► New Honda Prelude to reach Europe early 2026
► Hybrid coupe will feature ‘S+ Shift’ transmission tech
► Clean looks, Brembo brakes and space for four
Honda’s Prelude returns. The new sporty(ish) coupe was first revealed as a concept at the beginning of 2024, with the brand saying the production model will arrive in Europe ‘in the first half of 2026.’ It’s the first time the Prelude name has been used since the fifth-generation Honda coupe ended production at the end of 2001.
As of December 2024, Honda has confirmed the new-generation coupe as a hybrid model, almost certainly using the same architecture as the current Civic hatchback as a strong base. That means the new Prelude will use a CVT – just like all other current non-BEV Hondas currently on sale.
With the Prelude, though, Honda says it is including the brand’s ‘S+ Shift’ technology, which is designed to ‘simulate the sound and feel of quick automatic gear changes,’ mimicking the shifts of a dual-clutch transmission. The brand has also pointed to models like the Insight and the CR-Z to give us hints about the Prelude’s driving dynamics.
‘In a time where everybody’s talking about electrification and low carbon, we wanted to express Honda’s DNA and provide a real joy of driving. What car can better express that than a sporty coupe?’, Tomoyuki Yamagami, the Prelude’s large project lead, tells CAR.
The look of the new Prelude is pretty much set, previewed by the red concept car that made its public debut at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed. We’ve been up close to the red car, which is relatively small when you’re stood next to it. Honda’s design team have focused on keeping the car low to the ground and as aerodynamic as possible. ‘It’s designed to be low and wide,’ says Yamagami, ‘and we’ve been inspired by gliders, and we’ve made sure not to include many gimmicks in the design.’
While we can’t see its interior yet, Honda promises a low driving position, with Yamagami confirming to us that the new Prelude will be a four-seater. Sporty details like brakes from Brembo will be included, and the ‘Prelude’ badge on the back is in a classic Honda script.
The Prelude has always had a history of utilising existing Honda architectures and technologies under the skin. We expect the new-generation Prelude to deploy the Civic’s hybrid powertrain when it launches.
‘The new Prelude unifies all of the DNA you’d expect from Honda,’ adds Yamagami. ‘We’ve carefully selected the technology to be utilised here, and we’re imagining a potential customer that uses the car not just for track days, but every day.’