We Took Our First Spin In the 2026 Honda Prelude. Here’s What We Learned.

It was two years ago at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo that we caught our first glimpse of the concept that signaled the return of the Honda Prelude coupe. Back in Japan for the 2025 auto show, we got our first seat time behind the wheel of the all-new 2026 Honda Prelude that’s on sale in Japan now (where it’s built) and will be available in North America this month. If Japanese pricing is any indication, the sixth-gen Prelude should start at about $42,000 and is expected to be low volume—about 5,000 U.S. sales a year. It will be offered in a single trim level with only few options, primarily summer tires and a black roof on white models.

The 2026 Prelude is a two-door hybrid that employs the excellent hybrid system from the Honda Civic hybrid and key components from the Type R, including Honda’s dual-axis front suspension. We love the mashup. Early Preludes used a Honda Accord as a base.

The 2.0-liter engine and motor deliver the same 200 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque in the Prelude as in the Civic Hybrid. While the Type R with which it shares some components is focused on high performance track attacking, the Prelude was never meant to that type of car. Think of it more as a tuned-up Civic Hybrid coupe. The focus is more on handling and a smooth ride in a 2+2 with the same track width as a Type R but a shorter wheelbase.

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Time to Glide

Honda engineers told us they wanted the Prelude to feel like it’s gliding, and hokey as that sounds, it did indeed feel like it was gliding from corner to corner. Our short test drive was three laps of the handling course at Honda’s proving grounds in Tochigi, Japan. On the smooth pavement, its sport-tuned chassis and excellent steering combined for a spirited but smooth handling experience.

We did the first lap in GT mode, which is the drive mode customers are likely to spend most of their daily driving time. There is also Comfort and Sport; the latter is how we spent the final two laps.

Introducing Honda S+ Shift

The Prelude is the first Honda to get the automaker’s new S+ Shift system that mimics the sensation of a transmission shift, emulating an eight-speed automatic’s up- and downshifts by pairing torque dips to rev-matching and an active sound controller provides the sound track. It’s designed to synchronize driver input and vehicle response, providing rev match. S+ Shift and paddle shifters are the consolation prizes for the absence of a manual transmission.

In Sport mode, the upshifts are crisp and the feel is noticeable, the downshifts when braking elicit a decent burble. The sound really amps up in Sport mode. It’s good and throaty, loud enough to be visceral but not overpowering or too much. If this first taste is any indication, Honda has succeeded in making it feel like the car is in fact shifting.

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Early Take: Impressive

We loved the precision feel of the Prelude’s steering. It’s essentially the same steering rack as the Type R but with a ratio that’s 3 percent faster. The sharp turns on the handling course showed off the car’s quick response—from input to execution instantly—and the test circuit’s longer sweeping turn showed off its ability to hold a line with gritty determination. We chirped the all-terrain tires (summer tires will be an option) a few times but never felt any lack of control. The Prelude carries decent speed with confidence. The Prelude’s Brembo front brakes also from the Type R didn’t get much of a workout but were effective without excessive bite during our limited test run.

The hybrid system uses the engine for propulsion but it also acts as a generator for the motor. It switches seamlessly to EV mode, to hybrid for harder acceleration, and to engine mode for high-speed cruising.

Engineers told us that they could have added limited slip and torque vectoring, but they didn’t feel those systems were necessary. Again, the Prelude isn’t designed for speed; it’s supposed to be a fun everyday driver that’s better on a winding road than a Civic Si thanks to its Type R suspension bits, good tire contact, and quick shifts.

For the nostalgic buyer who once owned a Prelude—it hasn’t been offered since 2001—they’ll find this sixth-generation model will handle far better than the one they previously owned. We can’t wait to spend more time in it on an assortment of roads.

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