nm just isn’t solely considerably greater than the GR86, however it’s additionally delivered immediately by the electrical motor.
The largest speaking level is the transmission – technically, there isn’t one, it’s Honda’s direct-drive e-CVT system. Nevertheless, to fight the “rubber band” really feel and create driver engagement, Honda has engineered the ‘S+ Shift’ system. Utilizing the steering-wheel-mounted paddles, this technique emulates an eight-speed automated transmission.
It’s a purely artificial expertise, however it’s designed to supply the “sharp gear shifting really feel” of a standard auto, full with rev-matching ‘blips’ from the petrol engine on downshifts and the power to “maintain” a gear.
Then, there’s the chassis. To deal with the moment electrical torque, the Prelude borrows the dual-axis strut entrance suspension from the Civic Kind R, which is particularly designed to mitigate torque steer.
It additionally will get the adaptive damper system from the Kind R (retuned for the Prelude’s grand touring temporary) and the identical Brembo four-piston entrance brake calipers.
How does the Honda Prelude drive?
I must preface this by saying our drive was extremely temporary – only a few laps on a brief, easy check circuit in Japan. A full verdict should watch for a correct Aussie street check.
That stated, the Prelude is an interesting and complex package deal.
Absolutely the crux of the expertise is the S+ Shift system. Let’s be clear: this isn’t a CVT with “belts and pulleys.” It’s an e-CVT, which means a two-motor hybrid system the place the electrical traction motor is primarily driving the wheels.
At greater speeds, a clutch can have interaction the two.0-litre petrol engine for direct drive, however the S+ Shift programming is the actual story.
Once you’re in S+ mode, the system convincingly emulates the texture of a dual-clutch transmission. It’s a purely artificial eight-speed map, however it delivers fast, distinct upshifts and downshifts, fully eradicating the droning, elastic-band sensation typical of many hybrids.
The end result is an interesting and attention-grabbing drive that feels far faraway from a typical eco-car.
The {hardware} is the opposite half of the story. This isn’t only a Civic that’s gone on a food plan; the engineers have grafted within the dual-axis entrance suspension from the Civic Kind R and given the Prelude a wider monitor.
On this quick circuit, the steering is responsive and the chassis reveals minimal physique roll, feeling planted and fascinating.
It’s not mega-fast in a straight line like a Civic Kind R. As a substitute, it subscribes to the “gradual automotive quick” philosophy, the place the driving force can extract 100 per cent of its efficiency and benefit from the dealing with with out reaching excessive speeds.
Regardless of the moment 315Nm of torque from the electrical motor, torque steer isn’t a problem. With a mixed 147kW, there isn’t sufficient energy to overwhelm the entrance finish, and the Kind R-derived suspension does its job of managing energy supply.
Even when making use of energy aggressively out of tight corners, the Prelude stays composed and balanced. It’s a promising and complex package deal, and we’re eager to place it by way of its paces on a correct Aussie proving floor.
What do you get?
With a single high-spec variant anticipated for Australia, the Prelude will come loaded with normal gear.
Key options embrace:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Brembo 4-piston entrance brakes
- Adaptive Damper System
- Twin-axis strut entrance suspension
- LED headlights with adaptive high-beam
- 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster
- 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Google Constructed-in
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Wi-fi cellphone charger
- 8-speaker Bose premium sound system
- Heated, leather-trimmed sports activities seats with houndstooth sample
- Flat-bottom, leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters
- Twin-zone local weather management
Is the Honda Prelude secure?
The Prelude hasn’t been crash-tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, however it would come normal with the total Honda Sensing suite of security applied sciences.
Commonplace security options embrace:
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Adaptive cruise management with low-speed comply with
- Lane-keep help
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Visitors Jam Help
- Visitors signal recognition
- Unintended acceleration mitigation
- Publish-Collision Braking system
CarExpert’s Tackle the Honda Prelude
After a really temporary stint behind the wheel, it’s clear the Prelude is an interesting and deeply-engineered automotive.
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It’s completely not the uncooked, analogue, high-revving coupe many fans have been hoping for, however it’s additionally removed from a cynical badge-slap on a two-door Civic.
The powertrain is the right instance. On paper, a 147kW hybrid with an e-CVT is the weak hyperlink. In follow, the ‘S+ Shift’ system is the surprise-and-delight characteristic.
It’s a genuinely intelligent and fascinating simulation that delivers the distinct, stepped really feel of a dual-clutch, full with rev-matched downshifts. It fully removes the hybrid drone and makes the automotive enjoyable.
Whereas it’s not mega quick in a straight line, the Prelude subscribes to the traditional “gradual automotive quick” philosophy. The actual-world efficiency is within the chassis.
This isn’t only a Civic in a glossy swimsuit; the engineers have grafted within the Civic Kind R’s dual-axis entrance suspension, adaptive dampers, and Brembo brakes. The end result, even on this quick monitor, is a automotive that feels planted, responsive, and secure, with wonderful steering and minimal physique roll.
So, who is that this automotive for? At an anticipated $65,000-70,000 drive-away, it’s not a competitor for the Toyota GR86. It exists in a category of 1, simply because the originals did.
The Prelude is a contemporary Grand Tourer. It’s for the mature fanatic who needs a classy, sharp-handling, and sensible coupe for the every day drive—somebody who appreciates the moment electrical torque and 5.0L/100km gasoline financial system as a lot because the cornering grip.
It efficiently proves that Honda’s “pleasure of driving” philosophy can survive electrification, and that’s a really promising signal for the model’s future.
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