A little over a year after its surprise revival, Honda has confirmed that the new Prelude is US bound. The hybrid coupe will reach our shores in late 2025, sporting a version of the two-motor hybrid system used in the Civic and Accord. The production car should look a lot like the concept Honda's been parading around, and we expect it to be a 2026 model year.
Honda was initially on the fence about selling the Prelude in America, but it brought the car to the LA Auto Show last year to gauge customer interest. Apparently, customers are interested. Notably, this will be the second revived Honda nameplate after the Acura Integra, which came back to North America as a more premium version of the Civic in 2022 and has since seen sales success. Nostalgia works.
Presumably, the new Prelude will be largely the same as the Civic hybrid underneath, which is a good thing, as the current Civic is excellent. Honda's chief engineer said last year that the Prelude won't be the sportiest car though, so don't think Honda is making a Toyota GR86 competitor here. Still, it'll be one of the only affordable two-doors on the market when it arrives next year.
Honda also confirmed that the Prelude will debut a new feature called S+ Shift. The automaker's two-motor hybrid cars eschew a conventional transmission, and instead, one of the two motors drives the wheels directly most of the time. The engine can drive the wheels at highway speeds via a lockup clutch too, too. So that this system doesn't have the typical "rubber-band" feel associated with other hybrids and cars with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), Honda developed a system called Linear Shift Control that simulates the feeling of a conventional engine and transmission.
S+ Shift is an expansion on Linear Shift Control, with the aim of providing a more sporty driving experience befitting the Prelude name. Honda didn't provide any further details on how the system works, but it does seem like its aiming the Prelude at enthusiasts.
There's still a lot we don't know, like where it'll be built, or what it'll cost. But we're excited. The Civic hybrid is one of the best cars on sale, and wrapping its excellent hardware in a more stylish package is a good thing.
