All-new Honda Prelude marks the return of a legend

The return of an icon can be a risky business, regardless of the badge on the front. While you’re indulging in nostalgia-filtered memories, the manufacturer could be creating a machine worthy of its legendary name...or something that bears absolutely no resemblance to its predecessors...

After a 25-year absence from the roads of Europe, we are delighted to be able to say that, at first glance at least, the new Honda Prelude looks to have achieved the former.

It may have taken a quarter of a century to arrive, but the sixth-generation Prelude is set to offer everything previous generations of Honda’s sports coupe did so well, and a whole lot more that wouldn’t even be possible without the intervening 25 years of technological development.

A hybrid tech for new-style Prelude

For a start, the all-new Prelude will be joining Honda’s electrified model range.

Drawing on decades of hybrid experience, the latest Prelude features Honda’s full hybrid e:HEV powertrain, pairing a 2.0-litre petrol engine with a lightweight dual electric motor automatic transmission. In total, the hybrid powertrain produces a healthy 180bhp or so, offering responsive power delivery, efficiency and refinement. You can also switch seamlessly between four drive modes at the touch of a button – ‘Comfort’, ‘GT’, ‘Sport’, and ‘Individual' – each of which fine-tunes the hybrid powertrain, suspension, and steering response to suit your mood.

And despite featuring an automatic transmission, the new Honda Prelude can also be a manual for those moments when you're feeling particularly sporty, and all at the flick of a switch.

Except in this case, the switch is a button that activates the Honda S+ Shift feature, a system that simulates the sound, feel and driver engagement of quick automatic gear changes to help the Prelude deliver an even more exhilarating driving experience.

With the latest development of Honda’s Linear Shift Control, the S+ feature works in combination with Active Sound Control (ASC) to correlate engine sound, revs, and road speed for a more natural feel when accelerating. The technology has allowed Honda to create a virtual eight-speed transmission, controlled via the steering wheel paddles so you can “shift through the gears” as if you’re driving a manual. You even get the engine braking effect and a delightful little rev-matching throttle ‘blip’ as you downshift.

To make sure the new Prelude provides a suitable balance of agile handling and comfort to complement the driving pleasure, its wide, low stance is also backed up with suspension technology borrowed from the Civic Type R, adaptive dampers, and the latest iteration of Honda’s Agile Handling Assist (AHA).

And as you would hopefully expect, the whole package is wrapped in a glorious sports coupe body.

Aerodynamic styling

Honda’s all-new Prelude boasts an exterior design inspired by the grace and elegance of a modern glider. That means it’s aerodynamically efficient, as well as being a nice thing to look at regardless of which of the four exterior colour options you choose. The fact that it bears more than a passing resemblance to the last generation of Honda's NSX supercar certainly won’t do it any harm either.

Don't be fooled too much though. That desirably sleek exterior profile belies the new Prelude’s surprisingly practical nature.

The equally impressive interior features quality materials, an uncluttered layout, and quite a bit more space than you might expect to find. The new Prelude still manages to find seating space for four occupants, and the large hatchback tailgate hides up to 663-litres of luggage space, proving that looks and practicality don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Standard equipment includes a customisable 10.2-inch driver display that features unique Prelude graphics and coloured themes for each of the drive modes, the latest nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless connectivity, and a rich and powerful eight-speaker audio system jointly developed with Bose. The interior look is completed with an exclusive choice of two-tone finishes in either a white/blue or black/blue theme.

Driving enthusiasts have been waiting…

Hans de Jaeger, Senior Vice President, Honda Motor Europe, summed it all up perfectly: “The Honda Prelude’s return has been eagerly anticipated by driving enthusiasts around the world since we first exhibited the concept model back in October 2023. This nameplate has always been a showcase for cutting-edge and innovative engineering, and this latest iteration is no exception. With its graceful design, innovative Honda S+ Shift and cutting edge full-hybrid powertrain, both drivers and passengers will never want their journey to end.”

It’s hard to argue with that assessment based on what we know so far.

And as far as what we know is concerned, the biggest unanswered question is when you can expect to lease the all-new Honda Prelude for yourself.

According to Honda’s website, alongside the “stay informed” and “register your interest” messaging, it also states that the “2026 Honda Prelude Coupe is now available to order”. That being the case, it’s not that much of a leap to suggest a glitzy launch will occur at some point over the next few months, with first deliveries likely to begin early next year.